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“What Is Easter?”
By Bishop Bob Teseniar
Easter – Gr. = Pascha {The Paschal sacrifice – the paschal lamb}
Knowing what the Bible says about Easter keeps us from falling into the
world’s ideas about the season.
Easter is only mentioned one time in the Bible, which is mentioned in the
below verses.
Acts 12:1-11 KJV Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his
hands to vex certain of the church. 2 And he killed James the brother of John
with the sword. 3 And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded
further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.) 4 And
when he had apprehended him, 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. 5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made
without ceasing of the church unto God for him. 6 And when Herod would
have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two
soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the
prison. 7 And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light
shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up,
saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. 8 And the
angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And
he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. 9 And he went
out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the
angel; but thought he saw a vision. 10 When they were past the first and the
second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which
opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through
one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him. 11 And when Peter
was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent
his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the
expectation of the people of the Jews.
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Herod was the royal family presiding during Christ’s earthly ministry and the
Apostles. God interrupted Herod’s plans because the church was praying for
Peter. God released him by an Angel.
Easter was the memorial that Israel kept since they had departed from
Goshen in Egypt. Moses led them out after the slaying of the first born
because they did not believe God. Read with me the following:
Exodus 12:1-14 KJV And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land
of Egypt, saying, 2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it
shall be the first month of the year to you. 3 Speak ye unto all the
congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to
them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an
house: 4 And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his
neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls;
every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. 5 Your
lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out
from the sheep, or from the goats: 6 And ye shall keep it up until the
fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the
congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. 7 And they shall take of the
blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the
houses, wherein they shall eat it. 8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night,
roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. 9
Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head
with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. 10 And ye shall let nothing of it
remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye
shall burn with fire. 11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your
shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it
is the LORD'S passover. 12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this
night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and
beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the
LORD. 13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye
are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be
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upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. 14 And this day shall
be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD
throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.
This is what Easter is about and not the commercials that you see.
Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.
John 1:29 29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith,
Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
The Lamb of God died on the Cross of Calvary.
John 19:30-42 30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is
finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. 31 The Jews
therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain
upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,)
besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken
away. 32 Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the
other which was crucified with him. 33 But when they came to Jesus, and saw
that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: 34 But one of the soldiers
with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.
35
And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that
he saith true, that ye might believe. 36 For these things were done, that the
scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. 37 And again
another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced. 38 And
after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear
of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and
Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus. 39 And
there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and
brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. 40
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Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the
spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. 41 Now in the place where he was
crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was
never man yet laid. 42 There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews'
preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.
Jesus the Lamb of God Resurrected from the Dead.
John 20:11-22 11 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she
wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, 12 And seeth two
angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the
body of Jesus had lain. 13 And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou?
She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not
where they have laid him. 14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself
back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus saith
unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him
to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me
where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. 16 Jesus saith unto her,
Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say,
Master. 17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to
my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my
Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. 18 Mary Magdalene
came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken
these things unto her. 19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of
the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for
fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them,
Peace be unto you.
Folks, the tomb was empty.
Matthew 28:6 6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place
where the Lord lay.
OUR GOSPEL TODAY IS :
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The Death of Jesus; His burial; His resurrection
Paul, the apostle of the Gentiles {Romans 11:13} writes by inspiration of God
{2 Timothy 3:16} that this is the gospel that we are saved by believing.
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 KJV Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel
which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye
stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached
unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all
that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the
scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day
according to the scriptures:
Always give God the glory and check out the Scriptures.
Romans 4:3a
“For what saith the Scripture?
Have a wonderful day loving one another. God loves us. We should love one
another.