Heading into Easter weekend, I have to make a confession that I'm not proud of.  The holiday traditions around Easter get on my nerves.  Let me go ahead and acknowledge that I do realize that it's not about me and what does or does not get on my nerves.  But, as I said, I'm trying to confess something.  Sunrise services, when you have...how many kids do we have now?...all very young, are taxing, to say the least.  In East Texas, Easter is usually humid and in the thick of allergy season, so my eyes are usually swollen and watering all day.  On Sunday afternoon, especially when I got up so early, the Easter egg hunt is not even close to the top of my list of things I'd like to be doing (the top ten are napping in ten different positions and/or places).  And, the pageantry and upbeat, even perky, tone that covers over the entire day never seemed quite right to me, in light of the gravity of what we are celebrating.  Now that I've ruined your perception of me and established myself in your mind as the Easter Grinch, let me tell you why it's okay to feel this way, as long as we get over it and don't let it ruin the day for everyone. These distractions upset me because they make it difficult for me to really stop and think about what Easter really is.  Easter is the culmination of the work of salvation.  The accuser had claimed his airtight legal right to you, me, my wife, my kids, everyone.  I was absolutely powerless to keep death from the people for whom I would give my life.  Then, Jesus, after 33 years of living in perfect obedience to His Father in this world with this flesh, obeyed His Father once again.  He awaited His arrest and went willingly.  In the courtyard of the high priest, He looked at Peter when the rooster crowed (See Fence Post "Turned and Looked"), then got up and went to be tried, beaten beyond recognition as a man, and await his horrific execution.  On the cross He assured one of the thieves being executed with Him that because he trusted Jesus, he would be with Him in Paradise.  One Roman soldier overseeing the crucifixion even acknowledged Jesus as the Son of God, and Luke 23:47 records that he praised God.  In death, Jesus, "through His own blood...entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption"  (Hebrews 9:12).  On the third day after his death, God called His Son, with whom He was and is well-pleased, from death.  And, praise God, true to form, Jesus obeyed!

This Easter, understand and treasure these things in your heart.  Teach them to your kids.  Then, and only then, put on pastel and enjoy the time with your family.  And, if you have little ones, hide some eggs for them to find, and enjoy these times while you have them.  And, as you watch those kids playing, thank God that He provided the sacrifice for their salvation.