Easter A Celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus

Easter A Celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

Easter in North America • Easter, increasingly called “Resurrection Day” by Christians, is their most important holy day. • North American Easter practices and customs include both Christian and non-Christian elements. • The events of Easter are historical, that is, they happened in a particular time and place, so they are not just symbolic. – In this presentation, first look at the historical events surrounding the Resurrection. – Then look at non-Christian elements that were added later to the celebration.

What is Easter? • An annual celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ (His rising from the dead) • A moveable feast (festival, not held on the same date each year) that can come as early as March 22 or as late as April 25 • The First Nicene Council in 325 AD decided to use a lunar basis to set the date: the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after March 21 (the Vernal Equinox = beginning of Spring)

Jesus of Nazareth • lived for about 33 years (4 BC – 30 AD) in Israel • The Bible indicates that He was called “the Christ” (in Greek), meaning “the Chosen One” or “the Anointed One. ” This title identified him as the long-awaited “Messiah” (in Hebrew).

Old Testament Prophecies • Hundreds of predictions revealed aspects of the life of this special Servant of God. He would be: – God’s unique representative on earth. – the leader of God’s people. – the Lamb of God who would personally take the consequence of mankind’s evil and disobedience on Himself. • God’s punishment for evil and disobedience was death. Jesus willingly chose to die as a substitute sacrifice for others. • God required a perfect sacrifice. Because Jesus was God in human form, He kept God’s Law perfectly, and thus was the only one able to meet God’s requirement.

Holy Week The week before Easter • Palm Sunday – a week before Easter – Jesus entered Jerusalem for the Jewish feast of Passover – the crowd welcomed Him by placing their coats and palm branches on the road and shouting loud praises of “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!” • Monday – Thursday – Jesus preached and taught in and around the Temple in Jerusalem • Wednesday – The plot against Jesus was formed

Holy Week The week before Easter • Maundy (or Holy) Thursday – the night Jesus celebrated the Last Supper with His 12 closest followers and mandated the Communion (eating bread and drinking wine to remember His broken body and shed blood) – the night He was betrayed by Judas Iscariot, one of the 12

The Crucifixion • According to tradition Jesus died on a Friday. • He was executed by crucifixion, the common form of death for criminals in the Roman Empire. – Roman soldiers severely beat and whipped, then mocked Him. – Then they nailed His hands and feet to a wooden cross. Two other criminals were crucified at the same time. – Death usually came after a prolonged and agonizing time on the cross, even up to two or three days. – Jesus died after only six hours, not needing for His legs to be broken to hasten His death. • The Bible says that Jesus’ death is sufficient payment as punishment for all mankind’s evil.

Good Friday • the day Jesus died on a cross • Initially Christians celebrated the Crucifixion and Resurrection as one event, but in the fourth century they began to focus on the Crucifixion separately and it gradually became known as “Good Friday. ” • It is good because God kept His promise to remove the punishment of all people for evil and disobedience, through Christ and His death.

Burial • Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, friends of Jesus, wrapped His body in a linen cloth and buried it that same afternoon in an above-ground grave (a cave) called a tomb.

Luke 24: 1 -8 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.

Luke 24: 1 -8 (continued) In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen! Remember how He told you, while He was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again. ’” Then they remembered His words.

The Resurrection • The Bible indicates that after three days Jesus rose physically and literally from the dead. • Over the next several weeks He showed Himself to His followers. His body had the same physical features, including scars from the wounds He received at His death. He also had physical capacities, demonstrated when He ate while with them. • But because of the Resurrection, He also had a “spiritual” body – one that would never die.

Good News of Forgiveness • Jesus said that because of His death and Resurrection, people all over the world could now – be forgiven of their sins – establish a relationship with God through Him – know that they would see God and be with Him when they die (eternal life!)

Forgiveness • This message of forgiveness is for anyone who would believe or put their confidence in Jesus Christ. It was good news then, and remains good news for people today. • Forgiveness and relationship with God give Christians their motivation to spread the message of Jesus Christ.

More Good News • Forty days after His Resurrection, Jesus ascended from the earth and returned to Heaven. • Details of these accounts can be found in the Bible in – – – Matthew (chapters 26 -28) Mark (14 -16) Luke (22 -24) John (18 -21) Acts (1: 1 -11)

Origin of the word “Easter” • The word “Easter” is not in the Bible. • “Easter” comes from “Eostre, ” the name of a Teutonic (ancient Germanic) fertility goddess, and the festival, called “Eostur, ” that celebrated her and the new life of Spring. • When Christians came to Europe, they replaced this ancient festival with their Christian celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus and kept the name of the old festival. • In some countries, Christians use the same name for Easter as the Jewish holiday, Passover.

Easter Symbols • Easter became both a Christian holiday and a more general celebration of Spring. • Many North American Easter symbols come from Europe and from the pre-Christian festival.

