Tradition or Authentic Worship/Remembrance?

Typically, when there is a big event for Christians, I write about it because that’s what we do. A big event for Christians includes Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, and even Halloween and I am perfectly aware that Easter 2021 was this past Sunday, April 4, but I did not write about it for a specific reason. It had nothing to do with Easter has been written about so often but I wanted to observe.

Observe what you may ask? For my own interest, I wanted to observe how people celebrate Easter but also, why. Is it because they believe the Easter story and want to keep it alive or is it because it’s a simple tradition and it’s something that has been accepted as part of the day. This may not sound like a worthy use of my time but scripture tells us to do all things to God’s glory: “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

At this point in my life, I do things differently than I used to and I hope this is the same for each person reading this as we are to grow as people as we age. As a Christian, this should be a priority and we should desire to grow in our relationship and walk with Jesus Christ and this is where I am in my life. When I was younger, I celebrated Easter because it was something that was done as though it was tradition. Yes, I knew about the Easter story but honestly, it was not the main reason why I celebrated the Easter holiday.

For those who don’t know, Easter is a holiday that brings together different events. The combination of events begins on Friday with Good Friday or the crucifixion of Christ and ends on Sunday with the Resurrection of Christ from His death. After His body was placed in the Tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, it was checked on but it was no longer there and not because someone moved it but due to the fact that Christ was no longer dead and He left on His own. This is Easter weekend and while this story is known to many, Easter has sadly become just another day to so many.  

Easter cannot be thought of as just another Christian day but is a combination of different events that led to the most important historical event in human history by the most important person to ever live. Easter weekend does not reveal one reason for Christ’s existence but illustrated why He was born as He was, why He lived a simple but unique life, then died in such a tragic manner. Another important reminder of Easter is we must not forget the cross. A.W. Tozer once remarked about the death and resurrection of Christ “The Cross is the lightning rod of grace that short-circuited God’s wrath to Christ so that only the light of His love remains for believers.”

Honestly, this is an article that could be written about any other significant day of the Christian faith but with Easter just behind us, it was important for me to write about this day. It was important for me to illustrate that Easter is not just another day that we get together with family and loved ones to eat and put together festivities and while these things are important, we cannot forget about the main reason: Jesus Christ. Christmas is an honor of Christ’s birth and Easter is a remembrance of Christ’s crucifixion and death as well as resurrection from death: “Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” (1 Peter 1:3).