Pastor’s Pen: ‘Forgotten the true reason for the season?’

How many Christmas cards did you receive last Christmas? How many Christmas cards did you send last Christmas?

It is traditional to send Christmas cards. The stores are literally dripping with Christmas cards. They’re everywhere.

In the shops Christmas songs and on occasions Christmas carols are played in stores to keep the Christmas spending frenzy going.

Let me ask you two more questions. How many Easter cards will you send this year? How many Easter cards will you receive this year?

People I speak to, many of them Christians, tell me that they don’t send many Easter cards - if any. In the stores the Easter card section is pitifully small - and you won’t hear any Easter carols played in the shops either.

At Christmas we celebrated the birth of the Saviour of the world, Jesus Christ – the true reason for the season. Jesus’ birth was the opening part of the final chapter in God’s plan for our redemption from sin. Sadly, the commercial hype overshadows the true reason for the season.

Then we come to the next part of the story of our redemption, a story that will be retold in churches this coming Holy Week.

On Good Friday we remember how Jesus Christ, God’s own Son, died on the cross at Calvary for YOU. Now stop reading for a moment and think about that.

The Saviour of the world died for you and me, and for all mankind. But three days later, Easter morning, Jesus burst from the tomb, alive, in bodily form, victorious over sin and death.

The Bible tells us that He was seen alive by over 500 people. He is alive!

The death and resurrection of Jesus secures for all who believe in Him that they will not perish in everlasting death, but will live with Him - in glory - in His kingdom of eternal peace and love – for all eternity.

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.

Easter is about God’s mercy and grace, His mercy withholding from us what we deserved, punishment for our sin, but His grace – giving us what we did not deserve, the gift of eternal life in His awesome glory.

Easter is what Christmas was all about. Do you get it? Now tell me again why you don’t send Easter Cards!