This Sunday is Easter Sunday. Christ rose from the dead and He IS ALIVE.

At our house we are doing things a bit differently. Not only are we celebrating the Resurrection, we are celebrating the birth of Christ. We are Celebrating Christmas and Easter this coming Sunday. Gifts are handed out, tree is decorated and we will remember why Christ came to save us and we will celebrate that He is ALIVE. I know it sounds kinda weird, but that’s OK. I will be posting pictures of all the happenings after Sundays Celebration.

Since Christ wasn’t really born on December 25th, I don’t think He will have a problem with us celebrating on Easter Sunday. You will find people and historians that believe Jesus was born either in the spring or the fall. I don’t know when He was born, but I know without a doubt that He was born. But here is my thoughts on this and one reason we are doing Christmas and Easter together. I do want to cover a little bit about why Christmas and Easter is the most important of all observances to many Christians. I can’t speak for everyone, but I think many feel this way.

When we read Luke 2:7-8 we read, 7 “And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.”

Ok, so here are my thoughts. Shepherds would not be in the fields in December. According to Luke it would suggest that Jesus could have been born in the early summer or fall. It is very cold in Judea during the month of December.  There is a really good article on Biblelight.net that goes into a lot of details about the birth of Christ and when it could or would have been. Here is the link for that http://biblelight.net/sukkoth.htm …

For many Christians, myself included the most important holiday on the Christian calendar is Easter, which commemorates the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I think it is very important to remember that Christ died for my sins and all of mankind’s sins. Jesus was the atoning sacrifice.

We will all die physically unless Christ comes again while we are alive. Our death is not sufficient to atone for  our sins because atonement requires a perfect, spotless sacrifice.  Jesus, is the only perfect man who is blameless and without sin. He came to offer the pure, complete and everlasting sacrifice to remove, atone, and make eternal payment for our sin. Jesus was the sacrificial lamb.

The suffering and the glory of the coming Messiah was foretold in Isaiah chapters 52 and 53.  When we accept Jesus’ payment for our sin, His perfect and blameless sacrifice washes away our sin and restores our right standing with God. God’s mercy and grace provided a way for our salvation. There is nothing we can do on our own that will save us.

Only through Jesus Christ can our sins be forgiven, thus restoring our relationship with God and removing the separation caused by sin.

2 Corinthians 5:21 
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (NIV)

I just want to close this post with this thought.  it says in Romans 5:10, “For since we were restored to friendship with God by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be delivered from eternal punishment by his life. (NLT).”

When we accept and believe in Jesus Christ our sins are paid for, and we no longer have to die an eternal death. We receive eternal life though Jesus Christ.  And this is why Jesus had to die. And this is why we need to remember why He died for us.