The Origin of Your Faith, Easter Is A Big Deal

Origin of Your Faith

The lent season is coming to a close with the remembrance of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. The celebration of Easter is the origin of our faith in God’s redemption story. Easter explains God’s amazing love behind John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Without Easter, believers in Christ have no base for their faith in God. Without Easter, there will be no hope of an eternity with Jesus Christ. Easter is a big deal to followers of Christ. 

Growing Up

Recently, my husband and I were looking at old photos of my grandparents and thinking of how times have changed. The times we live in calls for a Holy Spirit infusion to every facet of life. The way my grandparents raised their children was different from the way they raised me. I came into the later part of their lives at six months old. They made sure I attended a private school to start out my elementary education. My grandmother would walk me to the bus stop and wait until the school bus driver pulled up; and she would carry me into the bus. Her tender care was a gift that I cherish dearly till today. For my grandparents, Easter was a big deal. Easter was celebrated as a community. My grandmother loved cooking for the neighborhood. She would make sure each family on our block had a portion of her cooked Easter meal. Since grandpa was a minister, observing Holy Week was not an option, neither was going to church on Sundays or Easter. My grandparents sowed a gift in me, growing up. I am grateful for the fruits of that gift. 

Shepherding Hearts

Fast forward to our parenting years. Coming from two different backgrounds, my husband and I had a vision for our daughters. We wanted each one of them to know the God of the Bible from us as parents. Not because we were perfect, but because we both had experienced the saving grace and love of God. Yes, we took our daughters to church. However, the reason we wanted them to know the God of the Bible as parents was because we knew it was our responsibility to shepherd our daughters’ hearts. We are the ones that live with them. We knew them; what made them tick and what made them glow. Their youth or children’s pastors did not have this privilege. As part of shepherding their hearts at home, we had family altars. During which we sang songs, learned new songs (mostly what was taught that week at church), read the Bible, memorized scriptures and took turns praying. 

NewLife In Christ

When it came to celebrating Easter, we took them to church Easter events- from bunnies, to egg hunts, candies and prayer meetings. However, we set an early foundation that Easter was more than the bunnies, eggs or candies. We even had a time, we had them act out the Easter story and what that means in the life of a born-again believer. The moment of revelation came for one daughter, when she shouted excitedly, “If Jesus lives in us, He must stick out.” This daughter meant that if Jesus was really living in us, there should be no doubt in anybody’s mind that we have been born-again. Jesus Christ should “stick out” in our lives and all we do. What a revelation! This is the transformation Easter brings to our lives when we receive the new life found in Christ. 

Timeless Lessons From Easter

Many will argue that you can’t raise your children today, the way our parents or grandparents raised us in the 50s and 60s. That can be true in the sense of all the advancements in the world today. However, that is not the case when it comes to the timeless truths of the Bible. The lessons that the Bible presents us can never be outdated. The lessons are relevant no matter the times, era or date. Easter being one of such timeless lessons. Easter teaches us that Jesus, the pure Lamb of God, came to take away the sin of the world, of which mine is one. Easter teaches us that salvation is a free gift that Jesus paid with His own life, that I might have a relationship with the Father. Easter lets me know, I can never earn salvation or work for it. It is a free gift that is received in faith, just as the scripture states in Ephesians 2:8. Easter teaches us that, when Jesus went on that cross, mankind was on His mind (I was on His mind) as part of God’s redemption plan to save us from eternal separation. Easter teaches us that Jesus once and for all, has paid the price for our sins- when He said, “It is finished.” He meant it and demonstrated that statement with His own life, shedding His own blood as the payment for our sins. Now, we can experience the life and freedom that comes from living in Christ, living for Christ and living through Christ. The origin of our faith is rooted in Easter. It is a big deal! Parents teach your children these timeless lessons, so that they can know Jesus and live a life of freedom and purpose, that is only found in Jesus Christ- the Savior of the world.