Easter Sunday is the day of rejoicing that follows the sorrow of Good Friday. For most Christians, Easter is the celebration of Christ's resurrection from the dead. It bears witness to God's enduring promise of eternal life.

As the climax of Holy Week, Easter is a time of hope and assurance. It is humanity's turning point from destruction to glory and salvation. For the first three centuries, the church celebrated the real meaning of Easter in connection with the Jewish month of Nisan, which coincided with the Spring Equinox.

As the crucifixion occurred on the first day of the feast, early Christians found a scriptural correlation between Jesus and the sacrificial lamb. The Apostle Paul refers to this in his first letter to the Corinthian Church where he states: "For Christ, our passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." (1 Corinthians 5: 7-8)

The purest meaning of Easter is the celebration of the resurrection or rising of Christ to heaven, which is the foundation of Christianity. Easter Sunday reminds all Christians of their heavenly calling and of the open door for a relationship with God through Jesus, His Son.

Some of you remember your pastor saying after the preaching of God's word, that the doors to Christianity is now open, if you will, may you come! That's the Sunday invitation to God through Jesus Christ! We had several people join our church today and two were baptised also that had already joined a couple weeks ago. My thoughts of life seems to go more smoothly when you believe in Christ as the head of your life.

I'm asked daily how do I cope with the stroke and stress of daily living? My answer is God is watching over me so I'm at peace with my conditions and my burden he carries for me. In July I make 70 years and if I live to see that day, I know Christ has allowed me to get there it wasn't on my own sake! I look around and see more elderly people turn their lives over to Christ and many younger girls and boys are coming to Christ.

Don't you hate to see the news daily where young adults are robbing, killing and going to prison? I could have gone that route, my mom turned me around, I joined the Army, retired, served with the postal service 10 years, retired and stayed with God every since! I'm a happy man at my age and I plan on being that way for the rest of my life! I REALLY FEEL HAPPINESS INSIDE! I can smile everyday knowing God is watching over me and I pray he is also watching over all of you. :big_grin: When all else fails, turn to God, serve Him gladly!