It’s the Easter Holiday’s next week!

Do you celebrate Easter? If not, do you celebrate anything different during Spring?

We often hear that Easter is more than chocolate and eggs. We’re going to briefly explore that together this morning.

Let’s hear some thoughts… how would you describe Easter?

Easter is the festival where Christians recall and celebrate the events that took place in Jesus’ final few days on Earth. We remember the sacrifice that Jesus made through his death, as well as a celebration of his resurrection on Easter Sunday.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been reflecting on the story of the Prodigal Son. So how does this story tie into Easter?

Well, because the Prodigal Son story is a picture of what happened at Easter.

In the story, the character of the father symbolises God as our father, and we are all the lost (prodigal) child. The story of the prodigal son is a picture of God's love for us. A love that was demonstrated through Jesus’ sacrifice of his life, which we now call Easter.

Like the prodigal son, the message of Easter is that we’ve all rebelled and ran from God. But, as Jesus demonstrates to us, he is so filled with compassion for us. He makes a way for us to come home and know the love of the Father (God) again.

Jesus taught us about God’s love in the Story of the Prodigal Son. Jesus demonstrated God’s love in the Easter Story. A love that is captured in the short, well-known verse:

‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.^{John 3:16}

Let’s REFLECT on this verse:

1. What are your first thoughts when you read this verse?
2. How do the events of Easter reflect this verse?
3. What does this verse tell you about God?

Finish with a prayer:

You loved this world so much, that you gave your one and only Son, that we might be called your children too.

Lord, help us to live in the gladness and grace of Easter Sunday, every day. Let us have hearts of thankfulness for your sacrifice.

Let us have eyes that look upon your grace and rejoice in our salvation. Help us to walk in that mighty grace and tell your good news to the world.

All for your glory do we pray, Lord,

Amen.