11 Responses to “March 27, 2009”

1. Mwiya
   March 29th, 2009 @ 5:17 am

   I think christians celebrate easter to celebrate Jesus’ victory over sin and death, I think there’s nothing wrong with this. This is because its a couple of days set aside to the Lord. The problem however is the history of how the date for easter was chosen as well as why its called easter. For those reasons I think it would be better to remember Messiah’s death and resurrection on their proper Holy Days. That said I think people have Messiah in mind when they keep easter, so theres nothing wrong with that.

   Its something worth correcting, but there’s worse stuff to correct out there. Like the worship of the eucharist and other such bad practices like worship of saints etc.

   Regarding whether america is heading for civil war, if there was such a threat. There would most likely be marshal Law in the U.S. The Bush Admin had pdd51 passed which would give the president extraordinary powers in such an emergency situation.

2. Anna
   March 29th, 2009 @ 11:46 am

   In the scriptures, in Deuteronomy spicificly, but throughout the scriptures, the Lord admonishes His people not to adopt the ways that the pagans practice sacrifice/worship to their gods and say that they are doing it as worship unto HIM/GOD because the things that the pagans do unto their gods are an abomination to HIM/GOD.
   For example:one of the ways they would make sacrifices to and worship the pagan god Ishtar (EASTER, the fertility goddess) was to sacrifice babies and then dip eggs(a symble of fertility) in their blood. Sound familiar?

3. mwiya
   March 29th, 2009 @ 11:56 am

   Could it be that the revival we all seek, could be part of the solution to the embracing of a more biblical understanding of feasts and holy days? Could it be that we need the sort of revival that brings with it reformation? Christian Ecumenical unification without disregard for scriptural truth, rather the erosion of denominational lines through fidelity to scriptural truth and the removal of all things contrary to scripture from our assemblies? Maybe the move from Easter to Passover shall come through a wide sweeping fire of reformatory revival that comes with the bellowing winds of Holiness and Holy Fire as hearts are ignited with the Love for God and truth, minus false prejudices etc.

4. Anna
   March 29th, 2009 @ 12:23 pm

   P.S. it says in Deuteronomy 12:32 says: What thing soever I command you, observe to do it; thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it. (which means that when you observe the way you have been instructed to in the scriptures by GOD, that you shouldn’t add to it by observing all the trappings and traditions (of men) that the Rabbi’s have added.
   Whould you consider the words of scripture as quoted obove “silly rhetoric’”?

5. Jordan
   March 29th, 2009 @ 8:25 pm

   Good program. I think Mike captured it well: the heart and soul of the holiday is the death and resurrection of Messiah. I personally would rather call it resurrection Sunday. There is certainly no harm in at least acknowledging the similarities it has with Passover and its Jewish roots. But like Mike said, avoid the extreme rhetoric from both sides. I’m going to a Messianic Seder this year and invited my friends who wanted to come and perhaps have never seen this expression before. I don’t judge anyone for not going no more than my friends would judge a brother for not attending an easter service. Let’s embrace different expressions of celebrating Messiah’s death and resurrection and keep him central.

   Peace, Love and Unity in Messiah,

   Jordan

6. George
   March 30th, 2009 @ 1:35 pm

   Yeshua/Jesus died on the 14th Nisan and was resurrected on the 17th of Nisan (see Leviticus 23). He was resurrected on a Sunday but if we want to celebrate resurrection, we should celebrate it on the actual date. The Bible actually says do not add or subtract. In addition the ‘Christian’ (actual early church) wanted to separate themselves from the Jews and changed the date to conform with the new moon. The Sunday worship in its entirety was changed by Constantine and Easter was changed to honor Ishtar, the pagan goddess of fertility (Note: easter egg).

7. Dr Michael Brown
   March 30th, 2009 @ 4:17 pm

   George,

   May I ask you a few questions:

   1) Does the Bible forbid Gentile believers in Jesus from gathering or worshiping on Sunday?

   2) Is there any reason why Chrisitans should not celebrate Jesus’ resurrection on a Sunday, since that was the day of the week it took place?

   3) How is “don’t add or take away” from the Torah relevant to a NT believer? Do you currently stone rebellious teenagers? Would you marry your brother’s wife if he died without having children? Also, the Great Commision was not part of the Torah but Jesus commanded it. How do you explain that?

   Again, I am NOT a proponent of Easter Eggs, etc., but it is wrong to mix the celebration of Yeshua’s resurrection with other allegedly pagan elements.

8. min.r.g.Askew
   March 30th, 2009 @ 6:49 pm

   I dont believe gentile believers are subject to the traditions and Torah laws of our jewish brothers. When the gentiles were adobted in the family tree of God through Jesus Christ we didnt inherit the jewish laws.Sunday is the gentile sabbath I cant see why we cant celebrate his resurrection on that day because it is still a form of worship , its all about Jesus. We are not under the law but grace, the letter kills but grace giveth life. I think we should have seperate days when celebrating Jesus and the bunny rabbit . I think we should do the same for Christmas.

9. Michael
   March 30th, 2009 @ 8:05 pm

   Dr. Brown, just to be clear, did your last paragraph above mean to say “but it is NOT wrong to mix….” or is what you wrote what you intended?

10. Michael
    March 30th, 2009 @ 10:03 pm

    I ask because you used the word “but”. After thinking about it a little more, I’m pretty sure your statement was what you meant. I DO think it is wrong to mix celebrating Jesus’ resurrection with pagan elements also. However, I think people who focus on Christ alone at this time is a good thing. The majority of people who celebrate Christ at this time, don’t even know or question where the word “Easter” came from. I just wish we would all celebrate this time as Passover and Firstfruits.

11. Dr Michael Brown
    March 30th, 2009 @ 11:11 pm

    Michael,

    Apologies for the poorly worded last sentence in my earlier post! What I meant to say was that, while I am not NOT an Easter egg proponent, at the same time, it is wrong for people to think that all celebration of “Easter” is somehow pagan. That is to say, when Christians gather on Sunday to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus — and not Easter eggs, etc. — it is quite wrong for other believers to say, “You’re engaging in a pagan celebration because you use the word Easter (or, because you use worship on a Sunday, etc.)” That is certainly wrong-headed thinking.

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