A lot of us celebrate celebrated Easter. But what is Easter? Is it about the Easter bunny? Is it about Easter eggs? Not really.
On the Friday before Easter Jesus was crucified. This usually is not disputed. But the main we celebrate Easter a lot of people have a problem with. Lets find out what it is. We'll start reading after the crucifixion.
MK 15:42 It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body. 44 Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. 45 When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. 46 So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.
In plain English: Jesus died and Joseph of Arimathea buried him in a tomb. Let's continue reading.
MK 16:1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body. 2 Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb 3 and they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?" MK 16:4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. MK 16:6 "Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, `He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.' " MK 16:8 Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.
According to what we have just read the ladies where going to anoint Jesus' body. Not knowing how to move the big stone that blocked the entrance to the tomb they where wondering how to get in. To there surprise when they got there the stone had already been moved. The young man dressed in white that told them Jesus had risen, was more then likely an Angel. According to this he was gone. Jesus had Risen!
MT 28:11 While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. 12 When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, 13 telling them, "You are to say, `His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.' 14 If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble." 15 So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.
Reading the above from Matthew shows us the guards where paid off to say Jesus' body was stolen while they where sleeping. What are some of the reasons why we believe this is true? There are prophecies in the Old Testament that confirm this was going to happen. Jesus showed himself to many, proving that he had risen.
The resurrection isn't accepted by a lot of people, but lets think about it.
If you where to make this story up, why use women to find the empty tomb? Back then women where not considered as reliable witnesses. Why did the guards need to get paid off? How could Jesus show himself to his disciples and others if he hadn't risen?
These are just some examples why we believe this is true. The fact that Jesus has risen is the main reason we celebrate Easter.
If you believe this, there is something that Jesus asks us to do in his memory:
1CO 11:23 …….. The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
When you do this, you not only proclaim that Jesus died, but you also proclaim that he has risen.
