BISHOP ELI - EASTER SUNDAY

We farmers consider spring to be a rebirth.  The soil has remained under the snow this past winter - well part of this past winter anyway as there wasn't much snow this year.  We plan on what planting we are going to do.  We are getting our farm equipment ready.

After we plant our seeds in the ground and the crops start coming is also like a rebirth.  We put these seeds in the ground and they grow to be crops that we can eat, sell or give to those that are in need.  Most of our income depends on the results of our crops.

Easter Sunday, too, is a rebirth.  Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins.  Because He died and rose again, if we have accepted the Lord, we are free.  In St. John 20:21 "Then said Jesus to them again: Peace be unto you as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you."

In our church on both Christmas and Easter - we start with the Birth of Christ and go to His crucifixtion and rising from the dead.  Some people question why we do that.  Christmas is Christmas and Easter is Easter.  No they are not.  They are both one.  God sent His son to this earth to teach us, to show us His ways, to understand His teaching, to save us from our sins by dying on the cross for us and rising again. You can not have His birth without death or His death without His birth. Jesus gave the greatest He could give for us - His life.

Easter Sunday is a day of celebration - our rebirth.  We celebrate what Jesus did for us.  We celebrate that we can turn to the Lord in prayer and ask for His forgiveness and He will give it to us.  We celebrate that we were born again.  We celebrate that even though we are all sinners that we are saved.

Right as I am giving this post to Marilyn, Emma is making chocolate eggs.  Later today, some of our grandchildren will be over, to color hard boiled eggs.  The color eggs, are each a solid color.  They do not have designs on them - just solid color.  We do not have Easter Egg hunts or alike.  But, on Easter Morning, each of us will have a color or chocolate or one of each Easter Egg on our plates when we come down for breakfast.  Eggs are the symbol of birth - the birth of Christ and our rebirth.  Yes, we eat the eggs - of course we take the shell off first.  Sometimes we have so many eggs that Emma uses them in cooking and we eat egg salad for a while.

So this Sunday, celebrate what Jesus did for us.  Celebrate that those of us that know the Lord, have been given a rebirth.  Celebrate that we can turn to the Lord in prayer no matter what happens - good or bad.  Celebrate that He gives us love, and peace.

HAPPY EASTER<
Bishop Eli
Emma
and family