Worship Planning Idea: Baptism and Easter - A Festival Service for Eastertide
From John Witvliet in Reformed Worship:
Baptism is a sacrament of Easter. As Paul teaches us, in our baptism we are buried with Christ and are raised with him to newness of life. This insight led many early Christians to designate Easter as the most fitting occasion for baptism. Adult candidates prepared for their baptism during a season of study, prayer, and renewal that later became known as Lent. They were baptized as a part of the Easter Vigil service on the eve of Easter or early on Easter morning, a practice that continues in the Eastern Orthodox tradition and is being restored by many churches today. These services sparked the genesis of what we now call the Apostles’ Creed, which was originally spoken by those baptized in response to questions asked by the worship leader. We will emulate that pattern in this service.
The seasons of Lent and Easter focus our attention on the monumental events of Christ’s passion, death, resurrection, and ascension. In this service we remember and celebrate these events, probing their meaning for those united with him in baptism. May we claim again God’s promises made to us in our baptism and restore our vision for the kingdom of God.
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Given the pegan organs of “Easter” why do ‘Christians’ continue to ‘celebrate’ “Easter”?
What happened to Passover?
Posted by Elizabeth Verchio on 04/03 at 10:34 AMThe name “Easter” is a concession—overly generous, if you ask me—made by first-millennium missionaries to Europeans pagans: the newly Christianized culture could keep the name of its spring festival to the goddess Eostre (the goddess of fertility, from which comes the odious image of the Easter Bunny), but from now on they would celebrate Christ’s resurrection during this festival instead.
My suggested alternative is “Christer.” But after more than a millennium of “Easter,” I don’t expect it to catch on.
Posted by Nathan Bierma on 04/09 at 07:31 PMWhere in the whole of Scripture do we find instructions that we are to, and how to, celebrate Christ’s death, burial and resurrection?
There seems to be abundance of clear instruction on how to keep Passover in the OT; yet the NT is lacking in giving additional ‘celebrations’ or observances (sans the Lord’s Table when Jesus himself established on the night of Passover -much could be said on that) - just because the ‘first-millennium missionaries to Europeans pagans’ chrisionized the pagan worship of Eostre does that mean we today have to continue christionized pagan customs? I am curious as to why the Church is so opposed of keeping Passover? Or anything else that reminds us that our Savior was a Jew of the line of a king and a priest?
My humble opinion that ‘Christer’ is not an alternative - why continue extrabiblical terms - why not take what God has given us (His written Word) and be true to the Word of God?
Does Christer bring us any closer to what the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord provides for us who believe in His coming again to catch up the Church and call out His bride in order to establish His Heavenly Kingdom (which will last for 1,000 years)? Does Easter help us know and understand that Christ Jesus will come to earth to establish His earthly kingdom which fulfills God’s promises to Abraham Isaac and Jacob?
Does it bring us any closer to understanding that Jesus Christ is presently seated at the right hand of the Father as great High Priest but will one day stand in judgment of all believers who will suffer loss or gain reward for works done whether good or bad?
Does Christer or Easter bring us closer to moving from an immature knowledge to a deeper knowledge of God; does celebrating Easter help us move from immaturity to maturity in any way that pertains to God? Does it help us to pay much closer attention to what we have have heard lest we drift away? Does it help us fear lest, while a promise remains of entering His rest, that any one should seem to have come short of it? Does celebrating Easter bring believers closer to understanding the purpose of their salvation - the saving of their soul?
In my 42 years as a follower of Christ and almost 50 years of being ‘in Church’ I have to say, No, celebrating Easter has not accomplished any of these things - in fact I submit that it draws our attention away from what happened that Passover 1,990-+ years ago.
Please accept this in humble submission of a servant who desires to be found faithful.Posted by Elizabeth Verchio on 04/10 at 10:51 AM
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