Something Solemn

March 2016 – Grace & Truth Magazine

Something Solemn

Easter is coming soon. In this country the Christian meaning assigned to Easter is largely disregarded. That meaning, specified by some many years ago, recalled the resurrection of Jesus Christ. But as I understand it, Easter began as a celebration in Northern Europe honoring the “goddess of spring.” Truly, that was something contrary to God’s Word!

According to the Bible the resurrection took place on the first day of the week after Passover. This year Easter is on March 27th, but the beginning of Passover, the feast remembering God’s deliverance of His people Israel from Egypt (Ex. 12), is on April 23rd. The two dates do not correspond because the first one is based on the relative position of the sun to the earth, while the second is established by a biblical calendar.

The Bible does not instruct us to celebrate Christ’s resurrection once a year. The only command that believers are given in relation to a historic event is to remember the Lord, showing His death “until He comes” – the Lord’s Supper (1 Cor. 11:23-26 NASB). Various groups of Christians celebrate it at different intervals. The local gathering, or assembly, with whom I fellowship “breaks bread” every Sunday (Acts 20:7). Therefore, while proclaiming the Lord’s death until He comes, we celebrate His resurrection weekly. What a great encouragement this is in the midst of the world’s troubles – “Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming,” “and so we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:23; 1 Th. 4:17). Are you Christ’s – do you belong to Him?

Rather than focusing on the resurrection, our Feature articles are about the wrath of God – maybe an unusual topic for a month when we see “Easter” on the calendar. But remember, the resurrection of Christ could only take place because “He laid down His life for us” (1 Jn. 3:16, see John 10:17-18). While on that dreadful cross, “He Himself bore our sins in His body” (1 Pet. 2:24). Christ suffered under the wrath of God for all who accept the gift of eternal salvation. Consider what He went through for you as well as what awaits all those who have not put their trust in the Lord. It is solemn – a term used many times in this edition meaning “grave,” “somber,” or “serious” – an accurate description!

By Paul Alberts