Christianity, Christmas and Easter
Many of us who follow Jesus closely have turned away from calling ourselves Christians because we recognise that is a turn-off to a lot of people. The label was given by unbelievers in the first place (Acts 11:26) and brings to mind the Crusade slaughters of Muslims and Jews during the Medieval Ages.
If you follow your calendar and history closely, you’ve also begun to say, “Happy Resurrection Day” rather than refer to Easter, because you know that the possibly well-meaning but definitely anti-Semitic founding fathers took a pre-existing pagan festival and, drawing it away from the Jewish Passover (hence Jesus recognised as the Passover Lamb), they transformed it into the day to mark Jesus’ death and resurrection. It was intended to celebrate Jesus’ powerful testimony and ultimate sacrifice, much the way Constantin turned a pagan festival into a day to mark Jesus’ birth (aka Christmas) to get the pagans to turn to the Christian faith. But it wasn’t GOD’s calendar and the root was pagan.
Wow, that’s a mouthful of thought to turn culture and tradition onto its head.
So, let’s begin to get this right.
We don’t know the day of Jesus’ birth, except that it was most likely in the autumn, September or October, in line with the Feast of Tabernacles on the Jewish calendar. An analysis of Roman history would also assist in discovering when the taxes were issued for Judea in those years surrounding Jesus’ birth.
Jesus was Jewish. He, his family and his culture, celebrated all the festivals and practices of Judaism, based on GOD’s (aka Yehovah’s) Laws given to Moses in the desert. The Jewish calendar would be relevant to them as Jesus was growing up. It is relevant to GOD even now. Jesus categorically stated he did not come to replace but to fulfil the Law of Judaism (Matthew 5:17).
As for the day Jesus (aka Yeshua) was crucified, we know it was on the Passover (Matthew ) and then he rose 3 days (including that Passover night) later. Therefore, the day he was resurrected has nothing to do with Sunday. Ah, if that’s the case then the Lord’s day is not Sunday? Then why do we call Sunday the Lord’s Day? …. but we’ll come to that momentarily.
So, how do we follow the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus if it isn’t hinged to the Friday to Sunday timespan? We follow the Jewish calendar, if you think they are accurate.
Are the Jews accurate?
Yes. For passover, they count based on the setting of the sun and when the new moon comes into its place.
So, to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus accurately, based on a given date, we need to link it to Passover. Why? Because that’s Biblical.
What is Biblical?
The whole of the Evangelical faith in Jesus is based on the Bible, the Old and New Testaments (aka Covenants) believed to be given to Mankind through designated and anointed people who wrote the history, laws, poetry, prophetic words and anointing as given to them by Yehovah. For example, Moses, who wrote the first five books (collectively known as the Pentateuch), was not present “In the Beginning” and so the Father, Yehovah, dictated it to him.
If we want to be accurate and follow our Faith seriously, we need to strip out culture and tradition of fifteen hundred years and go back to what Jesus practiced and taught. If we want to reach people with the Truth of GOD then we need to be truthful and accurate ourselves. If we expect to reach Muslims and Jews, we need to return to the teaching Yehovah gave to us through the promises of Father Abraham, who is the founding Father of Jesus’ followers (including Gentiles, by adoption) as well as the Jews (both faithful and secular) and the Arabs. Abraham is father of both Muslims and Jews — they are cousins!
This is accurate and gives Believers’ testimony credibility. To be credible is to be powerful, anointed by the Holy Spirit.
So, let’s be accurate rather than sentimental
Sentiment practices Christmas and Easter as indoctrinated by the Church long after Jesus’ ministry, and long after the original Apostles and the Early Church members had died.
Accuracy respects GOD’s calendar and carries a weight and power that is incontestable.
Let’s look to the Father and follow His plan
Finally, as to the LORD’s day, it is man-made.
“On the seventh day, God rested from all his works.” (Genesis 2:2)
From the beginning of time, God created His Sabbath. The Jews called it Saturday. The Church turned it into Sunday to extract itself from the Christ-killing Jews. But the Jews started Christianity in the first place. If it hadn’t been for the disciples whom Jesus chose and for the early church He founded, there would be no Christianity. So calling the Jews Christ-killers is absurd. And extracting ourselves from the calendar of feasts and celebrations that GOD ordained is also stupid.
Let’s use the Sabbath that GOD created at the beginning of the world, and keep it holy, celebrating as He encourages, not as keeping of the Law, if you argue or resent that, but as an offering to the Father whom we love and as a blessing He intended for us.
Let’s completely rid ourselves of the inaccuracies of the man-made Church some fifteen hundred years ago, rather than pick and choose what we like and don’t like.
Let us represent the Truth of the Full Gospel message, to gentiles, to muslims and to Jews.
to the glory of Yehovah, for the sake of the Gospel message, and for mankind.