Introduction Millions of people are going to Catholic, Protestant, or non denominational services to celebrate Easter. When our religious neighbors, friends, or family hear that we don’t, they may ask why. This morning we will examine the Scriptures so that we might give an answer from God’s word rather than our opinion. This morning we will examine the Scriptures so that we might give an answer from God’s word rather than our opinion. (Isaiah 55:8-9; 2 Timothy 2:15; Proverbs 14:12; 1 Thess. 5:21-22; 1 Peter 4:11)

We Can’t Celebrate Easter by Faith Faith comes by hearing God’s word Faith comes by hearing God’s word (Ro. 10:17) We can’t please God without faith (Heb. 11:6) We believe that Jesus rose from the dead on the 3 rd day because of what the Bible says. (Luke 24:46; Acts 3:18; 1 Cor. 15:1-8) Christians were commanded to remember His death on the 1 st day of the week. (Matthew 26:26; 1 Cor. 11:23f; Acts 20:7) But where does the Scripture approve of a religious observance of Easter? But where does the Scripture approve of a religious observance of Easter?

We Can’t Celebrate Easter by Faith But the word Easter is in the Bible in Acts 12:4. “And when he had apprehended him (Peter), 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.” (KJV) The Greek word “pascha” is always translated Passover in the New Testament. Even Albert Barnes, a respected Presbyterian commentator, admits the truth.

“There never was a more absurd or unhappy translation than this. The original is simply after the Passover, meta to pasca. The word Easter now denotes the festival observed by many Christian churches in honour of the resurrection of the Saviour. But the original has no reference to that; nor is there the slightest evidence that any such festival was observed at the time when this book was written. The translation is not only unhappy, as it does not convey at all the meaning of the original, but because it may contribute to foster an opinion that such a festival was observed in the times of the apostles.” (Albert Barnes- Acts 12:4)

We Can’t Celebrate Easter by Faith The Encyclopedia Britannica (14th edition, Vol. II, p. 859) says, “There is no indication of the observance of the Easter festival in the New Testament or in the writings of the apostolic fathers. The sanctity of the special times was an idea absent from the minds of the first Christians.“ If the Passover in Acts 12:4 was the observance of Easter as practiced today, we would have the absurdity of the Jews celebrating the resurrection of Christ while crucifying the Son of God. Think about it!

Easter Was Instituted by Man, not Christ After the death of the apostles, Easter began to observed as a “Christian” festival. “Perhaps the earliest extant primary source “Perhaps the earliest extant primary source referencing Easter is a mid-2nd century Paschal homily attributed to Melito of Sardis, which characterizes the celebration as a well-established one. [21] ” (Wikipedia)homilyMelito of Sardis [21] But it was a departure from the pattern of partaking the Lord’s Supper on the first day of every week (Acts 20:7).

Easter Was Instituted by Man, not Christ There was much division in the church in the 2 nd and 3 rd centuries about which day to There was much division in the church in the 2 nd and 3 rd centuries about which day to observe Easter. (Catholic Encyclopedia) “The First Council of Nicaea (325) decreed that the Roman practice should be observed throughout the Church. But even at Rome the Easter term was changed repeatedly.” (ibid)Council of NicaeaChurchRome “God is not the author of confusion, but of peace as in all churches of the saints”. (1 Corinthians 14:33)

Easter Was Instituted by Man, not Christ Christ’s rule, authority, and dominion is far above man’s and He is head over all things to the church Christ’s rule, authority, and dominion is far above man’s and He is head over all things to the church. (Eph. 1:20-23) The apostle Paul warned about the apostasy that would come in which one would display himself as being God. (2 Thess. 2:3-8) Who will you listen to and obey? God or man? Jesus said, “Why do you call Me, Lord, Lord, and do not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46)

Easter Has Pagan Origins “The English term, according to the Ven. Bede (De temporum ratione, I, v), relates to Estre, a Teutonic goddess of the rising light of day and spring, which deity, however, is otherwise unknown” (Catholic Encyclopedia) Ven. BedeVen. Bede Van Bede is a historian of the Catholic church who lived from c A.D. Words mean things. The Catholic Encyclopedia relates Easter to a diety.

God’s People Must Not Compromise The Israelites were commanded not to have any other gods before them & weren’t to mention them by The Israelites were commanded not to have any other gods before them & weren’t to mention them by name (Ex. 20:1; 23:13-14). In disobedience to God’s word they feared the Lord but served their own gods and had to go into captivity (2 Kings 17:6-19). Denominations have been compromising with the world about Easter for a long time. Churches of Christ are tempted to be like the denominations and sadly some give in.

Our Worship must be in spirit and truth and if it is not, our worship is in vain. (John 4:23-24; Matthew 15:9)

Is this speaking as the oracles of God (1 Peter 4:11) or according to the traditions of men?

Conclusion The facts bear witness to the fact that Easter is without divine authority. Since there is no command from the Lord, divinely approved example, or necessary inference demonstrating we should practice it, we must expose it as an unfruitful work of darkness (Ephesians 5:11). We must be content with what pleases the Lord as we have been commanded to remember the Lord’s death on the first day of the week.