Why Easter Is One Of The Most Practical Celebrations Ever

Practical.  praktɪk(ə)l/
adjective.

1. concerned with the actual doing or use of something rather than with theory and ideas.
2. to succeed or be effective in real circumstances; feasible.

Easter was this Sunday. Already gone. Traditional. Church buildings. Easter bunnies and eggs. How could such a holiday be practical to someone like you, me and to Narinder?

Narinder does not exist. But many could vouch for the existence of people like him in India. He was, until two years ago, a drunkard who lived a sorry existence which ended mercifully when He heard from the Bible, of God making a sacrifice for his sins in a way that displayed astounding love. He doesn’t want to be the old wife-beater and terror to his children anymore. He wants to be a responsible auto-rickshaw driver.

But the temptations to return to his “old friends” and to his adda are strong. He recollects with tears how he has shamed his Rescuer Jesus’ name when he deceives himself to get drunk – yet again. Can Easter set him free?

If Easter could be called a holiday, so could the battle of Jhansi or the struggle for Indian Independence be.

Easter celebrates a war no one could dare to fight – the Son of God, Jesus, rising to life after defeating sin and death solely to turn the world back to how it should have been. Let’s see how this helps people like Narinder today.

1. God defeated the power of guilt and sin on Easter.

Jesus undid the power behind everything that is wrong with us – the evil one’s invisible control using guilt was taken by Jesus’ death. Now, those who trust in Christ are free to defeat sins that enslaved them with the fear of death. But this is not just a history lesson.

2. Those who derive their spiritual life from Jesus, will live like Him.

People who actually follow Jesus TODAY, will increasingly show their lives to be like His. Those who claim to follow Jesus but actually prove that their life is a scam, actually are not his followers but His enemies. This never means true believers won’t sin. But this does mean, their lives will prove more and more, that they are dead to sin and are living a life that they had no power to previously live .

Romans 6:5 – For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.

1 John 3:2,3 – Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

So what, you might say. The guru near my village died, but came back to life. Jesus is just another magic guru.

Not so, the Bible says – The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). Which guru you know can forgive sin and defeat sin?

Those who have experienced Him destroying the devil’s works in their lives, know that only Jesus can conquer personal selfish desires, addictions and deep despair- no baba or guru compares to Him. Which is why Narinder’s inner self or his self-determination to overcome his wrong desires won’t work. No man can defeat sinful desires- because we cannot defeat neither death nor evil. He must desperately plead with God and fully trust Jesus to live through him.

So is Easter practical? For those who have surrendered to Him who destroys the works of evil, yes, it is.

Question – what prevents you from wanting Jesus live through your life?

Further reading – Is there any evidence Jesus Christ actually defeated death?