No. 120                                            

Easter Questions ?


Can I ask you, what does Easter mean to you? What significance do you give it? Here are a few answers that other people have given:

"Easter means that it's almost like Christmas." Joe (aged 8). "To me Easter only means higher than usual travel tickets and a few days off." "Nothing." "Instead of 'Easter Sunday', a more appropriate name for this holiday would be 'Cadbury's Shareholder's Sunday.'" "Easter is celebrated by Easter eggs. Jesus died on that day. Jesus didn't die for long." Emily (aged 6).

I wonder if you identify with any of these answers. You may have your own answers. Though the Christian meaning of Easter, like Christmas, has been gradually losing its profile in the nation's consciousness, I'm convinced that it is still totally relevant and hugely significant for you and me today.




Summerstown Mission Evangelical Church
Blackshaw Road, London, SW17 0BY Tel: 020 8944 7229
Pastor: Peter Bines Tel: 020 8684 5241 email: peter@smec.org.uk
London City Missionary: Graham Jones Tel: 020 8682 2978
www.smec.org.uk email: enquiries@smec.org.uk

Easter Alive!

Easter is totally relevant because it tackles, head on, the great taboo of our mortality. Death isn't simply the inevitable decay of our bodies, but rather the result of leaving God out of our lives and turning our back on His rules (sin). As the Bible says, 'Sin pays off with death.' (Romans Ch 6 v 23, The Holy Bible, Contemporary English Version).

Easter is hugely significant because it's about two of the most amazing events this planet has ever witnessed: Jesus Christ's death on the cross and His rising up from the dead! Through these momentous events God defeated death and brought us eternal life. Though sin results in death, the cross tells us that Jesus, in great love, died that we might live. His rising from the dead shouts out that His rescue mission was a resounding, irreversible success!


A True New Start


What does Easter say to us today? If we trust in Jesus as Saviour, God will forgive our sins, will not hold our past wrongdoings against us and will give us new and eternal life. Many people desperate for a real purpose and impetus to life look for it in a new beginning - moving home, a new partner, a job change, but it can never truly work.

The story's told of a retired couple who, being really worried about war and nuclear destruction, decided to find the one place on earth these things were least likely to affect. After much research and travel they made their choice and moved. On their first Christmas in their new home (1981) they sent their old Church Pastor a card.

Three months later the Pastor was praying hard for their safety. You see, their 'safe haven' was the Falkland Islands, but 2 April 1982 saw an invasion by Argentine troops, the start of the Falklands War.



The only new start that never stutters or falters is that which Jesus gives. As Hillary (aged 12) said: "Easter means new life to me. It reminds me of how Christ died for the sake of my soul, and how He rose from the dead. I can testify, because of Easter, that my Saviour, Jesus Christ, lives for evermore."

Can I invite you to join us for our Easter events as we celebrate God's great love and rejoice in our Living Saviour. You'll be sure of a warm welcome!

Pastor Peter Bines



The small print: Daffodils photo and Summerstown Mission photo copyright Lee Sanders; eggs photo copyright LotusHead / www.sxc.hu; chick photo, tomb photo and Falklands map in the public domain; location map copyright SMEC. Scriptures are taken from the Contemporary English Version Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society.