Most people think of Easter is a holiday for having a nice
ham dinner, the Easter bunny, and decorating eggs.
But it's all about the death and resurrection of our Lord
Jesus Christ.

 The events at the end of Jesus' life are real history,
written for us by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

The word paschal comes from a Latin word that means
'belonging to Passover or to Easter.'
Formerly, Easter and the Passover were closely associated.
The resurrection of Jesus took place during the Passover.

Christians of the Eastern church initially celebrated both
holidays together.
But the Passover can fall on any day of the week, and Christians
of the Western church preferred to celebrate Easter on Sunday,
the day of the resurrection.

.
The Sunday before Easter is known as Palm Sunday, when
Jesus rode triumphantly into Jerusalem.
People gathered around Him, throwing their garments along
His path and waving palm branches and singing, "Hosanna!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"
Matthew 21:7-9

.
Just before Easter comes the special day we call Good Friday.

Why do we call it, 'Good' Friday?

"For God so loved the world that He sent his only Son,
that whosoever believes in Him may never perish but
have eternal life."
John 3:16

On Good Friday we remember the day Jesus suffered and
died by crucifixion as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.
1 John 1:10

Good Friday commemorates Jesus' trial, crucifixion, and death.
Matthew 26:57-27:66

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8

“For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous,
to bring you to God.
He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit.”
1 Peter 3:18

Medical experts and historians have examined in detail the execution
that Jesus voluntarily endured.
 All agree that he suffered one of the most grueling and painful forms
of capital punishment ever devised by man.

According to one doctor's report:
Piercing of the median nerve of the hands with a nail can
cause pain so incredible that even morphine won't help,
"severe, excruciating, burning pain, like lightning bolts traversing
the arm into the spinal cord."
Rupturing the foot's plantar nerve with a nail would have a similarly
horrible effect.

  For a detailed medical explanation of
what Jesus went through for us,
Enter Here

The Bible instructs us to remember Jesus' death by observing
the Lord’s Supper.
'And when He had given thanks, He broke it and said,
“Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you;
do this in remembrance of Me. In the same manner He also
took the cup after supper, saying,
“This cup is the new covenant in My blood.
This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
1 Corinthians 11:24, 25

"Easter Sunday" or
"Resurrection Sunday"

Jesus' resurrection assures us of the victory over sin,
death and the devil.

He is Risen!
On the third day God raised Jesus from the dead.

The resurrection is the point at which God's intention for
Jesus becomes clear and believers are assured
that Jesus is the Christ.
Romans 1:4
.
"Why do you look for the risen among the dead?
He is not here: He has risen!
Remember how He told you, while He was still with you in Galilee?
The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men,
be crucified and on the third be raised again."
Then they remembered His words.'
Luke 24:5 - 8



'And when they looked, they saw that the stone was
rolled away: for it was very great.'
Mark 16:4

Mary Magdalene saw Jesus risen:

But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept
she stooped down and looked into the tomb.
And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the
other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain
 Then they said to her,
“Woman, why are you weeping?”

She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and
I do not know where they have laid Him.”

Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw
Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus.
Jesus said to her,
“Woman, why are you weeping?
Whom are you seeking?”

She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir,
if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have
laid Him, and I will take Him away.”

Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!”
(which is to say, Teacher).

Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet
ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to
them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and
to My God and your God.’ ”
John 20:11-17

What joy, what peace swept over her.
John tells us that "Mary Magdalene went to the
disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!"
John 20:18

From there Jesus would appear again to His followers
and comfort them for 40 days before ascending into heaven.

Jesus appeared to the eleven on a mountain in Galilee
Matthew 28:18

Jesus appeared by the Sea Of Tiberias
John 21:1

'Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the
midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.”
But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they
had seen a spirit. And He said to them, “Why are you troubled?
And why do doubts arise in your hearts?
Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and
see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you
see I have.”

When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.
But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said
to them, “Have you any food here?” So they gave Him a piece
of a broiled fish and some honeycomb.
And He took it and ate in their presence.'
Luke 24:36-43

Hundreds of other witnesses saw Jesus alive after His death.
Once he appeared to 500 people at once.
1 Corinthians 15:6