INTRO: “Easter Sunday” - Observed by millions & regarded as the most holy of days. - For many it is the only time of the year that they will even attend a church. - Christmas runs a close 2nd and New Years ranks 3rd. - This “holiday is said to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. - Did the church of the New Testament practice a yearly observation of the Lord’s resurrection. Why Christians Should Not Observe Easter As A Religious Holiday...

I. Word Study: “Easter” A) Found only one time in the KJV (Acts 12:4). - Original word is “pascha” (Passover). - Translated properly in all other translations. B) From Anglo Saxon “eastre”, a Teutonic (German) goddess of Spring & fertility. - Observed at time corresponding to April. - Rabbit represented fertility in springtime due to its reproductive rate. - Egyptian & Roman custom to give eggs as presents at this time of year to ensure a fertile or reproductive year. (William Helm Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Letters at the University of South Florida, Orlando Sentinel 4/15/87) Why Christians Should Not Observe Easter As A Religious Holiday...

“EASTER: This feast, commemorative of the Resurrection of Christ, is named for the Teutonic goddess of light (Anglo Saxon title Eastre or Ostera); her festival was held in April. The Jewish feast of the Passover is linked with Easter as Our Lord is regarded as the true Paschal Lamb; and in the 8th century the name Easter was adopted as the title for this festive celebration. As early as the 2nd century, there were keen disputes respecting the day on which this feast should be kept. In 325 A.D., however, the Council Of Nicaea ordained that Easter should be observed always and everywhere on one and the same day; and that the day should be on the Sunday next after the full moon that came on or after the vernal equinox, which falls on March 21, provided that when that moon was full on Sunday, Easter should be the Sunday following. Referred to as the Passover... Acts 12:4” (Catholic Bible with the imprimatur by Albert Cardinal Meyer Archbishop of Chicago, 1965 edition.) Why Christians Should Not Observe Easter As A Religious Holiday... II. History Of Easter As A Religious Holiday

A) After the death of the Apostles many of the Jewish festivals became Christian festivals (Gal. 5:2-7; Col. 2:16-19). Why Christians Should Not Observe Easter As A Religious Holiday... B) The yearly observance of Christ’s resurrection came to be seen as a Christian “Passover”. F) Day set in 325 AD, Council of Nicaea. D) During the 2nd & 3rd centuries the time of the observance varied with much controversy. II. History Of Easter As A Religious Holiday E) “Christian Passover” soon included: “Lent” “Ash Wednesday” “Fat Tuesday” “Mardi Gras” “Passion Sunday” “Palm Sunday” “Good Friday” G) By 8 th Century, named “Easter” from paganism…

A) Jesus revealed how His death was to be commemorated (Matt 26:26-30; Mk 14:22-25; Acts 2:42; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 11:23-28). Why Christians Should Not Observe Easter As A Religious Holiday... III. A Biblical Perspective B) Belief in the resurrection is essential to salvation (Rom 10:9; 1 Cor. 15:1-3, 12-14). C) Believers are raised from the dead through baptism (Col. 2:12-13; Rom. 6:3-4). D) Baptized believers are to presently live a new life (Rom. 6:5-11). Why Does The World Religiously Observe “Easter”, But Fail To Religiously Observe God’s Word?

A) Circumcision - Forbidden as religious act (Gal. 2:3-5, 5:1-4). - Liberty if not religious act (Acts 16:1-3). Why Christians Should Not Observe Easter As A Religious Holiday... IV. A Biblical Distinction B) Eating of meats sacrificed to idols - Forbidden as religious act (1 Cor. 8:4-7). - Liberty if not religious act (1 Cor. 8:8). C) Thus, as RELIGIOUS act forbidden… But secular practices are permitted (family & friends gathering, eating, eggs, candy, etc.) D) Do not violate your conscience or cause your brother to violate his (1 Cor. 8:7, 10)!

1. Religiously - Easter is NOT of Biblical origin! Why Christians Should Not Observe Easter As A Religious Holiday... CONCLUSION: 2. Religiously - God forbids inventing & adding to the Gospel! 3. Non-Religiously – Many secular activities are permissible, if you can do them with a clean conscience. Will We Be Content With What Is Revealed?

19 say for the remission of sins (Authorized version (KJV); Berry’s interlinear; Centenary Translation; Douay; Emphatic Diaglot; Englishman’s Greek NT; Ferrar Fenton; Geneva Bible; Haweis (1795 AD); Moffatt; H.B. Montgomery (1924); New American Standard; New King James Version; Syriac Version; Verkuyl (Burkeley Version); Wesley’s Translation; Weymouth; Darby’s Translation) 16 say for the forgiveness of your sins (Amplified NT; Authentic by Schomfield; Challomer Rheims; Jerusalem Bible; Living Bible; New Catholic Version; New English Bible; New International version; Revised Standard Version; Twentieth Century Translation; English Standard Version; Bible In Basic English; World English Bible; Luois Segond Verision 1910; SRV, SRVA) 1says for (in order to, unto) the forgiveness (First German Bible) 1 says for a release of your sins (Modern English) 1 says for the purpose of remission of your sins (Spanish Translation) 5 say unto the remission of your sins (American Bible Union Version; Engl. Revised; Moulton’s Modern Reader’s ; Rothermham; Warrell’s Trans.)

1 says into the remission of youre synnes (Wycliffe ) 2 say into the remission of sins (Emphasized version; Italian Translation) 1 says into the forgiveness of your sins (Everlasting Gospel by McCord) 1 says to have your sins forgiven (Knox) 2 say to the remission of sins (Young’s Literal Translation; MKJV) 2 say with a view to the remission of sins (Modern Speech; Weymouth’s N.T.) 1says so that you may have your sins forgiven (Phillip’s Modern English) 1 says so that your sins may be forgiven (Simple English) 1 says that your sins may be forgiven (Williams) 4 say In order to the remission of your sins (Anderson; Indian Translation; Living Oracles; Macknight’s Translation) 1 says in order to obtain the remission of sins (French Translation) 2 say (for, unto) in order to forgiveness of sins (German Translation; Hackett’s commentary) 2 say in order to have your sins forgiven (Good News for Modern man; Goodspeed) FOR, INTO, UNTO, IN ORDER TO = PURPOSE