| 'Easter or Christmas' |
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What do you think? Once I was asked to produce an Easter questionnaire to discover peoples’ views about Easter. One question was whether Easter is more important than Christmas, and called for three brief reasons for the answer. How would you answer that question, and what would your three reasons be? Think these through Here are some of the typical answers and reasons. How do they compare with your own responses? Question: Is Easter better or more important than Christmas? Please give three reasons for your answer. Typical answer 1: Christmas is more important than Easter because: it is a family time; we remember that God came into the world as a baby; and giving presents reminds us of God’s gift to us of His Son, Jesus. Typical answer 2: I prefer Christmas to Easter because, (1) It is more fun. (2) It is a time for kids. (3) I would rather think of a baby being born than Jesus being killed. Typical answer 3: Over commercialised Christmas has lost its real meaning. Easter is simpler to understand and not as expensive. Easter reminds me that Spring is near. These are the three reasons why I prefer Easter. Typical answer 4: Neither Christmas nor Easter mean anything. I do not believe in God, and although Jesus was a good man historically, what has He to do with me? Typical answer 5: The question is silly – it is like asking whether breathing in is more important or better than breathing out! If God had not become Man – as Bethlehem’s baby – Jesus could never have gone to the cross as a perfect man and died there for my sins. If He had never died, He could not have risen from the dead – the real message of Easter. Christmas means nothing without Easter, and vice versa. A final thought Easter and Christmas share the same message. The Christmas angel’s message to Joseph about the child of his virgin wife to be was (in Matthew 1:21) she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins. Paul, the apostle, summarises the ‘Easter message’ (in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4), as: Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. Christmas and Easter tell us about a Saviour – God in human form – who bore your sins and punishment on the cross. He rose again to live in your life and give you a home in Heaven, if you turn from wrong in your life and ask Jesus to save you and direct you. Gerard Chrispin |
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