I'll Pass

The time is approaching where people all over the world are getting ready to celebrate Easter, and another religious ritual, Passover.

Did you know that the Saturday before Easter Sunday is the busiest shopping day of the year, even busier than Christmas?? I find that astonishing. Easter is one of those holidays where people who never go to church otherwise dust off their semi-formal wear and feel good about themselves after acknowledging Jesus Christ is their Lord and Saviour. I'm sure some of them really do believe their hearts are genuine...that they trust their sins are forgiven and as long as they live a good, well mannered life they will go to Heaven.

Because, after all, Jesus died for our sins. (Can I get an Amen!!)

And many of these people may be in fact born again. But I ask you this:

If Christ really chose you and paid for you with his blood, would you not therefore live and breathe his work and put anything and everything else last on your list that may interfere with connecting with your local gathered church and building bonds built on mutual trust in Gods word? I am not suggesting in any way that those who chose activities or work on a Sunday aren't saved, but if I claim to know Christ, scheduling my life around His church should be first priority. The family God gathers together in His name for His purpose is my only relief from the sin and weight of darkness in this world. What example would I be setting for my kids if serving God isn't my only priority. I have to remember to ask myself if what I am doing will glorify God. What club I belong to, what group I take my kids to etc... I'm so thankful that we home school so we are able to schedule activities through the week, so my choice to fellowship is pretty easy.

Now, some people will tell you that celebrating Easter is pagan, and the very idea of it has pagan roots. Let me give you the definition of paganism:

: heathen 1; especially : a follower of a polytheistic religion (as in ancient Rome)

2: one who has little or no religion and who delights in sensual pleasures and material goods : an irreligious or hedonistic person

3: neo-pagan

— pagan adjective

Examples of PAGAN

1. the Spanish conquistadores regarded the native peoples of the lands that they conquered as pagans who were uncivilized and inherently inferior

Origin of PAGAN

Middle English, from Late Latin paganus, from Latin, civilian, country dweller, from pagus country district; akin to Latin pangere to fix —

First Known Use: 14th century

pa·gan·ism pronounced: /ˈpeɪgəˌnɪzəm/ Function: noun. Meaning: [noncount] 1 : the state of being pagan ▪ the paganism of early Rome
2 also Paganism : a religion that has many gods or goddesses, considers the earth holy, and does not have a central authority ▪ He is a practitioner of Paganism.

Now, correct me if I'm wrong but Easter is about Christ, who died for his chosen people, and after defeating death is alive and well sitting at the right hand of God. I'm not understanding how that could possibly be pagan, because that is what the very word of God says happened.

Hmm.

The freedom we have to gather together with loved ones to celebrate the death and resurrection of our Lord is our right as human beings. Observing Easter does not make us Christian any more than being baptized as an infant would, or attending church when we can afford it or feel like it, or nothing else is going on. We celebrate Christs death and resurrection every time we partake in communion. Which is one of the two ordinaces for the Church after Christ assended to Heaven. We happen to do it every week, where other Churches do it once a month. Regardless, Easter is nice, but not nessesary in the Chirstain walk.

Now on to Passover.

I have, in fact, befriended many individuals who are right now preparing their homes for the feasts and rites of the passover countdown. One of my dear friends was even invited to attend a passover meal, and thought nothing of what she would have been supporting had we not had the conversation that came up at prayer meeting. I ask you what I asked her:

Why is the passover blasphemous?

"WHOA, you say, hold on, that's a really scary word to use here. What's the big deal?"

What was the purpose of the passover? Read Exodus 12. An amazing event in the history of man and the grace that God shows to his people.

What did the passover symbolize?

Looking back to the promise made in Gensis 12, doesn't it make your arm hairs stand on end that after Gods promise has been fullfilled through Jesus Christ some still insist on celebrating his coming? Some even say the passover is to remember the temple and wait for it to be rebuilt.
Please read this website and look carefully at what they do. Before Christ they were commanded to observe the passover as a reminder of what they came out of.

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/holidaya.html

Now tell me how in the world it would glorify God to celebrate what He did by bringing them out of slavery, by only viewing and acknowledging the past before Christ. All the do do do and do, the dietary restrictions etc... give the impression of a works based faith.

The focus should be on Jesus, and what He did.

If Christ Alone (Solus Christus) isn't the center of your celebration than what you are doing is against God. What does being against God mean?

As you gather with your family and friends, may your lives be filled with Gods blessing and truth and may your focus be on Christ Alone. He did it all. We can do nothing, but for Gods will written on our hearts to serve our master and Creator with JOY!