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What do thoughts of spring bring to mind? Bunnies, eggs, new clothes, green grass, flowers, an egg hunt, toys, candy – a too-early Sunrise Service, Jesus crucified yet risen? Hopefully the latter is prominent on your list, because if it weren’t for Jesus there would be no reason to celebrate. Unbeknownst to some, the secular side of Easter – like Christmas – can trace some of it’s celebratory elements to paganism. Even the name, Eastre, is Anglo-Saxon; representing a Teutonic goddess of fertility whose festival was likewise held during the spring time of the year. The rabbit, long a symbol of fertility due to it’s prodigious appetite for and ability to reproduce was then, over time, coupled with colored eggs; originally brightly painted to represent the sunlight of spring and given as gifts rather than hunted. The significance of spring in ancient cultures was the association with new life, even resurrection; many believing their gods were brought back from the nether-world at this time of year allowing for the rejuvenation of spring. The birth of babies to their domesticated animals, the wild animals re-emergence from hibernation, the greening of grass and budding of trees all confirming their belief in a “resurrection” of life.

That having been said, I wonder if it might not be to our benefit to separate today’s springtime celebration from our Resurrection Sunday observance. Why? How do you celebrate Easter? In fact, why should we celebrate the betrayal, arrest and death of Jesus? The resurrection! That is the power of the cross and significance of Easter. Can we really celebrate that with chocolate bunnies, jelly beans, Easter bonnets and dyed eggs?

Jesus was crucified for our sins. But what does that mean? The cross, in reality the equivalent of a hangman’s noose – now prettied up as jewelry – represents freedom and salvation for many today. Originally, it represented a gruesome, agonizing death. Crucifixion, a fairly common form of capital punishment, was used not only by the Romans but by the Persians, Egyptians, and Carthaginians as well. Equally common was the scourging that preceded carrying the cross to the site where the nailing and hoisting into position took place. This barbaric form of execution was finally abolished by Constantine I, the first Christian ruler of the Roman Empire in 333 A.D., at least in part out of respect for Christ.

So what made it unique to Jesus? He went to his death knowingly, purposefully, even if the horrors of what was to come gave him pause. Scripture graphically describing how Jesus was betrayed and forsaken by his friends and followers, unjustly accused, falsely convicted and illegally sentenced. His back lacerated from the cat-of-nine-tails, bleeding from the thorns pressed into his scalp, face bruised from being slapped, dignity deprived from being spit on and stripped of his clothing; he was made a laughing stock for the jeering crowds. He was emotionally drained from confrontations with Pilate, Herod, the Sanhedrin and Caiaphas. His was the lone voice of reason in the midst of angry challenges as to his right to speak the truth; even God appearing to momentarily turn away from him when he took upon himself the sins of all mankind.

But what else was involved in Christ’s sacrifice? “Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being in human likeness.” Philippians 2:5-7 Many would think his first act of sacrifice came as a result of his temptation in the desert. (Matthew 4:1-11) But there was something even before that, as he gave up – at least for a while – direct fellowship with God. During his years of ministry, he did indeed do without everything man considers good, beneficial and reassuring. He was God in the flesh, living along the road-side; no home, wife or children. He and his followers ate what they could afford or were given; no fire in the hearth, no bed, just needy people. People who believed only what they wanted to, when it was convenient and suited their purpose. And then, at the culmination of his ministry; he chose death, redemption, and thus a return to God.

But some will say, He was God’s Son, he was supposed to do this; He knew what was coming and chose to do it anyway. Yes, but he still felt the pain, the shame, the shock of the inhumanity of man. Which in this case consisted of being laid out on the cross while spikes were driven through His wrists, his forearms probably tied to the cross beam to keep them from tearing completely through his flesh. His feet were laid one atop the other with a spike driven through them as well. (Although some remains have been found with the spikes still imbedded – having been driven through the ankle into the sides of the beam.) This created a lingering death ending in suffocation; as the arm, shoulder, chest and back muscles struggled to keep the body erect, allowing air to flow unimpeded to the lungs. Over time, they became overworked and began to cramp; cutting off the flow of air. Due to loss of blood and body fluid, He became dehydrated; yet His lungs filled with edema (internal body fluid and blood). His heart, overworked, became erratic and the pericardium (the membrane the heart is encased in) often filled with that same fluid – strangling any poor unfortunate hanging there. At times, to hasten death their legs would be broken with a club to make it even more difficult to stand erect and breathe or a spear would be thrust into their side.

Now I ask you. What does Peter Rabbit have to do with any of this? Most of the things we use in our secular observance of Easter aren’t bad in and of themselves, but anything we let trivialize the sacrifices and agonies of our Lord and Savior serves as a distraction and possible stumbling-block to authentic worship. In reality, the happy in Easter comes from the realization that we have the promise of eternal life through Jesus Christ, as His resurrection not only re-united Him with His father, but us as well.

"'Christ in You...'" from Dale Krebbs

God And Our Circumstances