What are your plans this Easter? Are they the same as every year? Seeing the family, having food, sharing chocolate and going home? As the leaves change colour, and the kids are out of school, this time of year has something so very special about it. Chocolate abounds, a bunny is the most popular animal, and many of us get 2 days off work!
If that’s all Easter is, then it can just be counted as another holiday with no meaning.
But for Christians it is the most important occasion to celebrate. Why? Because Christ has risen! Easter is a reminder of God’s love for us, and at this time of year we have the greatest opportunity to share that love and message of hope. How do we do that? Of course, it’s always good to start talking about our fun traditions at Easter. Then share from your heart about why Easter is most important to you.
Let your friends and family know of this simple, yet most incredible truth, that Easter is also for them!
Let them know that God loves them and created them to know Him personally. But we have turned our own way. We have rejected God and the relationship He wants to have with us. That decision is called sin, and there is ultimately a dire price to pay for this.
But there’s hope…God demonstrates his own love for us, that even though we have rejected Him, Jesus died for us to pay that price. We celebrate at Easter the fact that after Jesus’ death He returned, alive! He proved He is the solution for us to know God, to be restored and alive in relationship with Him. Only through Jesus can we know God and receive His love and forgiveness. Jesus is God, became a man, lived a sinless life, died on the cross and then rose again for us…yes this is the Easter story!
Even though Jesus bridged the gap between us and God we must each respond to what Jesus did for us by choosing to place our trust in Him as our Saviour and Lord. This response can be said like a prayer that involves agreeing with God that we have rejected true love and lived apart from Him, and now we decide to turn to him, to receive that love and forgiveness, and walk with Him.
He forgives us completely because Jesus not only died but rose again to prove that our separation from Him need not continue, ever!
We all have a choice. To live a self-directed life, being cut off from God because we never invited Jesus into our life. Or, living a Christ-directed life, experiencing forgiveness, hope, and fullness of life that He created for us.
Friends remember Easter is the greatest celebration of love ever known! So again, we ask the question… What are your plans for Easter?
Would you like more information on how to share your faith any time of the year? Follow this link to a variety of resources to help you.
