Salvation

For many, Easter is about joy, laughter, colorful eggs, and chocolate. And also Chocolate. Especially chocolate. It is a day of fun and games. It is a day of fluffy rabbits. It is a day of punching out the nearest kid who almost got the egg that was so clearly yours. It is a day of chocolate. Did I mention chocolate? Because it really involves chocolate. But for Christians, it is more than just a day of fun (and chocolate). It is a day of rejoicing.

Easter is another extremely important holiday for Christians, and goes hand in hand with Good Friday. Easter centers around and celebrates the resurrection of Christ. While Good Friday reminds us of the sacrifice he made, Easter reminds us of the victory and salvation that came after. Whereas before we mourned his suffering, now we rejoice in his salvation. This is why Good Friday and Easter are consecutive. Good Friday reminds us of what he suffered for our sake. Easter Sunday reminds us of why he did it, and what he gained. It shows us both the pain and glory of the cross. Easter is no less important. It is meant to remind us of Christ's victory over the grave. In his resurrection, death lost its sting. When Christ rose from the grave, he rose in victory over sin and death. He paved the way for our salvation. He had paid the price for our sins, and suffered the wrath of His Father for our sake. With the resurrection of Christ, it became possible for men to be saved. We were no longer slaves to sin. We were no longer without hope or prayer. We were no longer separated from God by an insurmountable distance. Christ had paved the way for us to enter into heaven. We rejoice over his victory and his gift to us. Easter is meant to remember this day in celebration. It reminds us of the love of God, and of his power. It reminds us that nothing is greater than God. It reminds us that everything is within his power. It reminds us that we will never be forsaken. He could have left us to suffer our own punishment, and justly so. He could have turned away and forsaken us. He could have chosen not to die and suffer the pain of hell. But He did not choose to do so. He chose to give us a way to stand beside him. When Christ rose from the dead, we rose with him. Easter reminds us that because of God we are no longer dead in sin. That he chose to raise us to life in Christ. He freed us from slavery to sin. He freed us from our crushing debt that could never be paid. It reminds us that because of his sacrifice, we stand. We stand with God. We stand in victory. We stand over sin and death. We stand as free. This is why we rejoice.

You can see why it bothers me that so many people, who profess to be Christian, do not understand the importance of these sermons. They exist for a reason. These are not messages that we should vaguely know about and then forget. These are not stories that you automatically spout off without knowing what they mean. They are core messages and important to fully understand. That is why these holidays exist, to remind us of their importance and give us knowledge of them, beyond simply what we heard in Sunday school. They are invaluable. Easter and Good Friday are not simply two more days that you have to sit in Church for. They are extremely important both theologically, and instructively. So before you complain that you hate church. Before you complain that you do not want to spend all night in a pew. Before you start saying that it is just one night and it does not matter. Remember why they are there, and what they teach.

-BlackFox

(666)