The Real Easter

Have you seen the ‘Real Easter Egg’? It’s a fairtrade Easter egg that includes both delicious chocolate AND the story of Jesus. What a great way to remember the real reason we celebrate without taking away the fun of eating large amounts of chocolate! Usually, when it comes to passing on the good news of Jesus, Easter eggs are a bit of a distraction. Along with the Easter bunnies and lambs and flowers they provide a backdrop of ‘new life’ symbolism that’s almost as sickly sweet as the chocolate itself! The real story of Easter is a bit more edgy! Jesus did come to bring new life...because there was such a massive problem with the old one! Jesus didn’t just come with a message of bunnies and flowers and ‘everything’s fine’. He came because the world isn’t fine. When Jesus was criticised for spending time with some of the less accepted members of his society, he explained, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor, but sick people do. I didn’t come to invite good people to be my followers. I came to invite sinners.” Yup... I’m afraid the real Easter story starts with sin – real, horrible, deadly sin. But in his incredible love, God responded to our sin by sending Jesus to die on the cross. It’s not an image that fits with the cute, cheap niceness of commercial ‘Easter’. It’s not ‘nice’ but it is ‘good’ and Jesus sacrifice on Good Friday paved the way for his glorious resurrection on Easter Sunday. We too can share in his new life: the real, resurrection life that lasts forever!

For an account of the real Easter story designed to appeal to teenagers and young adults see 'The Third Day' published by the Good Book Company. (See the trailer below) Definitely no bunnies in sight and you'll have to provide your own chocolate!