WHAT IS EASTER?
Easter is a special time for every disciple of Jesus. Although there is disagreement about the exact date of Easter and the pagan rituals associated with it, this is not the most important thing. The most important fact about Easter is that Jesus Christ died for the sins of all mankind and rose again. The essence of Easter is Jesus Christ’s victory on the cross, which was prophesied by the prophets of the Old Testament: ” Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. But we considered him punished, stricken by God, and afflicted. He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities. The punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:4-6). Jesus, being God, was born as a weak human being so that He could live among us and, having committed no sin, die paying with His life for humanity. The Bible teaches that the wages of sin is death. All people have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. “The righteousness of God, given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. God appointed Him as a sacrifice of atonement through faith in the power of His blood. He demonstrated His righteousness by being patient and not punishing the sins committed in the past, and He demonstrated His righteousness in the present by proving Himself to be righteous and justifying those who believe in Jesus. (Rom 3:22-26). If it were not for Christ’s sacrifice, we would all be doomed to death, but God had mercy on humanity, dying in its place and giving the gift of salvation—grace to everyone who believes in Him. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Eph 2:8-9). Grace means that it is impossible to earn it. Human beings cannot redeem their sins through their good deeds or religious activities; only the blood of Jesus, shed for us, can do that. This is the best news for humanity and, of course, the greatest celebration on earth.
The true Easter has nothing to do with eggs or dyeing them, nor with bunnies or other traditional rituals. Traditions are not bad if they do not overshadow the essence of the holiday. Nothing bad will happen to a believer if he dyes an egg or buys someone a chocolate bunny. However, if Easter is reduced to a beautiful ritual, then it means that we are celebrating something else, not the resurrection of Jesus Christ and his victory on the cross.
I invite and encourage all believers not only to celebrate the true Easter holiday themselves, but also to share this Good News with others. I pray that we will all find the most creative ways to share the message of the Gospel. Let us simply proclaim that Jesus has conquered sin, saved and freed from death, guilt, and the slavery of sin everyone who believes in His sacrifice. “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, whose sins are covered; blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin” (Rom 4:7-8).
Jesus is risen, beloved ones! And we are with Him!!!
Your pastor
Vilma Ditkevičius
We invite everyone to celebrate Easter with us on April 5 at 11:00 a.m.
Together we will praise the Lord, hear the inspiring Word of God, watch a performance, and listen to hymns. We will also break bread and drink grape juice. After the gathering, we will all enjoy a shared feast, so please bring homemade treats for yourself and others. A wonderful celebration awaits us. See you there!
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