What is Easter All About?
By BATZING, PETER
Product #: 32809
People often get confused over the real meaning of Easter. It's not about
bunnies, baskets or brightly colored eggs. It's about Jesus Christ, and what He
went through on our behalf. (Revised Version of #30398, The Real Meaning of
Easter)
TRACT TEXT
People often get confused over the real meaning of Easter. Store shelves are
crammed with row after row of Easter baskets, egg coloring kits, jelly beans and
chocolate bunnies. But the real meaning of Easter goes way beyond such colorful,
tasty fun. It’s about someone who died, and then found new life. Jesus Christ
is the most central figure in all of human history, and Easter is all about his
death and resurrection. Here is what the Bible says about who He is…what He
went through on our behalf…and why.
THE PAIN
The soldiers took charge of Jesus. Carrying His own cross, He went out to The
Place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). Here they crucified
Him, and with Him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are
doing.” And they divided up His clothes by casting lots. Pilate had a notice
prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE
JEWS.
THE PAYMENT
The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at Him. They said,
“He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ of God, the Chosen
One.”
One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at Him: “Aren’t You
the Christ? Save Yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him.
“Don’t you fear God,” he asked, “since you are under
the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds
deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus,
remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “I tell
you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise.”
We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own
way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land.
About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
“Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”—which means,
“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He gave up His spirit. At
that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The
earth shook and the rocks split.
When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the
earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed,
“Surely He was the Son of God!”
THE PROOF
Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright
man, who had not consented to their decision and action. Going to Pilate, he
asked for Jesus’ body. Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and
placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. It
was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.After the Sabbath, at
dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to
look at the tomb.
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from
heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His
appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards
were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are
looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He
said. Come and see the place where He lay. Then go quickly and tell His
disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee.
There you will see Him.’ Now I have told you.”
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran
to tell His disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” He said. They
came to Him, clasped His feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do
not be afraid. Go and tell My brothers to go to Galilee ; there they will see
Me.”
THE PROMISE
One of those who saw the resurrected Christ, the Apostle Peter, says
concerning Him, “We are witnesses of everything He did...He commanded us to
preach to the people and to testify that He is the One whom God appointed as
judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about Him that
everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.”
And Jesus Christ who died and rose again for us promised, “My Father’s
will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have
eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
THE PRIVILEGE
He [Jesus Christ] died for all, that those who live should no longer live for
themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again.
Bible references: Isaiah 53:7; John 19:16b-18; Luke 23:34; John 19:19; Luke
23:35,39-43; Isaiah 53:6; Matthew 27:45,46,50, 51,54; Luke 23:50,51a,52-54;
Matthew 28:1-10; Acts 10:39a,42,43; John 6:40; 2 Corinthians 5:15.
Title: What Is Easter All About?
Author: BATZING, PETER
Tract Size: 3.5x5.5"
Category: Tracts
Weight: 0.2 lbs
packages of 20
ISBN#: 1598551760
Stock #: 32809
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