Bunny rabbits and Easter eggs are to Easter as presents and Santa Claus is to Christmas: Distractions.
Christmas marks the celebration of Jesus’ birth. Good Friday was Bridge Day. Easter? Easter is Proof Day!
You see, Jesus said that He could conquer death. On Easter, He proved it! And if He could resurrect Himself, then He can also do the same for us. Because of Proof Day, we can have confidence that we can have eternal life and spend it with Jesus – our Risen Savior.
So, Easter is Proof Day:
- First He proved it to Mary Magdalene. She heard His voice and knew it was Jesus.
- Second, He proved Himself to two disciples on the Road to Emmaus.
- Third, He proved Himself to ten apostles. (Judas had killed himself and Thomas was absent.)
- Then, eight days later, He appeared to all eleven apostles, including Thomas.
- Then He proved Himself on the Sea of Galilee while seven of the apostles – including Peter – were fishing.
- He later appeared to a crowd of five hundred believers.
- And then to the eleven apostles again, this time offering “The Great Commission”.
- After that, He appeared to His brother, James.
- Then, within 40 days of Easter, He appeared before everyone who was there for His ascension.
- Then, much later, Jesus appeared to Paul on the Road to Damascus.
As Jesus proved that He could conquer death, He then breathed the Holy Spirit upon His disciples – proving that once you have the Holy Spirit, then you are saved from the consequences of your sin.
But Thomas wasn’t there the first time. He hadn’t received the saving mercy of the Holy Spirit and infamously doubted. You see, he had worked alongside Jesus for three years and still didn’t get it – much like people today who hang around the fringes of Christianity without surrendering or saying, as Thomas eventually did, “My Lord and my God!!” as he confessed with his mouth, believed with his heart and was saved.