Preparing for Easter

I know it is a heated debate over what things are appropriate for Easter (eggs, bunnies, baskets, etc). I'm not going to tackle that! I'm going to share some ways to prepare and some fun activities from myself and from some other wonderful ladies whose blogs I love to read. We just need to remember that Jesus is the center of every day including Easter, not things of this world.

Jesus in the Passover
I don't know about you, but I will be honest and admit that until I really got serious about my walk, I dreaded reading the old testament. It seemed boring and repetitive, both of which I know now to not be true.

I'm currently reading through the entire Bible (I admit, ashamedly, it's the first time I've met success with attempting this, though not the first time I've tried). And the most amazing thing I've found is that the Savior who I love, Jesus, is in there! He really is! Jesus is in the Passover, so that's what I'll focus on today, because I just love the foreshadowing and symbolism and Passover was celebrated by Jews yesterday.

The Passover Lamb
The story of Passover centers around the Passover lamb, when Moses instructed God's people to kill a male lamb without defect and wipe the blood over their doors so that in the night when all the 1st born sons in Egypt were killed, God's people would be "Passed Over."

"The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats." Exodus 12:5 NIV

"On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt. Exodus 12:12-13 NIV

Jesus is called the sacrificial lamb. He was without defect, or sin. He was killed for us all so that if we accept Him, we have eternal life, and we are "passed over" from death.
"The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" John 1:29
"Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast--as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed." 1 Corin. 5:7 NIV
"For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect." 1 Peter 1:18-19 NIV

Bones
When God instructed His people to celebrate Passover, the lamb was not to have any of its bones
“It is to be eaten in a single house; you are not to bring forth any of the flesh outside of the house, nor are you to break any bone of it." Exodus 12:46

"He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken." Ps. 34:20 NIV

And although they usually broke the legs of those being crucified, they did not break Jesus's bones. The break the legs to kill the person faster because without their legs they cannot push up to breathe.
"The soldiers therefore came, and broke the legs of the first man, and of the other man who was crucified with Him; but coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs;... For these things came to pass, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, "Not a bone of Him shall be broken."" John 19:32-33, 36 NIV

Other Traditions inlaid in the Passover:

• The passover lamb was chosen 5 days before the passover was celebrated. Jesus entered Jerusalem 5 days before Passover and on lamb selection day according to the calendar that the religious authorities would have used.
  
• On Good Friday (Passover) when the lamb was sacrificed (3pm) the ram's horn was blown, this is also the time that Jesus died. Everyone would observe a moment of silence to contemplate the sacrifice for sins.
  

For more information see this source

Other Easter Activities

Resurrection Rolls - I love this idea, it tells the story of Jesus burial and resurrection

Resurrection Eggs -I like the instructions on how to make your own set, to save the cost of purchasing

Preparing for Easter - DWYM has done a series on preparing ourselves, our hearts, and our children for Easter


May you have a blessed Easter, praise God for Christ his son, given for us so that we may die to our sins and be born again in Him.

Holly



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