Easter: Saying It Like It Is

By Laura J. Bagby
Guest Writer

CBN.com – The other day I went into a local greeting card store to find just the right Easter sentiment to send to my family. I headed straight for the Easter section and within five minutes was ready to stand on my soap box.

Card after card dripped with the same kind of rote phrases like “Easter is the time to celebrate the joys of spring” or “Easter is a special time to remember family.”

For any secular holiday, I might have agreed. But not when it comes to this holy day.

I disgustedly plunked the cards back in their slots with a very audible growl. Righteous indignation quickly set in.

You have got to be kidding me! I fumed. All of this talk of newness of life and joy and peace and togetherness but no mention of the true Source of such delights. Hey, we wouldn’t have these good things in our lives if it weren’t for Jesus Christ coming and dying on that cross and rising again to take care of our sins and grant us the ultimate newness of life – eternal life at that!

But here I was peering at all these pastel-colored pithy sayings that meant absolutely nothing. No mention of Jesus. No mention of God, even. And no mention of a Bible verse or two, because that would be politically incorrect.

The “religious” cards weren’t that much better. Why is it that so many cards that dare portray even a morsel of the truth have such ugly packaging, whereas all the cards filled with sentimental garbage and cutesy poems are really attractive? Some of the “religious” greeting cards looked like something straight from a 1970s kumbaya commune – somewhat tacky and outdated. Others looked like they were more appropriate for a funeral than the grandest moment of life the world has ever known.

Honestly, I don’t like resorting to the “religious” section to find meaning on special holy days. The term “religious” is a catch-all demarcation: many Muslims claim to be religious; lots of Buddhists claim to be religious; the Pharisees of Jesus’ day were accused by the Son of God of being religious; and somewhere in there, the true Christians are thrown into the mix and deemed religious. The term religious is too general, too melting pot to carry any real meaning.

Why not call this section what it really should be called, considering the holiday we are talking about? “Christian.” If you think I am being overzealous, check out what I discovered from my brief research.

Here’s an eye opener for you: on this topic, the dictionary has it right. Look up the word “Easter” and you will see what I mean. I have taken the liberty of putting key words in bold. The Oxford Concise English Dictionary defines Easter as “the festival of the Christian Church celebrating the resurrection of Christ, held (in the Western Church) on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the northern spring equinox.” The Miriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines Easter as “a feast that commemorates Christ's resurrection and is observed with variations of date due to different calendars on the first Sunday after the paschal full moon.” And, finally, the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language defines Easter in its first entry as “A Christian feast commemorating the Resurrection of Jesus.”

OK, I see the words “Resurrection,” “Christ,” and “Jesus” repeated – now we are talking! So, if these dictionaries, which are meant to be unbiased and accurate, all point to Jesus as the honored guest behind such a holy day, then why hasn’t the rest of the world caught up on that knowledge?

All Easter cards, then, should contain Christian themes and Bible verses, in light of this information. And if you want to send cards depicting non-Christian Easter myths and bouncy sayings, then by all means, we will gladly point you to our “Secular” section of Easter cards. How about that for turning the tables?

Unfortunately, too many people this day are screaming, as the crowds did during biblical times, for Barabbas (representing unbridled sin) to be released into their midst, instead of pleading for Jesus, the Messiah, and therefore His purity and holiness to be released into their lives (see Matthew 27:11-26; Mark 15:1-15; Luke 23:1-25; John 18:28-40). They know not what they are truly saying, and I am saddened. If only they realized that Jesus wanted to offer them forgiveness and the power to walk a different and peacefully blessed road – not just here on this earth, but forever in heaven through faith in Him.

Jesus came to give us life and give us life abundantly. Scripture tells us that (see John 10:10). He came to die so that we might live, paying for our sins through His death so that we could be restored back to a right relationship with God and be saved from eternal damnation. This gift we receive through faith in Jesus Christ.

Shouldn’t Christ’s death and resurrection be enough cause for celebration? Shouldn’t that be the message we send every year to our friends and loved ones?

No other Truth will ever compare.

How to Give Your Life to Christ:

1. Admit you are a sinner and need forgiveness.

2. Believe that Jesus Christ died for you on the Cross and rose from the grave.

3. Through prayer, confess that Jesus Christ is the only way to God and commit to live for Him for the rest of your life.

What to Pray:

Dear Lord Jesus,

I know that I am a sinner and need your forgiveness. I believe that You died on the cross for my sins and rose from the grave to give me life. I know You are the only way to God so now I want to quit disobeying You and start living for You. Please forgive me, change my life and show me how to know You. In Jesus' name. Amen.

If you prayed that prayer, please send us an e-mail to let us know. Or you can call our CBN Prayer Counseling Center at (800) 759-0700. We would love to talk with you and send you some resources to help you begin your walk with the Lord.