Up From The Grave He Arose!

Tradition Only Or Something More?

Passover. Palm Sunday. Good Friday. Easter. Are these simply titles humans have given to traditional holy days? Or are they tied together with meaning and purpose beyond family times and celebrations?

Our world has just spent a year fighting an unseen foe. We’ve hidden behind our fears of dying and loss. The enemy of life brought living to a near stand-still. Chaos added to the anxiety of the nations. Would life as we knew it ever return to “normal?”

One year after the world shut down, people seem to believe that health and hope can be realities again. With a vaccine against the deadly COVID-19 virus now available, many feel less vulnerable than months ago. Hope that the virus will be contained and that communities can once again meet freely sparks joy in the hearts of many where joy was hard to find.

With spring upon us in all its glory, Passover celebrations occur for some, while others plan upcoming Easter gatherings. Last year’s need for isolation is replaced with excitement over group meetings for this year’s holidays. Our hearts fill with joy at the idea of freedom from some of the constraints of the past year. But is there more? Can there be more? Should there be more?!

Passover Freedom

Passover celebrates God-given freedom. Freedom for His people. Freedom from bondage. Freedom for the children of Israel as Jehovah made a way for them to escape from their life of slavery. God provided the power and direction. But He expected His people to participate through faith.

By sprinkling the blood of an innocent lamb on the doorposts of their homes, the Israelites let the death angel know these people were trusting themselves into the hands of the God who called them. When Pharaoh finally cried, “Uncle!” due to the pressure applied by the one true God, the LORD led the children of Israel safely out of the land of bondage. God did the work, but His people had to obey Him in order to receive the deliverance provided.

Many Jews around the world celebrate Passover year after year. The God who led the Israelites out of Egypt to the Promised Land hundreds of years ago ordained that His people should celebrate His deliverance yearly as a way of remembering Who provided for them, and what was provided.

Easter, The Ultimate Passover

The story of the Passover is intricately woven into the full meaning of Easter weekend. Passover. An unblemished lamb was killed in order to save the first born in that home from death. Good Friday. Jesus, God’s unblemished Lamb, was killed so every human being could be saved from eternal death which is separation from the God Who made them.

God does not force any of us in our decision making. He allows choice on our part. The Israelites had to choose to put the lamb’s blood on the doorposts of their house in order to see the salvation from death in their home. They had to choose to follow God as He led them out of Egypt.

In the same way, every human who wants freedom from the slavery of sin and eternal death has to choose to put the blood of the Lamb of God onto the doorposts of his or her heart. We choose whether or not to accept the salvation from death that God has provided. We choose to follow God into the freedom He has for us. God offered the sacrificial Lamb, but we have to accept that sacrifice for ourselves. He provided the way out of death and into Life, but He won’t force us to leave Egypt and walk with Him into the Promised Land.

Trust In God’s Provision

Tony Evans says, “Faith is acting like God is telling the truth.” One big difference between Passover and Easter week is that the lambs sacrificed for Passover did not and cannot ever come back to life. Resurrection Sunday, called Easter by many, is our reminder that God’s Passover Lamb, Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, not only died for us but rose from the dead. He paid the price for our sins, once and for all, freeing everyone from the penalty of sin, if they will accept it. God did the providing. He expects us to participate by acting like He is telling the truth.

The Depth Of Our Celebrations

When we celebrate this week, what are we celebrating? Are we simply celebrating the fact that the world seems a tad bit more normal than it did a year go? Are we celebrating the bursting out of spring flowers and green grass and the warmer weather that allows us to be outdoors more? Are we celebrating fun food and creative candies in the shapes of bunnies and eggs? Or is there more? Can there be more? Should there be more?!

Scripture tells us the depth of our celebrations can be infinite. Listen…

“For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans:23)

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (John 17:3)

Can you hear it? The eternal Creator has supplied a way for us to have an everlasting relationship with Him!

“Up From The Grave He Arose!”

What freedom! What a journey! That God would provide the Passover Lamb to be sacrificed so He can lead us out of our Egypt and into the Promised Land of a relationship with Him, our Creator and Redeemer, the Lover of our souls, the one and only true King of the universe! Most assuredly, there should be more than mere tradition in our Holy Week celebrations. We can sing with joy, “Up from the grave He arose!”

This week and every week, may we choose to walk by faith. May each of us act like God is telling the truth. Rejoice and be glad! Celebrate wholeheartedly! Remember, not only is the Passover Lamb of God sacrificed for us, but Christ is risen; He is risen, indeed!

(Photos taken by Carolyn Thigpen, in Georgia, USA, and Jerusalem at the Garden Tomb)