He is Risen! Happy Easter

This blog post is all about Easter

He is risen Happy Easter! He is risen, indeed!

Easter is a time to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The following are the official dates for this year’s Easter:

💖Good Friday:  will be on April 7.

💖Easter Sunday: April 9.

💖Easter Monday: April 10.

Easter is a time of joy and hope and a time to reflect on the significance of Christ’s death and resurrection.

In this blog post, I will explore the origin of Easter, its significance for Christians, must-watch Easter movies, must-listen to songs, and some Bible verses that speak to the meaning of Easter.

I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I wrote it (Let me be honest, I was kinda teary-eyed when as I wrote this! 😢❤️)

Significance of Easter

The Easter story is found in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These accounts tell how Jesus was betrayed by Judas, arrested by the Roman authorities, and sentenced to death. He was crucified on a cross and died on Good Friday. But three days later, he rose from the dead! This event is called the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Easter is one of the most important holidays in Christianity. It celebrates Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, which is seen as the ultimate victory over sin and death. Easter also marks the end of Lent (for Catholics), a time of fasting and repentance leading up to Easter.

Why is the resurrection so important?

It means that Jesus conquered death! He is alive, and He offers us eternal life too.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

John 3:16

Jesus died for our sins, and by accepting Him as our Savior, we can have eternal life.

What Easter means to me personally is that Jesus died for me, and He rose again! He offers me forgiveness and eternal life, and I am so grateful. He is my hope and my salvation. On Easter Sunday, I celebrate Jesus’ victory over death and His promise of eternal life for me. He is Risen, indeed!

Differences Between Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday

Good Friday commemorates the day Jesus was crucified.

Easter Sunday celebrates Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.

Easter Monday celebrates Jesus’ ascension into heaven.

All three days are important in the Christian faith, as they represent different aspects of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Good Friday shows the price paid for our sins. Easter Sunday shows that Jesus conquered death, and Easter Monday shows Jesus’ victory over sin and Satan. Each day is a reminder of the great hope we have in Jesus Christ!

Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday is the Sunday before Easter and marks the beginning of Holy Week. It is the day that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey.  It commemorates Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, where palm branches were placed in his path. The Catholic Church celebrates Mass on Palm Sunday and often has a procession with the palms.

They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the king of Israel!”

John 12:13

I want to mention this because in Africa (and Kenya, to be precise), this is a big day for our Catholic brothers and sisters. I remember waking up on the Sunday before Easter, and you would see hundreds of brethren walking with palms as they sang Swahili songs about Jesus. It has always been a sight to see. I can feel goosebumps just writing this.

What happened on Easter Sunday?

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell His disciples.

Matthew 28:1-6

In this Bible verse, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early on Easter Sunday and found that the stone had been rolled away. She ran to tell Peter and the other disciple. But when they got there, they found that Jesus was no longer in the tomb. He had risen from the dead! This is why we celebrate Easter – because Jesus rose from the dead and conquered death!

Easter is a significant holiday because it celebrates Jesus’ resurrection. He died on the cross to take away our sins, and He rose from the dead to give us new life. He is the Savior of the world, and we can have eternal life through Him!

Isaiah 25 explained (as it pertains to Easter)

On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. And He will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples, the sheet that is spread over all nations; He will swallow up death forever. Then the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of His people He will take away from all the earth; for the Lord has spoken.

Isaiah 25:6-8

Isaiah prophesies about Easter and talks about how God will destroy death in these verses. He says that there will be a feast where everyone will be able to rejoice and that God will wipe away tears from all faces. We can rejoice because Jesus has overcome death and He will come back again to take us to heaven! This is a beautiful prophecy of the hope that we have in Easter.

Traditional Easter activities

Easter activities are a great way to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Here are some ideas:

• Attend church services.
• Have an Easter egg hunt.
• Decorate Easter eggs.
• Make a special Easter dinner (or lunch).
• Exchange gifts (including yummy chocolate).
• Watch any movie or series about Jesus.

