The Meaning of Easter

A message outline you may like to use or adapt

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The Meaning of Easter: https://renewaljournal.com/2018/03/08/the-meaning-of-easter/
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Message Outline, 4 March 2018 – by Nick Kikuchi, Riverlife Baptist Church, Brisbane.
Message given at the Easy English service for overseas visitors.

Love Declared · Love Demonstrated – The Meaning of Easter

Easter Today
* Easter is one of the two biggest Western festivities, along with Christmas.
* Pagan (non-christian religions) celebration of re-birth of the earth in the spring was combined into Easter Festivities. (like bunnies and eggs)
* Lots of celebrations and even non-christian celebration. (egg hunt, Easter Bunny)
* Easter is a Christian Festival and it celebrates the Resurrection (come back to life) of Jesus after His death on the cross.

Easter is Related to the Jewish Festival of Passover

* Passover is the most important Jewish festival.
Jesus celebrated Passover every year. Jesus died on Passover weekend.

* History of Passover (Exodus 1-12)
1. Slavery (bondage) of Israelites in Egypt in 1700BC.
2. Moses’ job to free Israelites from Egypt and God’s ten disasters to Egypt. (Exodus 7-11)
3. Tenth disaster (different from others) – the death of the firstborn (Exodus 12:5-14) and an act of faith was needed by Israelites.
(a) Free from bondage needed a substitution of payment.
(b) Unblemished (perfect) lamb to be sacrificed (killed) and blood to be put on the pillars of entry. (Exodus 12:5-7)
(c) They feasted on roasted lamb, herbs and hard bread.
(d) Anticipate the liberty and be ready to leave. (Exodus 12:11)
(e) Angels of death passed over the entry ways marked with blood of lamb. (Exocus 12:12-13)
(f) People celebrated passing over and being free.
(g) It became a festival, remembering this great day. (Exodus 12:14)
4. It was a model of Great Salvation to all human beings.
5. Passover showed that substitute Death is needed for salvation.
What Happened in the original Easter Week? (2000 years ago – AD30)

* Jesus celebrated Passover.

*The last year of His life, the last Passover (Matthew 26-27)
1. He taught disciples extensive teaching.
I am going away but believe in me. (John 15)
2. He had the Last Supper and told them to do this in memory of Jesus.
(Matthew 26:26-31)
3. Jesus lived a sinless life. (1 John 3:5-6)
4. Jesus was killed on the cross and His blood was placed on the
cross.
5. Whoever believed in Jesus’ blood on the cross (that He is God in Man to die on the cross for our sin and his death will save us from God’s wrath) will be saved. (1 John 1:7; John 3:16)

* He came back to life (Matthew 28:6) to prove He won against sin and death. Proof that He is God, who has power to save us. (Romans 6:9)

* We celebrate His resurrection because Jesus has done it all. We don’t have to do anything. We are saved if we believe He is our personal Saviour.

God’s Master Plan to Save Humans from Sin and Death
* Passover was a model to show what is to come. (Hebrews 10:11)
* Easter Passion Week – death of Jesus on the cross was the real substitute death that lambs in the past have represented.
* Similarity:
1. Unblemished lamb vs sinless man (God in Him – Lamb of God).
2. Both killed.
3. Blood on the door pole vs blood on the cross.
4. Believing gave liberation from slavery vs believing gives liberation from the slavery and curse of sin and death.
5. Israel became a nation of God to bless other nations vs Christian became saved people to give Good News to the world.

* Key Points
1. Jesus is God in human body (incarnated God).
2. Jesus lived a sinless life.
3. Jesus died for our sins to pay the sin’s debt and came back to life to guarantee it.
4. Jesus is offering His guarantees to anyone who believes in Him our Saviour and Lord.

Discussion Questions
1. What are the similarities between Christmas and Easter?
2. What is the meaning of Passover?
3. What are the similarities and the differences between Passover and
Easter?
4. What does Easter mean to you?