Do your kids know?
Let this question really challenge you to find out if they do. Go ask your kids one by one… ask them to tell you why they think we celebrate Easter.
It’s okay. I’ll wait right here until you’re finished.
I recently found out that my foster daughters only knew this about Easter: there was an Easter Bunny, they got to color eggs, they got to find the eggs, and they got to get candy. But only if they were good. No Jesus. No death on a cross. No conquering the grave. No resurrection power of the Holy Ghost. No pierced hands. No wounded side. No hope of eternal life. No way to the Father. Zero. Zilch. Nada.
Our conversations about Easter started a few weeks ago, we were talking about death. I was trying to explain what happens when we die. Long story short (because I don’t want to divulge the details of their little lives to you on this blog) I found out that they had never really heard the gospel. We’ve talked about Jesus for almost a year now. The first time they heard the Nativity Story was at Christmas. I guess it shouldn’t have surprised me to find out that this Easter wouldn’t be any different. So, one evening a couple of weeks ago, I ended up with a big eyed little girl sitting on my lap ready to hear the real reason why we celebrate Easter.
As I explained to her who Jesus really was- fully God and fully man, what He did while He was here on the earth, and how He came to die for the sins of mankind, I had her undivided focus. The Holy Spirit was all over it because trying to get these kids to sit down that long and really listen is almost a miracle on some days, haha! I told her about how it was the Father’s will to crush Him, I told her that the Holy Spirit raised Him up from the grave, I told her that the tomb was found empty, I told her that he beat death, kicked the devil’s butt, and is now seated in heaven praying for us now. I told her that He’s just waiting for the go ahead from the Father to come back to get us. I told her about how when He comes the dead are going to be raised first, then we will get to meet Him in the sky. I told her about how we are going to get new, resurrected bodies (and I told her that I hoped mine would have a better nose 😉 I told her about how Jesus paid the price for our sin so that we could live forever with Him. I told her about how Jesus will rule and reign and that someday there will be a new heaven and a new earth. I told her that God was going to wipe away all of our tears and that there would be no more pain and no more tears.
I simply told her why we celebrated Easter.
It was the first time she’d ever heard most of that. But let me tell you something. Her eyes lit up a thousand times more than they ever did when she asked about the Easter Bunny. Yeah, sure, bunnies are cute and egg hunts are fun, and candy is sweet, but the good news about Jesus… well, that’s a horse of a different color, folks! The gospel is simple enough for kids, we don’t have to dumb it down for them to get it. And it’s uber exciting! If you’re not excited about Jesus, you’ve got it all wrong. If you think kids won’t get excited about Jesus, you probably don’t really know Him. If you really knew Him, you would really love Him. You would sell all you had just to follow Him. You’d give away all your belongings if He asked you to. Your life would be totally different than before you knew about Him.
These kids that will come into our home have had enough people lie to them. One of the biggest battles we’ve faced here on our home front is lying. I hate lying. I hate the mistrust, I hate the trying to get away with something, I just hate it. I hate it that so many people are conditioned to lie. I hate that it’s second nature to so many because that’s how they’ve had to survive. If they remember anything about who I am I want them to know that I will always tell them the truth, about anything and everything, even when it’s really hard.
Maybe that’s why their eyes light up so much when I told them the gospel. Maybe that’s why they got so excited. For the first time they have found something to take to the bank! They’ve found something real to hope in. So many people have failed these kids. Fairy tales will not sustain them. People, especially children, need to know the truth! Color your eggs all you want, folks, that’s not a tree I want to bark at. But as you’re doing whatever it is you do this weekend, for the love of God, make sure your children know the truth about why we celebrate Easter.
I also want to mention to you, that if Jesus isn’t real to you, seek Him out. Ask Him to show Himself to you. Ask Him to tell you the truth. The truth is He is real and He really loves you. He loves you more than we could ever possibly imagine. He loves you so much that He poured out all of His blood and died to pay the debt that we owed Him, a debt we could never in a million years ever pay. He saw in fallen man a glory we cannot fully comprehend. Everything about Him is exciting and real. Everything about Him is perfect in every way. His desire is for you. He’s the only real peace you’ll ever feel, the only real joy you’ll ever experience. I encourage you this weekend, go find a church and listen. Listen for a voice that speaks straight to your heart. Listen to Him draw you in and go with it. Let Him show you who He really is. Give Him your life. You won’t ever regret it.
But you don’t have to wait till this weekend, ask Him now, ask Him tonight. Ask Him now, pray,
“Jesus, show me who you really are. Show me if you’re real. Let me hear your voice.
Tell me the truth about who You are. I’ve heard enough stories, now I want the truth.
Help me understand, give me ears to hear and eyes to see.”
Then just wait and see.
Listen.
Be amazed.
And have a great Easter weekend.
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