Christmas + Easter = Eternal Life

People get so hung up with words and dates. This is MY view of it all.

I don’t care if Jesus was born on December 25^th. The date does not matter. What matters is that He was born. I have never viewed His birth as a pagan celebration or having anything to do with a solstice. I celebrate the birth of my Lord and Savior. I do not worship Christmas trees. They are pretty and make me happy to look at them. Yes, they are a symbol of Christmas, but I can celebrate Jesus’ birth just as happily without a tree. Or presents. Or Charlie Brown. I can and do celebrate His birth every day. The specific day He was born is not important to me. And there is only one reason He was born: it was to die. Which leads us to…

Easter. Very explosive word. I don’t care what the origin of the word is. It does not mean the worship of a pagan goddess to me. I don’t care if it coincides with any spring time solstice or pagan celebration. I have never celebrated it as anything other than the death and resurrection of my Lord and Savior. I’ve always thought the using of a formula to determine when Easter would occur was not essential. As with Christmas being celebrated on December 25^th, I thought Easter could be celebrated on whatever Sunday in any particular month, as we do with Mother’s Day. Let’s say Easter is the 3^rd Sunday of April (which it is this year). Then you always know when Holy Week is and can plan accordingly. Again, it doesn’t matter when it originally took place, just that it took place. Jesus DID die. He DID rise again. He DOES have a place prepared for me. And another thing…I do not worship the cross. I worship AT the cross. Like the Christmas tree, it’s a symbol of a particular event in my Savior’s life. And I’ve very grateful for both these symbols as a reminder.

Trees, presents, chocolate eggs and bunnies are fine. But if they were all taken away, I would still have the assurance of a living Lord:

John 14:2  “In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.”

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!