‘What Easter means to us’

By Precious Orunduyi, Joshua Babatunde, Precious Oloruntoba, Charity Michael, Oluwanifemi Ayelayo, Olamide Iwala, Faith Adeosun, Similoluwa Ayibiowu, Faith Adeosun, and Vivian Deladem
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Easter is celebrated every year to commemorate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Weekend Hope spoke with some individuals on what Easter meant to them.
Their views:

As we know, Easter is fundamentally and entirely about the celebration of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a time to commemorate the death and resurrection of Jesus, which has granted us the gift of salvation.
It is also a period when I reflect on my life and on the people God has placed in my care, assessing how we are walking in a manner worthy of the life we have received, i.e., CHRIST.
Furthermore, it is a time when we place greater emphasis on proclaiming Jesus to the world, sharing the good news, the Gospel, so that others may receive the new life, CHRIST, and become part of God’s family.

Easter is a period when we celebrate the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
After His resurrection, He directed His disciples to always preach the gospel, which is what we, as Christians, should be doing today.

I believe Easter is a celebration which signifies the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
It is meant to bring us to the realisation that Christ died for our sins and that He resurrected to give us life and life eternal.
“The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rose again.” Luke 24:7

To me, Easter is an avenue of meeting Jesus again; it is an ideology that was embedded in me when I was young.
So, when I was asked to go to Galilee, my mind was like, “We should go and see Jesus,” and it still stands till now. It is an avenue to see and experience Jesus more in the midst of the celebration.

Easter symbolises new life, and it is believed that Jesus rose from the dead after his crucifixion, demonstrating His victory over death and sin.

It signifies the resurrection of Jesus Christ three days after His crucifixion, marking a triumph over death and serving as a source of hope and new life. For many, it represents the fulfilment of prophecy, offering forgiveness of sins and a restored relationship with God.
It is also often associated with the start of springtime and rebirth.

Easter represents renewal, hope, gratitude, kindness, and giving.
A memorial of the ultimate price that was paid for mankind.

Easter is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead; it marks the triumph of Jesus over death and sin.
Easter symbolises new life, hope, and spiritual renewal through the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead also depicts victory over Satan and sin; this is the actualisation of the Christian faith in the belief in Jesus Christ.

To me, it means that a man paid for sins he didn’t owe, because I couldn’t pay the price for the sins I committed.
A man who was perfect came from heaven to experience what temptation, anger, sadness, and suffering would be like for all of us. He knew that without his blood being shed for our sins, we would never make it through the gates of heaven.
So, remember, it only took one man to die so that we all might have everlasting life.

Easter gives me the opportunity to learn more about Jesus Christ.
When I think of Easter, here are five words that come to mind:
E – Eternal
A – Atonement (of Jesus Christ)
S – Saved
T – Troubles
E – Escape
R – Redeemed
Jesus Christ helps me have an eternal perspective, because His atonement has saved me from the troubles of the world and has provided an escape from them. I know that because of this, I will one day be redeemed and live with God forever.

The Easter period is, of course, a time for me as a student to take a break, return to my family, and spend time with them. We all know Easter celebrations come with ‘item seven’ of course, we get to enjoy different delicacies, drinks, and even go on outings.
Nevertheless, the major reason for Easter cannot be downplayed, it is the celebration of the resurrection of Christ. It is a time to reflect on our Christian journey, see how far we have come in our spiritual growth, and refocus on God.

E aster is a period of remembering the death of our Lord Jesus Christ.
It’ is a season that we, as Christians, must not take for granted. We should remember that someone came for the sin of the whole world, not just for Christians alone, to die and rise on the third day. And His resurrection is the reason we are Christians.

To me, it is a reminder that God makes perfect promises and nurtures them until the perfect time of fulfilment. That God’s love and power were displayed in the death and resurrection of Christ, and also a reminder that the promises of God concerning me are perfect and will be accomplished.

Easter is a symbol of the death and resurrection of Christ; so, to me, it is a symbol of victory because Christ died on the cross of Calvary and said, “It is finished.” So, Easter means victory.

To me, Easter is a season of love. I believe Easter, as well as Christmas, should be more recognised as a season of love, much more than we do for Valentine’s Day. The Bible says, “Greater love has no man than this, that a man should lay down his life for his friends.” This is exactly what happened at Easter; it is a season to remember the gift of Jesus’ life.

Easter is the central event of Christianity, celebrating Jesus’ victory over death and the promise of eternal life for believers.
It also signifies God’s love and grace, offering forgiveness of sins and the possibility of a restored relationship with God.

The celebration of Easter makes me feel happy, alive, and spotless because His death takes all my sins away and makes me whole again, just like the arrival of a newborn baby.