5 Ways to Approach Easter with a Biblical Lens

When I was a child, I never understood what Easter meant. All I knew was that there was an Easter Bunny who would bring me gifts. Since then, all I could think about was toys, playing, and having fun. This is common for kids, but everyone must understand what Easter truly means. Getting a week off from work is not just a Springtime holiday. It is the celebration of what the Lord has done for us.

Christmas details Jesus’ birth into the world, and over thirty years later, He died for our sins, which is what we now know as Easter or Resurrection Sunday. The entire purpose Jesus was born into the world was to save us from our sins by dying on the cross. However, the story doesn’t end there. Jesus died and was buried, yet He rose three days later (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Because of the Lord’s resurrection, we can hold on to the promise that we will be resurrected too (1 Corinthians 15:42-49).

Our resurrected bodies will be similar to the Lord’s resurrected body, but we will not be greater than Him. He is forever our God and will always be greater than we are. However, He has blessed us with the promise that just as He was resurrected, we will be resurrected into our immortal bodies. This will happen during the Rapture of the church (1 Corinthians 15:50-57).

We must remember what the Lord has done for us each time we focus on Easter. He died to save us, and we can truly live through Him. This present world will crumble, yet we will live on with the Lord. He has blessed us immensely and will continue to surround us with blessings. Everyone who accepts Him will be given eternal life (John 3:16-17). This is what we need to be sharing and understanding on Easter.

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One cannot approach the Easter holiday in a biblical sense apart from studying Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. If someone is not equipped with the Gospel accounts of this historical event, the Easter season is the perfect time to study and learn a few new facts about the Lord. Each Gospel details Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. Going through each of the Gospels can help a person fully understand Easter in a way that is meaningful and impactful to them personally.

The more people study this fantastic aspect of history, the more they know the Lord. They realize that Jesus died for them because of His great love. Nothing can separate us from His love, which is why He took extraordinary measures to save us (Romans 8:38-39). This unconditional agape love is the love that Jesus has lavished upon us. It does not keep records of wrongs or become easily angered (1 Corinthians 13:1-13).

This agape love is the love Jesus has always had for us and will continue to have for us for all eternity. We can approach the Easter holiday with a sound mind and an eager heart by setting our eyes on this truth. We won’t be caught up in the trivial aspects of the holiday. Instead, we will be thinking about the amazing love the Lord has poured out in our lives. Understanding, reflecting upon, and meditating on the Gospels will get our minds into the right headspace for Easter.

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While many of us attend church on Easter Sunday, are we going with a heart of praise? Or are we going because it is tradition, and we don’t want to feel guilty for skipping another Easter service? It is a well-known fact that Easter Sunday and Christmas Day services are both of the most well-attended services throughout the year for churches. Churches must take advantage of this and start sharing the Gospel with those coming—whether they are coming because they want to be there or feel obligated to come.

People don’t have to be in peak spiritual health before the Lord calls them. We need to think about this when we are attending our own Easter Sunday services. Maybe we are not there out of obligation or guilt, but we are not showing the lost world the love of Jesus. We are simply going through the motions as we do every Sunday, and nothing is leaving an eternal impact. This needs to change.

We will draw closer as God's family by fellowshipping with other believers. Jesus died on the cross to bring us into His family; therefore, we need to have fellowship with other believers and be a light in this dark world (Hebrews 10:25; Philippians 2:14-18). When we do these things while faithfully walking with the Lord, we can approach Easter biblically and help others learn about Him.

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As I mentioned earlier, we must sit at Jesus’ feet and reflect upon Him. When we look at the New Testament, we see Martha being overwhelmed and anxious over the preparations to be made while her sister, Mary, was sitting at Jesus’ feet (Luke 10:40-42). Martha wanted the Lord to tell Mary to help her, yet Jesus said what Mary was doing was better and would not be taken away from her. We must yield the Lord’s words here and reflect upon them.

Sitting at Jesus’ feet is better than rushing around with the Easter preparations. There might be a lot of dishes to make, cleaning to be done, and organizing the seating plan to be done, but we have to choose what is better, and that is sitting at Jesus’ feet with a heart of worship. Our hearts need to be so focused on Jesus that we are content, happy, and at peace even if the preparations are not done.

This is because listening to the Lord and spending time with Him is more significant than anything else. By all practical means, most people would say Martha was carrying the heavy burden and doing the right thing by getting everything done, yet the Lord doesn’t praise her. He praises Mary with her heart of worship. In the same way, we need to follow Mary’s example by sitting at His feet this Easter and lifting our hearts in prayer. 

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We cannot approach Easter biblically unless we are looking forward to eternity. This future is only ours because of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. It is because of Him that we don’t have to fear death or judgment (1 Corinthians 15:55-57). He has set us free and given us a new hope in His blood shed on the cross. This hope is not haphazard, nor is it not based on false information. Instead, this hope is a sure promise given to us by Jesus Christ.

Our future in Christ has already begun when we place faith in Him. He has given us abundant life, which is a true blessing (John 10:10). As we reflect on the Lord and this beautiful life, we will be overwhelmed with thankfulness. Easter is the anniversary of Jesus’ death and resurrection for us, and we need to use the past, present, and future blessings as an opportunity to praise Him. Every good gift is from the Father, including the sacrifice of His Son (James 1:17).

This Easter, focus on the Lord and His goodness. Think about the future and all that is yours in Christ Jesus. This can help you approach Easter with a heart of love, worship, and praise this year.

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