I was asked, "As a Pastor, how can you celebrate Easter?" I responded, "Because the Resurrection of Jesus is the single most important event in life. Without it, there is no purpose to what we "believe." They followed up with, "No, I know that, I mean Easter because of where it came from." I was confused at that point so on to Google I go.
So, I've just read 3 articles of the "origins of Easter" and I'd like to say a few things.
1) Thank you parents for not teaching me all that stuff. I mean, wow, did you guys even know that stuff??? I assume you did after all we were all lost, never went to church, mom and dad did drugs, cussed like sailors and fought like episodes WWF. We were what Christians called, "lost people." It wasn't until I was 8-9 years old that started going to church and my family got saved. But really, we were just out looking for eggs filled with candy!!! Im so glad to know I didn't go through my childhood with such a warped view of Easter.
2) Thank you to my home church, Harvest Time that instilled in me the virtues of God. They taught me that He is a redeeming God who we also should take on His business and redeem that which is lost. So Easter, to many (like me growing up) don't know the "history of where it came from" and sadly many churches spend more time teaching pagan history than saving grace.
3) Thank you to other Christians who like me celebrate Easter as what is means to us personally. "The celebration of a Risen Savior."
4) Thank you to Christians who don't celebrate Easter and don't look down or differently to Christians that do. You guys, like me, have your convictions and rather than spout off hate or words of conflict, you simply understand where each group comes from and let that be enough.
I've read the origins of Easter and all it's pagan history, but I have to say I'm going to attempt to be like the Apostle Paul, when he said, " for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.--Acts 17:28’ He uses current culture. See how he draws them in by saying, "some of your own poets have said" to bring people to the knowledge of a loving, life giving, redeeming God who loves you so much.
