What You Should Know About Easter

And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. (1 Corinthians 2:1-2 ESV).

Today is a great day to look at the essentials of Easter. Please understand that I have absolutely no problem with the celebration of Easter with beautifully colored eggs (I like them filled with chocolate, please); pictures made with the Easter Bunny; or any other activity that allows us to celebrate this incredible day in our faith. It is a perfect time to announce the arrival of spring. However, beyond jellybeans and warm sunshine, we must remember and rejoice in the new life that is ours because of Christ’s sacrifice for our sins and triumph over the grave. And, we should be intentional about helping our children know that there is more to this time of year than chocolate bunnies and marshmallow peeps. So, here are four key things to teach our children this Easter. 1. First, we should be very careful to teach the Gospel. We should begin with creation and the sin of Adam and Eve. We should read some of the covenant promises in the Old Testament and prophecies about the Messiah (cf. Isaiah 53). We ought to read about the birth, baptism, and ministry of Jesus. The crucifixion narrative should also be read and discussed. All of this information gives the foundation for faith. 2. Second, we should teach the importance of the Resurrection (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:16-19). Go through this passage with your children and teach them how crucial the resurrection is to our salvation. Teach them that Christ rose from the grave because he was the perfect Son of God. The grave could not hold him. He conquered sin and death. Not only that, his resurrection assures our own future bodily resurrection. 3. Third, we should teach that Jesus is the Passover Lamb for all men. It is no coincidence that Jesus suffered and died during the Passover. Teach your children the significance of this. Read the story of the original Passover. Show them how the Passover in Exodus points to Jesus, and how because of Jesus we are freed from God’s righteous judgment. 4. Fourth, Easter is also a great time to teach your children some of the central themes of the Bible. Talk about how Jesus perfectly obeyed his Father in all things. Talk about the sacrifices made in the Old Testament and why they were not sufficient to atone for our sins. Discuss why Jesus was a perfect sacrifice for us at the cross and that it was sufficient for all time. Talk about what it means to redeem or buy back something. Candy and bunnies are fine. However, we should also make sure that our children know the truth that leads them to the full freedom of God’s grace.