Symbols • The Easter Bunny – Ancient Egypt - rabbit represented new life from birth, and was a symbol of the moon • Lunar calendar, rabbit Easter symbol – Germany – a woman hid Easter eggs for her children during a famine. When the children found the eggs, a big rabbit hopped away, so they thought the rabbit brought the eggs. • Lily, a large white flower, symbol of the Resurrection – Flowers of all kinds are used to celebrate Easter and Spring

Easter Eggs • From very ancient times eggs have represented the new life that returns during the Spring. – Ancient Persians and Egyptians dyed their eggs in spring colors and gave them to friends as gifts. – Christians in Mesopotamia first adopted this custom of coloring eggs as part of the Christian celebration. They changed their meaning and used them to celebrate new spiritual life at Easter. – Egg decoration colors and styles differ slightly from country to country.

Easter Eggs in the US • Use dye, wax symbols or stickers to color and decorate hard-boiled eggs • Buy or make chocolate or other candy eggs • Fill hollow plastic eggs with jelly beans or other sweet treats

Easter Customs for Children • Easter Baskets – given to children on Easter Sunday morning filled with decorated eggs, chocolate rabbits, jelly beans or other candy – Some parents say that the Easter Bunny delivered them and some parents say they are giving them

Easter Customs for Children • Easter Egg Hunt – Parents hide eggs in the yard or inside in the rooms of the house. – Children are given baskets and told to find as many eggs as possible. The one who finds the most eggs wins. – These egg hunts are sometimes done in large community groups or at schools or churches.

Special Food • Hot cross buns – bread with the mark of a cross on the top. These also predate Christianity, but Christians in the Middle Ages used them to celebrate the Resurrection. They were given to the poor, but now everyone enjoys them. • Pretzels – A snack now eaten anytime, but from the fifth to nineteenth centuries they were eaten only during the 40 -day fasting time (called Lent) before Easter. Common legends indicate the folded pretzel's shape looks like the arm positions taken by monks in prayer and the three holes represent the Trinity (God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).

Easter Clothes • In the early centuries of the church, people often became official members of the church through the ritual of baptism on Easter. – People would wear new white clothes for their baptism and a few days following. Later, everyone began to wear new clothes on Easter, but white was just for those being baptized. After the church service, everyone would go for a walk in their new clothes, a kind of parade.

Easter Clothes • Today, people often wear new clothes for Easter, especially children who have outgrown last Spring's clothes. In some places it is important for a girl or woman to have a new Easter bonnet (hat). • Some people join in a parade with no religious significance.

Movies on the Life of Jesus • Well-known movies are shown on TV or can be rented from video stores during the Easter season: – – – Jesus of Nazareth The Robe Ben-Hur The Greatest Story Ever Told The Passion of the Christ

Easter Worship in Church • Because Easter is a special day, most churches have a special church worship service. – usually have a lot of special music – may have guest musicians – churches are often decorated with lilies • Churches may have an additional service at sunrise calling it a “Son-Rise” service. The Bible names Jesus the Son of God (Luke 1: 35) who would rise from the dead (Acts 17: 3), and early in the morning is the time when people first saw the empty tomb of Jesus Christ.

Easter Worship in Church • Some churches have pageants during the week. These are dramas in which people act out the story of Holy Week and Easter. • Some people go to church on Easter (and Christmas) who don't usually go to church, so churches are full and guests are usual.

Summary • Next is a brief summary from the book of the Bible called the Acts of the Apostles. In chapter 10, Peter, the first major teacher of the church, talked to a group of people who were not Jewish and who wanted to know more about the event that Christians now celebrate as Easter.

Acts 10 Then Peter said, “Now I understand that God doesn't play favorites. Rather, whoever respects God and does what is right is acceptable to Him in any nation. God sent His word to the people of Israel and brought them the Good News of peace through Jesus Christ. This Jesus Christ is everyone's Lord.

Acts 10, continued “You know what happened throughout Judea. Everything began in Galilee after John spread the news about baptism. You know that God anointed Jesus from Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Jesus went everywhere and did good things, such as healing everyone who was under the devil's power. Jesus did these things because God was with Him. We can testify to everything Jesus did in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem.

Acts 10, continued “People hung Him on a cross and killed Him, but God brought Him back to life on the third day. God didn't show Him to all the people. He showed Jesus to witnesses, apostles He had chosen. We apostles are those men who ate and drank with Jesus after He came back to life. He ordered us to warn the people, ‘God has appointed Jesus to judge the living and the dead. ’ In addition, all the prophets testify that people who believe in the one named Jesus receive forgiveness for their sins through Him. ”

Hope • The Bible says – “He has risen!” – The Resurrection of Jesus is the center of the Christian message. – That if Jesus is still dead and buried, His followers have no hope, nothing to believe.

More Hope • Since no one has ever found Jesus’ body, the Resurrection is proof for His followers that the God of the Bible is true and real. • Easter is the yearly celebration of all that Jesus’ followers hope for and believe.