Easter, the Bible & Jesus
Festive seasons are very enjoyable times to all people except those who are in need, either financially or physically in one way or the other. Even then, festive seasons may help them somehow as they may (and should) receive help or assistance from those who actually have.
All across the world, this week and the next few weeks to come, Easter is the season. I took some time to look into Easter and found a history I didn’t recognise because it’s different from what I had been told all my life, infact nobody ever told me different until I stopped to check. Vine’s Concise Dictionary of the Bible is one of the many sources used in my quest to understand Easter and it describes Easter as totally Pagan! All other source confirms the same thing. As a matter of fact, do a google search on the history of Easter and see what comes up. More so, I couldn’t find a single reference instructing Christians to celebrate Easter in the bible, rather I found the Jewish Passover which we know that our Lord Jesus Christ recognised and celebrated as it is written in Luke 22:14-16 (Amplified Bible) 14And when the hour came, [Jesus] reclined at table, and the apostles with Him. 15And He said to them, I have earnestly and intensely desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 16For I say to you, I shall eat it no more until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
In all the festive seasons grafted by the world, what really matters? I Choose to follow the scriptures…
11Therefore, remember that at one time you were Gentiles (heathens) in the flesh, called Uncircumcision by those who called themselves Circumcision, [itself a [a]mere mark] in the flesh made by human hands. 12[Remember] that you were at that time separated (living apart) from Christ [excluded from all part in Him], utterly estranged and outlawed from the rights of Israel as a nation, and strangers with no share in the sacred compacts of the [Messianic] promise [with no knowledge of or right in God's agreements, His covenants]. And you had no hope (no promise); you were in the world without God. 13But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were [so] far away, through (by, in) the blood of Christ have been brought near. 14For He is [Himself] our peace (our bond of unity and harmony). He has made us both [Jew and Gentile] one [body], and has broken down (destroyed, abolished) the hostile dividing wall between us, 15By abolishing in His [own crucified] flesh the enmity [caused by] the Law with its decrees and ordinances [which He annulled]; that He from the two might create in Himself one new man [one new quality of humanity out of the two], so making peace. 16And [He designed] to reconcile to God both [Jew and Gentile, united] in a single body by means of His cross, thereby killing the mutual enmity and bringing the feud to an end. 17And He came and preached the glad tidings of peace to you who were afar off and [peace] to those who were near. 18For it is through Him that we both [whether far off or near] now have an introduction (access) by one [Holy] Spirit to the Father [so that we are able to approach Him]. 19Therefore you are no longer outsiders (exiles, migrants, and aliens, excluded from the rights of citizens), but you now share citizenship with the saints (God’s own people, consecrated and set apart for Himself); and you belong to God’s [own] household. 20You are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus Himself the chief Cornerstone. 21In Him the whole structure is joined (bound, welded) together harmoniously, and it continues to rise (grow, increase) into a holy temple in the Lord [a sanctuary dedicated, consecrated, and sacred to the presence of the Lord]. 22In Him [and in fellowship with one another] you yourselves also are being built up [into this structure] with the rest, to form a fixed abode (dwelling place) of God in (by, through) the Spirit. Ephesians 2:11-22 (Amplified Bible)
Easter or The Cross
Stand Out!
Taking grounds, claim your inheritance, receive what is yours, breakthrough, how to achieve your financial freedom and many more teachings / themes are common place today.
Very few encourage integrity, righteous living, love for others, peace, sacrifice, self discipline and fight against the flesh which brings corruption to the soul and yet we think we are equipped to take territories? We surround ourselves with teachings on achieving all these worldly desires but we mostly don’t know how to equip ourselves to walk in right standing with God.
If you don’t know how to fight the enemy (fleshly desires in most cases which comes from lack of self control and lack of spiritual exercise such as bible reading and the lack of practicing what the bible says) then you can’t really know how to defend yourself, attack the enemy, let alone take territory, claim your inheritance or breakthrough. In fact, the only territory you will gain is that of more distance between you and God, and for what? Things you can’t take to eternity?
In the Old Testament, the battles fought were physical but in today’s world we fight a different kind of battle and 2 Corinthians 10:3 confirms this.
How will you succeed against all odds in these times that we are in? Where we are so busy and speed is always of the essence, where everything seeks and thirsts for our time, body, spirit and soul, where there are so many wolves in Sheep’s clothing pretending to be what they are not, where sin is given simple names to make them acceptable or where we all seem to be sleeping by being weak in one spiritual way or the other?
Romans 12:2 encourages us: Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].
Make a choice today and stand out from the crowd. If we can trust God, be content, stay within His Word and covenant? We will gain all here in this world and then some more in eternity.