Easter

by Jeff Curtis

    There was recently an article on the Fox News website that stated; “No Easter Services during pandemic could leave churches struggling.” It said that Easter Sunday is a celebration. That church pews would normally be overflowing with parishioners seated in pastel-colored reverence of the risen Christ. It said this year Easter is entering a virtual reality that may hurt some churches financially.

     To my knowledge, there is only one translation of the Bible that uses the word “Easter.” Acts 12:4; And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. I have checked that main translation that most of use and a few more, NASB, NIV, NKJV, ERV, etc. and the only translation that uses this word is the KJV.

     We have been studying on Sunday’s in our sermons that “It makes a difference what we believe.” We should be aware that the “Easter” holiday and all its symbols are not taught in the Word of God. Neither is it taught that we are to celebrate such holidays.

     WHAT EASTER IS TO MANY PEOPLE. To “Christendom”, Easter is the Celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Belief in the Resurrection of Jesus and the Celebration of Easter are not the Same Thing.

1. Early Christians firmly believed in the resurrection of Jesus Christ: so do we,

1 Cor. 15:4, 12-20 (Matt. 28:6; Rom. 4:25).

         2.  But, an “Easter” celebration was unknown to the early Christians.

1. Not instituted by Christ or His apostles: Easter is not in the NT (silent).

What about Acts 12:4?

                    “There never was a more absurd or unhappy translation than this. The original is

                      simply after the Passover.” (Barnes Notes on Acts 12:4)

              b.  Not mentioned in history until 155 A.D.

                   “There is no indication of the observance of the Easter festival in the New Testament  

                   or in the writings of the apostolic fathers. The sanctity of the special times was an

                   idea absent from the minds of the first Christians.” 

                   (The Encyclopedia Britannica, 14th ed., II:859)

This point comes from a sermon that I preached last year. Society and the Catholic church tell us that Easter is a religious holiday. It was not so nor was it taught in the first century as something Christ wanted His disciples to worship nor celebrate.

     Most of the Easter symbols were taught or introduced into religious activity by the Roman Catholic church. They were used by the Catholic church when forcing the Druids and Celtics to become Catholic. They did this to appease them and help keep them in the Catholic faith. Things such as the “Easter bunny,” “colored eggs,” were pagan rituals that pertained to fertility and other activities in the pagan worship.

     Blending of paganism and apostate observance produced modern-day Easter.

“Modern-day Easter is derived from two ancient traditions: one Judeo-Christian and the other Pagan. Both Christians and Pagans have celebrated death and resurrection themes on or after the Spring Equinox for millennia. Most religious historians believe that many elements of the Christian observance of Easter were derived from earlier Pagan celebrations.” (Easter: Origins, Meanings, and Current Practices, religioustolerance.org/easter.htm)

 “How this pagan festival came to be supplanted by a solemn Christian holiday attests to the ingenuity of second century Christian missionaries. “These missionaries traveled among the Teutonic tribes north of Rome. Whenever possible, they transformed local pagan customs to harmonize with Christian doctrine. On a practical basis, this prevented local converts from being persecuted by the pagan traditionalists. Since the Eastre festival to celebrate spring coincided with the time of the Christian observance of the resurrection of Christ, this crossover was achieved smoothly. Some doubt remained as to the exact day of the celebration.” (Mani Niall, The History of Easter and Its Custom)

     I am not saying that we are to stop hiding Easter eggs for our children and grandchildren, but we do need to stop putting a special emphasis on Easter worship. Easter Sunday should not be held as a special holy day. Each Sunday, to the Christian, should be a holy day. We are to come together and worship, study, sing, pray, give of our means and memorialize the Lord’s death with the Lord’s Supper. Each Lord’s day should be special. Not only Easter Sunday or Christmas.

    We are doing our children and ourselves a disservice when we teach that certain days are more holy than others.

Remember:

Please keep a check on each other during this pandemic. Please email or contact me or one of the elders or deacons if you are in need of something.

Not in Our Lifetime

by Jeff Curtis

     We facing uncertain times in our country and the world. The Coronavirus, Covid-19, has us as both Americans and as Christians thinking about several different things.

     I want to urge caution in how we interact with others. The government, both local and national, has issued guidelines for us to follow. These are unprecedented. The country hasn’t faced anything like this since the Spanish Flu in the early 1900’s.

     The Spanish flu (also known as the 1918 flu pandemic) was an unusually deadly influenza pandemic. Lasting from January 1918 to December 1920, it infected 500 million people—about a quarter of the world's population at the time. The death toll is estimated to have been anywhere from 17 million to 50 million, and possibly as high as 100 million, making it one of the deadliest pandemics in human history (Wikipedia).

     The current pandemic has a government mandate, no one is to gather in groups larger than ten. This has caused mixed reactions among people, especially Christians.

     I have read and listened to brethren, preachers and others discussing and debating the subject of assembling. Several Christians are citing Hebrews 10:25, which says; “…not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” I understand the passage to be speaking about those who were, at that time, not assembling with the saints because of political persecution. These Christians were threatened with death, if they continued to worship. This pandemic and the mandate from our government is not threat of death because we are worshipping.

     This mandate is a strong urging from our President, Governor and others in political office, asking us to not assemble, so as to not make our members sick. Sick with a potentially deadly virus.

     The same brethren that are advocating the “assembly” are the same brethren, I assume love the members of God’s house. After all, the same Hebrew writer that us not to forsake the assembly, also tells us to “Let brotherly love continue,” “…since you yourselves are in the body also” (Heb. 13:1).

     I get the command to assemble, I do. Yet, if I have the flu or some other contagion, am I rebuked for missing the assembly? Or do we praise the individual for using good judgment, so as to not make some else sick?

     I fully believe in NOT forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. I really felt odd Sunday not assembling together with the saints. But this mandate is not a persecution.

    Those in authority have a difficult job. I’m not speaking of the civil government. I am speaking instead of elders or when no elders, men making the decision to not assemble. When the decision, this or any other, is made, some people will not be happy. But we are subject to their judgments. After all, we selected these men to serve as our spiritual leaders.

    Paul wrote to the young preacher Timothy in 1Timothy 5:17; “Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.” They are the spiritual leaders in the church. They rule to help guide, feed, shelter or protect the flock. We are to submit to this rule.

     The Hebrew writer also says in chapter 13:17; “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.” They have a job that is already difficult, why should try to make it harder.

     If we can just show brotherly love toward one another at this time, it will be something we can overcome. Let’s be patient. Let’s continue to love the Lord. Continue to read His Word. Continue to pray. Continue to check on those who made need us during this crisis. If we can all stay calm and be patient, we will overcome this.

Remember:

Check on the shut ins. Check on each other. Just a phone call can make a world of difference. You have plenty of time right to call and talk.

Remember to keep a check on the website. (churchateastside.com)

Remember you can mail your contribution to the Post Office box. Eastside church of Christ P.O. Box 2753 Shelbyville TN 37162