Easter/Christmas - What is important for Christians?

EASTER/CHRISTMAS - WHAT IS IMPORTANT FOR CHRISTIANS?

     Couple of months ago, I was hanging out with my friends, we have decided to go to a nearby attraction called “Nandi Hills” on 27th March 2016 (this past Sunday). I agreed to that without checking my Calendar. But when I finally check, that was “Easter”. So I apologized and asked them to cancel the trip. But they asked a question back which shakes my heart. My question is, how people are not aware of this. Though my friends are Christians, still they are not knowing anything about “Easter”. I’m portraying our conversation for your understanding.

Jack: Dai! What is there in Sunday da, just Easter Sunday right?

Myself: Dude! It is not just a Sunday, it is Easter Sunday. Our Lord’s resurrected Sunday.

Pat: We have lot of festivals in a year to celebrate, why you wanna take this so serious. If you want let’s show up in a nearby church (in Nandi Hills) in a timely manner.

Jack: Yes, Pat is right. May be some other festival let’s gather in our regular church and celebrate.

Myself: Why are you guys not having interest on Easter Sunday?

Nash: Hi man, think about last Christmas how we celebrated couple of months back? That is celebration.

Jack: Ya.. But that is Christmas, no other festival is as important as Christmas for me! (Expresses Joy in his face)

Myself: That’s true friends, but what do you think “Easter Sunday” gets less priority than Christmas?

Pat: Nothing like that, but nobody celebrates right? What we will do alone. So generally we won’t celebrate “Easter” that much.

Jack: But for Christmas we will have carols, cakes, fun and so on… right? What we will do for Easter? Just finish our lent and enjoy “Chicken Biriyani”.

Myself: So do you think eating/enjoying is the only thing you know about “Easter”?

Pat: What is there is Easter? I don’t think it is that much important as Christmas for us.

Myself: Guys! Guys! It is really surprise to here that you guys are neglecting Easter just like that. I wanna know what do you know about Easter?

Jack: It is the day Jesus resurrected from death.

Myself: Well said. Then?

Pat: It is 2000 years ago. Do you know something? Nobody knows actually which day Jesus died or rose again. Then how can we celebrate?

Nash: But Christmas, we all know December 25. And a savior has given to us. So we need to celebrate.

Myself: Wow, maybe we may not know when Jesus was crucified. But certainly we do know “Jesus was crucified” that is true.

Myself: Then, how do you know that Jesus is savior?

Jack: Because he died for our sins.

Myself: That is wonderful, but what if Jesus didn’t die for our sins.

Jack: That is stupid! Then there will not be any forgiveness. We all will go to hell.

Myself: Now tell me. Which makes you to enter into heaven? His birth? Or his Crucifixion?

Pat: I think his death on the cross (with a puzzle look).

Myself: Yes, think about this. Jesus died for our sins in the cross. Then if he didn’t rose again as the legends of this world (like Budda, Gandhi, etc,.) what could have happened?

Jack: He could have considered as human rather than God. :P

Myself: Yes. So just because he rose from the death, we believe and follow him. So his resurrection is very important right? Because if we are not following him, his death/blood will not make any sense in our life. right?

Nash: Yes! I understand where you are coming to.

Myself: Yes Nash! You are right. As same as Good Friday, Easter is also very important. As Pat has mentioned, Christmas is important. But this Christmas will not give you the meaning of your life. It is the cross which makes meaning for our life.

Nash: So do you mean more than Christmas, we need to celebrate “Good Friday/Easter”?

Myself: If you ask me, by ideal case “YES”. “Good Friday/Easter” is much more important than Christmas.

Pat: Then why none of the people celebrating it as popular as Christmas? Especially “America” is not celebrating “Easter” as Christ’s resurrection. Instead they are celebrating with some “Easter Eggs”.

Myself: First of all, America is not our guideline. “Bible” is our guide line. I will tell you later what Easter eggs are. But before that we need to understand that people started making money with every possible reasons. Now they found “Easter Eggs” can give more money than the real news about Christ’s resurrection. In other case more than Easter eggs, Christmas gives lot of income. So they are celebrating Christmas more than “Easter”. For most people, all these festivals are just a source of income, rather than making meaning in their life.

Jack: Ohh! At least let us tell this fact to others and make them understand man!!!!

     Dear friends, may be this conversation looks stupid. But when I explain all these thinks, few people were not able to even digest. Because till today they though “Easter” is just another day of celebration without knowing the real meaning of it. But it is time for us to understand the meaning of “Easter”.

     When we (all) were still sinners, Jesus volunteer himself to die on the cross for our sins. His innocent blood washes all our sins and makes us holy. The whole world thought the chapter of Jesus was over when he died on the cross. But he conquered the death and rose again on the third day. This resurrection gives new hope for all the human race. If he did not raise from the death then the victory could have been belongs to the enemy. But that one “Easter” morning, he rose from death and gave us hope on our life and our future. So this “Easter” day is a reminder for all of us to think about the love God has on us and gives a new hope in our life.

Let us all have a wonderful Easter!