Easter Vs. Christmas

Well it's Easter Sunday and I have had some time to reflect on some things. Erica and I went to the first service (a little early for me). Rich had gave a very good sermon this morning on how Easter can change us. But the phrase that really stuck in my head was when he said that we as a society celebrate Christmas more than Easter and how that was very different from the early church. I began to really think about this and he really had a point I wish he had dwelled on more. I think that the reason for this is very basic. Most people want to participate in some sort of religion. The want to believe in something larger than themselves. Christmas provides a vehicle for this with very few strings attached. If one follows the secular model of Christmas we get to play act and believing in a sort of supernatural being that rewards us for being nice instead of naughty. But even if we move to include the religious significance of both holidays Christmas is still much easier for most people to swallow. Lets face it the nativity is much more fun to celebrate than the crucifixion. Christmas has all the touchy feely elements of a religious holiday without any really significant ramifications. However to celebrate Easter in any significant way means that we need to come to grips with the cross. The idea of the cross is much more sobering. It brings to mind the fact that it is our sin that held him there. It was for us that he sacrificed himself. Easter requires so much more of us. It requires us to accept the fact that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the promise that God made us at Christmas. It requires us to do so much more than just give gifts and send cards. It requires us to follow the one who hung on that cross.