Easter/Christmas

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

  

There are two major holidays on the religious calendar—Easter and Christmas. Judging by the number of participants, Christmas wins, hands down. It’s the time of year families get together, gifts are exchanged, and festivities abound. Easter? For the most part, it’s just another long weekend away from work.

But I must say in all honesty, we must never relegate Easter to a second-rate holiday. If there were no Easter, then Christmas would have no meaning. If there were no empty tomb, a baby in a manger is meaningless. Take away Easter and the meaning of Christmas is reduced to a fat guy in a red costume, reindeer, snowmen, twinkling lights, carols, and a few elves—without Easter, Christmas is meaningless.

That may sound a little rough, but think about it! No major biblical doctrine is based on the Virgin Birth. But the resurrection, now that is another story! Paul said that everything in Christianity has its foundation in the resurrection. (See 1st Corinthians 15)

The resurrection of Jesus is repeated over and over. Read the sermons recorded in the Book of Acts. When the early Christ followers preached, they didn’t mention Bethlehem and a manger; they talked about Jerusalem and an empty tomb!

They were overwhelmed by the power and mystery of the resurrection on that Sunday morning. They never got over it. And neither should we!