“and when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of...
TRANSCRIPT
“And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.” Acts 12:4 KJV
Found 29 other times in the New TestamentAlways translated “Passover”
All other translations translate it as “Passover”
Pascha
Recognize death, burial, resurrection of Jesus
What is the origin of Easter ?
Did the church in the first century observe it ?
Should we observe Easter in some way ?
Festivities Related to EasterCarnival Season
Feast of Epiphany – Jan. 6“Fat Tuesday” - “Mardi Gras”
Lenten Season40 days before Easter - fastBegins with Ash WednesdayHoly week - Passion week
Post – Easter Season40 days after – Ascension day50 days after – Whitsuntide61 days after – Corpus-Christie day
What about Easter Sunday ?
Acts 12:4 “Easter” -- should be “Passover”
Herod kept Peter in PrisonHe was a JewHe would not have cared about “Easter” because it is not a Jewish holy day.Would not have kept Peter in prison to honor a Christian holy day.But he would have done this to honor a Jewish holy day = the Passover.
What about Easter Sunday ?
Originated in the Catholic Religion - two sources
JudaismConsidered a continuation of PassoverAshes - repent in sackcloth & ashes
Paganism“easter” - Anglo-Saxon goddess of springSpring festival - celebrate new beginning
Council of Nicea - 325 A.D. - celebrate on Sunday
Why we do not observe Easter
Not becausewe do not believe in resurrectionwe are anti-socialwe want to be different.
But because# 1 It is unscriptural - Col. 3:17# 2 It is adding to the word - Rev. 22:18
“God is a spirit; and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth” Jn. 4:24
Why we do not observe Easter
God has given us something better - Lord’s Supper
“And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.” Acts 20:7
Remember - Death, Burial & Resurrection52 times a yearNot just once a year
Why we do not observe Easter
Worship on the Lord’s Day:Prayers - James 5:12-16 Acts 12:12Preaching - Acts 2:42, 20:7Singing - Eph. 5:19 - Col. 3:16Giving - 1 Cor. 16:2Lord’s Supper - Acts 20:7
Bread - represents body of ChristFruit of the vine - represents the blood of Christ
Matthew 26:26-28
Not something we can observe in a religious wayNothing wrong with some of the social activities
Resurrection of Christ is remembered each Lord’s day when we partake of the communion.
Sermon by Arthur Pigman
Evans Church of Christ
515 Gibbs Road
Evans, Ga. 30809
706-855-1249
[email protected]@bellsouth.net
www.evansgachurchofchrist.orgwww.evansgachurchofchrist.org
Sunday Morning March 31, 2013