Earlier this
week I was at the supermarket for a few bits and was using the self
scanning checkout. As I was waiting for my receipt a middle aged couple
came up behind me to use it next. She was buying a packet of
marshmallow Easter eggs. She commented to the person with her, "We eat
them any time, not just on Easter weekend, so then it's not all about
God.” He nodded and commented in agreement. This brought up a range of
emotions in me and has continued to ring in my mind in the days
follow. Firstly, I felt sadness. This couple knows that Easter is
"about God" and openly said so, and yet still chose not to believe for
themselves.
Luke 8:10. He
said, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been
given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, "'though
seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.'
They
have heard but do not understand. I must admit, I felt like turning
to them and saying, 'Why do you eat them at all and celebrate something
you don't believe in? - leave the Easter eggs for me! At least I believe
in what I am celebrating!” Then I felt a glimmer of hope. At least
they acknowledged that there is a God and that Easter is to do with
Him! I wonder how many others think the same as these people. I am
sure there are many that don't even get that far. Easter is just a
wonderful long weekend, the beginning of the school holidays, a chance
to get together with friends and family – all these things a great too
of course. And what about the next generation, do the children know
what Easter is really about?
A
small survey done in 2014 in UK by the Bible Society targeting 804
children, found that young people aged 8 to 15 have little understanding
of the true meaning of Easter. More than one in three children didn’t
know why we celebrate Good Friday, while for Easter Sunday it was one in
four. But perhaps more shockingly, the survey results reveal that more
than a third of children believe the fable of the ‘Hare and the
Tortoise’ features in the Bible. Close to a quarter of children who took
part also think that the goose that lays golden eggs is also a story
told in the Bible. Other surveys done came up with similar
information with many citing children believing Easter was Easter
Bunny’s birthday so that’s why we search for the eggs that he leaves for
us!! Our kids are so confused! Why do we tell these lies to our kids?
I am all in for fun and surprises, but why tell them lies and make it
so complicated for them.
Mark 10:14 – “Let the little children come to me because such is the kingdom of heaven.”
The
gospel is simple so that even the smallest child can understand and
believe, why have we confused them? Let's tell them the truth; it’s
easier to believe than an Easter bunny leaving eggs!
Do
we as the church, the people of God, celebrate and remember Easter
well? I wonder if some of us have moved with society too much and have
forgotten the significance of The Holy Week and its crucial importance
to our faith. The next generation are confused or don’t even think
about it because their parents don’t really know either. I think we are
two, and in many cases three generations removed from any knowledge or
belief in the true meaning. Have we, The Church, not told the story
enough? At Christmas we have nativity plays that retell the story of
Jesus birth and Christmas carols are still played in shops and events
that share the story but there isn't really an Easter equivalent. Do we
need to tell the story of Easter more? Do you think we could reinstate
the cross as the symbol of Easter instead of eggs and tell of a Saviour
who brings life, in place of a fluffy bunny who brings chocolate!
This
Easter, here are a couple of simple ideas (there are hundreds!) you
could do at home to help your family and friends celebrate the true
meaning of Easter, not just at church for one hour, but over the weekend
as a family and a community.
Egg
Hunting: Use the eggs to tell the story of God's love and forgiveness.
Before you hide the eggs or put them in baskets, encircle each one with
a coloured strip of paper that tells one small part of the Easter
story. When the eggs have been found, the children unscramble the story
and put it in the right order. If you like to decorate eggs with dye,
also write one attribute of Jesus on each egg. You can do this by
writing on the egg with a crayon before you put it in the dye. Send kids
on a hunt for the eggs that have Jesus' attributes written on them.
Instead of just discovering eggs, they will be discovering the wonderful
things that make Jesus so special. You could tell the story of
salvation by dyeing the eggs certain colours or using different foil
covered chocolate eggs. Black = sin, red = Jesus blood, white =
washed/pure, green=growing in God, gold= heaven.
I
am all in for chocolate and look forward to eating some over Easter,
but let’s claim it back off the Bunny and make it all about the
sweetness of Jesus rather than the lollies!
Psalm 34:8 “Taste and see that the Lord is good, blessed is the man who trusts in Him.”
