It’s hard to believe that tomorrow is Good Friday. It seems like only yesterday we were decorating Christmas trees, swapping presents with loved ones, and singing songs about the Savior of the world’s birth. Now we are less than 24 hours away from reflecting on his death.
If your family is anything like ours we have to be very careful that we don’t waste our Easter. That we don’t just speed through the next few days enjoying a great lunch, painting colored eggs, and eating those yummy cadbury eggs that I enjoy oh so much. We have to remind ourselves to slow down and maximize our Easter…not waste it.
3 Ways To Make The Most Of Easter
I wanted to share a few thoughts that I hope will encourage you to make the most of your Easter this year.
1. Read Through The Passion Narrative
Take some time over the next few days to read the Passion Narrative with your family or friends. Mark 14-16 recounts the story of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. Take some time to read over this text slowly. Let the truth of his historical narrative sink in. If you’re married I’d encourage you to read this text together as a family and if you have children (depending on their age) let them take turns reading the passages out loud with you. After you read the passages talk about what you’ve read. (If you need some ideas on this, the folks from What’s In The Bible have a great post on How To Talk To Your Kids About The Crucifixion.”)
If you’ve never done anything like this before, don’t worry; there’s no right or wrong way, so don’t worry about messing it up.
2. Reflect Before You Celebrate
It’s easy to rush into Mark 16 (the Resurrection of Jesus) without stopping to reflect on Mark 15 (Jesus’s death on the cross.) But this Easter I want to encourage you to take time to really reflect on what Christ endured on the cross to pay for our sin our sin so that you and I could have an Easter to celebrate!
While Salvation is indeed a free gift, it didn’t come without a cost. As you read Mark 15 and reflect on that cost my prayer is that it would stir your heart to fall more deeply in love with the One who paid it for you. If you have children this would also be a great time to talk to them, in an age appropriate way, about what Christ endured on the cross.
In addition, I would highly encourage you to attend a Good Friday service. If you are in the Dallas area we would love for you to join us on Friday. I know that everyone has a busy schedule, but if you really want to make the most out of Easter this year, taking time to reflect on Christ’s death on the cross is a must.
3. Invite Others
It’s no secret that Christmas and Easter are the two busiest days of the year for churches. There are lots of people who only step into a church building on those two days. Some of those people probably live on your street, work in the cubicle next to you, or coach your child’s baseball team. If they are going to go to church somewhere, it might as well be with you!
If you’re around Watermark, you often hear us talk about the “Top 10 List.” This is a list of the ten people in your life who you are initiating friendship with, sharing your story with, and inviting to church. Easter would be a perfect time for you to accomplish that third step, inviting them to church.
If you’re anything like me, you sometimes get nervous when inviting other people to come to church with you. You don’t want them to think you are weird. You don’t want to make it awkward. You don’t want them to think your church is anything like the church they may have had a bad experience with in the past.
I get it.
But it doesn’t have to be weird and awkward. Really, it doesn’t.
Let me give you one sentence to help you invite your friends to church this Easter.
“Hey, I’m not sure what you guys are doing on Easter, but if you don’t have plans I’d really like you to come check out our church with us.”
Done.
And who knows, they may have just been waiting and hoping you’d ask them. Don’t be afraid or nervous. Just do it. What do you have to lose? There are few things as fulfilling as bringing someone who isn’t connected to a church, to church with you. I want to encourage you to experience the joy of watching someone encourager the love of the Body of Christ for the first time. By inviting someone to church with you, it will multiply your joy and could change their eternity.
Who do you need to invite today? Why not give them a call after you finish reading this post?
If you are in the Dallas area and not connected to a Bible believing church we would love to see you (and your friends!) at one of our five Easter services.
Our prayer at Watermark is that you wouldn’t waste your Easter. That this Easter would be one of the greatest ones of your life as you take time to read through the passion narrative, reflect on Christ’s death on the cross and invite a friend to celebrate Christ’s resurrection with you on this Easter!
What are some ways you and your family make the most of Easter? Leave a comment below and tell us about it.
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