Easter SundayHuman Holiday – not Holy

Day

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Jesus ChristBorn:

BethlehemDied:

JerusalemAge: 33

http://www.cornwallchurch.com/special_events/2003/easter.html

Many churches are having Special

Easter Services…

Why aren’t we?

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Come join us for a weekend of worship,

reflection, and celebration of the New Day Jesus Rose Alive!

It’s an ancient Christian festival that

is the PRINCIPAL EVENT of the

church year.

It’s the joyful celebration of the resurrection of

Jesus Christ

For all Christians, it’s a celebration of NEW LIFE

and REDEMPTION through Christ.

THE DATE VARIES*• Easter can fall between March

22 and April 25• The Sunday after the full

moon that occurs on or after March 21

• If the full moon occurs on a Sunday, Easter is the following Sunday.

* The date of Easter in some Eastern Christian Churches may vary from the Western

date.

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THESE ARE NOT THE SAME!

1 Cor. 15:4, 12-20•Acc. to Scripture•Preaching is true•Faith is real•True witnesses•Freed from your sins•Dead will live•Not pitiable

CHRIST IS RISEN!

No Scripture•Unknown to NT saints •Not instituted by Christ or His apostles•Not in NT (not even in Acts 12:4, KJV)•First historical reference is 155 AD

EASTER NOT IN NT!

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BELIEF IN THE RESURRECTION

CELEBRATION OF EASTER

“There never was a more absurd or unhappy translation than this. The original is simply

after the Passover.”-Barnes Notes

Is Easter in Acts 12:4?

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“There is no indication of the observance of the Easter festival in the New Testament or in the writings of the apostolic fathers. The sanctity of the special times was an idea absent from the minds of the first Christians.”

-The Encyclopedia Britannica14th ed., II:859

Easter Unknown in NT Times

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• Resurrected on the first day of the week, Mark 16:9• Resurrection proclaimed and His church established on the first day of the week, Acts 2:1, 24-32, 36, 41, 47• Regular worship is on the first day of the week, Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2• The Lord’s day, Rev. 1:10

First Day of the Week Worship Honors Christ’s Resurrection

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“The ‘first day of the week,’ the Lord’s Day, was the regular, weekly commemoration of our Lord’s resurrection. It is more than doubtful if there was an annual commemoration (‘Easter’) in Apostolic times.” (James Hastings, Dictionary of the Apostolic Church,

Grand Rapids: 1973, II:133)

First Day of the Week Worship Honors Christ’s Resurrection

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“The baptism of John—where was it from? From heaven or from men?” -Matthew 21:25

“The celebration of Easter – where is it from? From heaven or from men?”

Easter: Holy Day or Man-Made Religious

Holiday?

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The Convergence of Three Particular

Events• Jewish Passover• “Christian Passover”• Pagan festival of Spring (festival of goddess Eastre)

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Historical Addition

“There is no trace of Easter celebration in the New Testament.”

H. PorterInternational Standard Bible Encyclopedia

Volume II, page 889

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“While there is reason to suppose that Easter had been honored from early in Christian history, the first definite record of its celebration is in connection with a visit of Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, to Anicetus, bishop of Rome, in 154 or 155.” (Williston Walker, A History of the Christian Church,

New York: 1950, p. 64)

Only Supposition that Easter was Always

Observed

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• Man-made feasts require man-made rules (Col. 2:8; Gal. 4:10-11)

• Council of Nicea (325 AD) fixed the “Christian Passover” on Sunday

• Rules adopted in the 7th century fixed the annual date• Differences over the date remain between the Eastern and Western Churches

When to Observe Easter?

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• Was first called the “Christian Passover” (cf. Col. 2:16-17; Gal. 5:3-4)• By the 8th century, “Easter” was adopted:

“Originally a Saxon word (Eostre), denoting a goddess of the Saxons, in honour of whom sacrifices were offered about the time of the Passover. Hence the name came to be given to the festival of the Resurrection of Christ, which occurred at the time of the Passover.”

(Easton’s Revised Bible Dictionary)

The Name “Easter”

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“Modern-day Easter is derived from two ancient traditions: one Judeo-Christian and the other Pagan. Both Christians and Pagans have celebrated death and resurrection themes on or after the Spring Equinox for millennia. Most religious historians believe that many elements of the Christian observance of Easter were derived from earlier Pagan celebrations.”

(Easter: Origins, Meanings, and Current Practices, religioustolerance.org/easter.htm)

Blend of Paganism and Apostasy

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•Eastre: Saxon goddess of spring and fertility•Festival celebrated on the vernal equinox

– Customs used to help new converts more easily adapt to their new faith

– Customs used to offer a corresponding incentive for people to convert

• The pagan influences of the goddess Eastre and the apostate observance of the so- called “Christian Passover” blend to produce modern-day Easter Sunday

Blend of Paganism and Apostasy

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The Religious Holiday “Easter” is Without Bible Authority • Religious celebration of Easter is

from man, Matt. 21:25• No NT pattern (authority) for it,

Col. 3:17; 2 Tim. 1:13 (Heb. 8:5)• Only pattern for it is human

tradition, Gal. 4:10-11; Col. 2:20-23; Matt. 15:8-9

• It perverts the gospel of Christ, Galatians 1:6-10 20

• Apostles did so with divine power and blessings, 19:11-12

• Imposters tried to invoke the name of the Lord without success, 19:13-16

• The name of the Lord was magnified (celebrated), 19:17

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Calling on the Name of Christ Without His Approval

Acts 19:11-17

Calling on the Name of Christ Without His Approval

Acts 19:11-17• First day of the week worship is

approved by heaven, Acts 20:7–True worship celebrates the name

of the Lord, Jno. 4:24 (Acts 19:17)• Easter worship is approved by

men but is rejected by heaven–Easter Sunday does not celebrate

the name of the Lord22

Be Content with God’s Way1 Peter 4:11

• Worship in spirit and truth, Jno. 4:24

• Distinguish between religious traditions of men and divine will of God, Prov. 14:12

• Uphold all the truth:–Resurrection of Jesus Christ–True worship

• Oppose all error, 1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Tim. 4:2-4

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