8 Easter movies or TV series to watch this Easter!

There are many Easter movies or TV series about Jesus’ resurrection.

Here are eight movies and shows that come to mind:

1. The Passion of the Christ

2. The Chosen

3. The Bible

4. Son of God

5. Paul, Apostle of Christ

6. RISEN

7. God’s Not Dead

8. Ben-Hur

These movies or TV series depict the events or storylines surrounding Jesus’ death and resurrection. For Example, Ben-Hur is a movie that was originally a 1880 novel by Lew Wallace titled, “A Tale of The Christ”. As the movie walks us through the life of Ben-Hur, they also reference Jesus who was working miracles at that time. I have watched the original Ben-Hur movie (1959 version) numerous times in my childhood. The 2016 rendition is shorter so it is easier to follow. The original movie was almost 4 hours!

Bottom line, these are all compelling and moving stories that will help you memorably celebrate Easter.

NB: Please confirm the age rating as some of the movies, i.e., Passion of the Christ, are inappropriate for kids.

Easter worship songs

There are many different ways to celebrate Easter, but all involve remembering what Christ did for us.

Here are some Easter worship songs that will help you celebrate this special day.

1. “Forever” by Kari Jobe

This is a beautiful song that is my favorite. It talks about the resurrection of Jesus Christ!

2. “He Is Risen” by Chris Tomlin

This song is a declaration of faith in Jesus’ resurrection. It is a great song to sing as you celebrate Easter morning.

3. “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today” by Charles Wesley

This hymn celebrates Christ’s victory over death and sin. It is a great song to sing as you reflect on the meaning of Easter.

4. “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” by David Willcocks

This song is a beautiful expression of longing for Jesus’ return. It is perfect for Christmas and Easter alike.

5. “The Lord’s My Shepherd” by Ralph Vaughan Williams

This song is a beautiful reflection on the relationship between God and His people. It is perfect for reading during Easter worship services.

6. “Amazing Grace” by John Newton

This song is a classic expression of faith in God’s grace. It is perfect for Easter services or any time you want to sing about God’s amazing love.

Easter and Passover connection

The Easter story is intimately connected with Passover. The New Testament Book of Acts mentions that Jesus was celebrating Passover when He was betrayed (see Matthew 26:17-20).

Both holidays commemorate freedom from oppression. For Jews, Passover commemorates the liberation of their ancestors from slavery in Egypt. For Christians, Easter celebrates the liberation of Jesus from death and sin.

Interestingly, the word “Easter” doesn’t actually appear in the Bible. Instead, the term “Pascha” is used, which is the Greek word for Passover.

In Swahili and my native language Kalenjin, we use a Greek variation of the word, calling Easter “Pasaka.”

Bible Verses About Easter

“He is not here; He has risen, just as He said.” Matthew 28:6

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26

“We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 5:8

“He who has the Son has life; He who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” 1 John 5:12

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great love He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade–kept in heaven for you.” 1 Peter 1:3-4

” He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all–how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?” Romans 8:32

“The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

” He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” Revelation 22:20

“But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.” John 20:31

Happy Easter quotes

“Easter is a time to come together and celebrate new beginnings. It’s a time to reflect on all of the amazing things God has done in our lives, and to look forward to all He has in store for us.”

Jennie Allen

“The real meaning of Easter is that Christ died for our sins and He is alive! He is not a dead man in some far-off place, but He is alive and with us today.”

Billy Graham

“Easter is the one time each year when we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection from the grave. He died on the cross as our substitute, taking on Himself the punishment for our sins. But He rose again, proving that He is the Son of God and that death could not keep Him down.”

Rick Warren

And that’s it, folks, again… Happy Easter! He is Risen

Happy Easter! He has risen! He is alive! He offers us eternal life! He is my hope and my salvation!

Praise be to God for His great love! He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead!

He is coming soon! Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

Wishing you a Happy Easter 2022

Hugs,