Easter Sunday

Easter, as we all know, is originally premised on Eostre, the name of the German goddess of fertility and spring. Or do we? As it turns out, the exact origins are unknown. Some trace the origin to the Latin words, Hebdomada Alba, meaning "white week." (Seriously, I dont get the connection.) As we all know, the word, Easter, is in the Bible. Well, sort of. As it turns out a few early English translations had it but no modern ones do. That's because the only reference -- Acts 12:4 (Herod had arrested Peter and was "intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.") -- doesn't actually translate a word for "Easter." Instead, it translates a word translated everywhere else as "Passover." Again, the reasons are unclear.

So, what about Easter? I personally couldn't care less. The church didn't borrow the word from the pagans because the text from which it is translated didn't have it. The intent was never to copy the pagans because no one at the time the word was used was practicing the pagan practice. I'm all in favor, in fact, of dropping the word.

Why? Well, the event that Easter celebrates is radically important, but the name seems like more of a distraction than an aid. I mean, nothing says, "He's alive!" like a Sunday morning Easter egg hunt at church. Nothing says, "Jesus rose from the dead!" like an egg-laying bunny and lots of candy. So, in my opinion, I would think that the Sunday that recognizes the Resurrection should have more significance than lilies and colored eggs.

Paul wrote, "If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins." (1 Cor 15:17) That is, no Resurrection, no hope. What could be more significant? You see, "God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom 5:8) Christ's death is proof of God's love. But Christ's Resurrection is proof of His efficacy. Paul prayed that the Ephesians would know "the immeasurable greatness of His power toward us who believe." (Eph 1:19) What power was that? Specifically, the power "He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places." (Eph 1:20) And why is that so significant? Because "you were dead in the trespasses and sins" (Eph 2:1), "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ." (Eph 2:4-5) The power we need to know is the power to raise from the dead because we desperately need that power to work in us. Christ's Resurrection tells us that God can save spiritually dead people.

Describing the imagery of baptism, Paul says, "We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His." (Rom 6:4-5) Our celebration today isn't about Spring or fertility, bunnies or eggs. It's not even about family. Our celebration today is about our only hope -- resurrection. Humans, dead in sin, are without hope, but God demonstrated His love by sending His Son to the cross on our behalf and by raising Him from the dead, proving absolutely that our sins are paid and He has the power to raise us from the dead. Hallelujah! What a Savior!