What's it got to do with Easter? Part 7: Lambs

 

What has it got to do with Easter? Part 7: Lambs

What did you eat this Easter Sunday? Roast lamb by any chance? The supermarkets have all their best lamb offers on at this time of year, and it’s a great time to eat what is a slightly more expensive roast dish.

But what has it got to do with Easter?

The tradition of lamb at Easter is probably the oldest of the traditions we have looked at in this series.

The story of the Passover, as described in Exodus, describes how Moses instructed all the Israelites who were enslaved in Egypt to slaughter a lamb, and to paint onto their doorways with the blood. They were to then roast the lamb and eat it, along with various other symbolic foods. This sacrifice acted as a sign for God’s judgement to ‘pass over’ their homes, whilst the homes of the Egyptians would lose a firstborn, including the Pharoah.

Moses also instructed the Israelites to follow these same instructions once they entered the promised land, as a lasting ordinance, a reminder of how God had saved his people. This ceremony has been followed throughout the past 3000 years in remembrance of that, and in the Gospels we see Jesus addressing his disciples at the last supper, the Passover meal. Add to this the fact that Jesus himself is referred to as ‘The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’ in John 1 and he becomes our own Passover lamb. With a lamb we can remember Gods deliverance of the Israelites in the escape from Egypt, but as those living in the light of what Jesus accomplished for us on the cross, we also remember his own blood being poured out as a sacrifice for our sin.

We remember that God’s judgement will ‘pass over’ us, for those who have come to Jesus for forgiveness, and grant us eternal life not because we have earned it, but because of Jesus’ sacrifice. We've eaten some lamb this Easter and have remembered the sacrifice it reminds us of in Jesus.

What's it got to do with Easter Part 6: Daffodils

 Spring flowering bulbs such as daffodils, lilies and tulips have become a symbol of the Resurrection throughout the Christian world.  The daffodil has even been called the Easter Bell, or Lent Lily. Tradition has it that the daffodils open on Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, and die on Easter Sunday, but this is mainly anecdotal, depending on when Easter falls.

 However, the cheerful yellow and white of the daffodil is a welcome warmth during the Lenten season, the bulbs, having lain dormant for months, springing to life and signifying rebirth. 

So let us proudly display daffodils in our gardens and homes this Easter (A heads up, if you want to plant them in your garden the best time to do it is in the autumn!).

 Let us talk to our friends and family about how cheerful and hopeful they are, and how they represent the time Jesus was in the tomb, dead, and yet waiting for his coming resurrection, when he would demonstrate how he has conquered sin and death, and offers the hope of this resurrection to all who will trust in Him.

What's it got to do with Easter? Part 5: Good Friday

 

It’s Good Friday. But what exactly is good about it? 

Well if you’re lucky, an extra day off work might make you think it’s pretty good, but when we think about what happened on good Friday, why on earth isn’t it called bad Friday, or black Friday? (and not the shopping type!). 

The Friday before Easter Sunday is the day on which Jesus was crucified. Falsely accused, given a sham trial, and then mocked, whipped and crucified. Not sounding good. 

For 6 hours he hung on the cross, for 3 of those hours the sky went dark, and then Jesus died. The disciples believed this was it. Their leader, their Lord, dead. 

Not a good day.

But, the cross wasn’t a mistake. Jesus hadn’t lost control of the situation, this was the way it had to be. God takes sin seriously, and this was the only way that we could be brought back into relationship with him. 
The sacrifice of animals was only ever a temporary solution, but the sacrifice of Jesus is a permanent one. Once, and for all.
 This is why it’s Good! Without this day, without Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf, we could never approach God, as we have all done wrong things, we’ve all sinned. So the best news for us is that Jesus has made it possible for us to have forgiveness, and an eternal relationship with God. That means it’s not just a good day, it’s an amazing day!

Have you thanked Jesus for his sacrifice? Have you come to him and asked for forgiveness? Make this good Friday the best ever by coming to Him today.

What's it got to do with Easter? Part 4: Hot Cross Buns

My husband loves hot cross buns. Every year at the first sign of them in the supermarket we buy a few packs, ready to be replenished at every opportunity. There is something indulgent about a hot toasted bun with a good helping of butter. But what have they got to do with Easter? There are a variety of explanations for the origin of the hot cross bun.

Some believe they have pagan origins, with the cross signifying the four seasons, or 4 quarters of the moon.

Others believe their origin is distinctly Christian, with the cross literally representing the cross of Christ.

Records from the 14th century describe a monk who distributed them, and by the 1800’s it was almost considered a religious duty to eat them to mark Good Friday!

But in 2021, what meaning can we take from them?

It’s true many people will eat them as they would any other baked food, simply because they’re delicious, and not for any religious or other significance.

As Christians we can take the opportunity they afford us to discuss the symbolism: The white cross symbolising the pure and sinless Christ who went to the cross for our sins. The spice can be said to reflect the spices which were taken on Easter Sunday to the tomb, ready to anoint Jesus’ body, although he had risen and the tomb was now empty.

So the next time you have a hot cross bun, as well and enjoying their deliciousness, think about how they can remind us of the forgiveness we can have through Jesus’ death on the cross, and the hope of eternal life through our resurrected saviour.