As we move closer to Holy Week, here are some things to remember this Easter season:

• Jesus gave up His life for you. (1 Peter 3:18) …
• You will always be perfect in His eyes. (Psalm 139:14) …
• If you ask for it, you will be forgiven. (1 John 1:9) …
• Praise Him, always. (1 Peter 4:11) …
• We should look to Him as an example. …
• He never leaves us. …
• He went through so much for you.

Ways to Celebrate Easter This Year

Easter is a favorite holiday for many because it celebrates Jesus’ resurrection and the new life He gave because of His sacrifice. It also often symbolizes the end of winter and the ushering in of spring along with fresh blooms, green leaves and blue skies.

But sometimes, we get stuck in old habits and celebrate Easter in the same way each year. While there is nothing wrong with this, you may want to try something different to make your Easter celebration even more memorable. Easter is not just about one day where we celebrate Christ’s death and resurrection, but it is about remembering the entirety of His ministry and all the things He did leading up to this special day. Here are some thoughts on how to celebrate Easter this year:

Take a look at incorporating these into your life in these weeks leading up to Easter. You may find as you walk into Easter Sunday that you are worshipping in a deeper, more intimate way because you took the time to remember his sacrifice ahead of time.

1. Holy (Maundy) Thursday

Maundy Thursday part of the Holy Week and is the Thursday before Easter. Also known as Holy Thursday, it is believed to be the day that Jesus partook in his final Passover meal with his disciples. During this passover meal, also referred to as the Last Supper, Jesus washed his disciples feet and established the practice of communion. As you read these Bible verses, may you be reminded of God’s great love for you!
Maundy Thursday Scriptures

2. Good Friday Service

So many of us celebrate the Easter service with bright, Spring clothing, candy, and going to church on Easter morning to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. While these things are all important, we often skip past the two days prior to Easter.

Good Friday, although a deeply mournful day, can become a solemn worship experience for anyone who wants to truly understand the depth of God’s love for them and the breadth of what Jesus did for us on the cross. Many churches now offer Good Friday services which may include stations of the cross, communion, and other experiential activities. Playing slow worshipful songs has deep meaning as well as the sharing of the story up to Jesus’ resurrection.

3. An Extended Sabbath

Sabbath is a difficult concept to celebrate each week, let alone the week before Easter. For 24 hours, remembering the painful process of Jesus’ death and resurrection for Easter will help you celebrate even more when you walk through the doors of your Easter morning service. Take time to meditate on the scriptures before Peter and John discover Jesus is no longer in the tomb. Get a commentary and study the meaning behind these events.

Meditate on these scriptures throughout the week to get your mind ready for Easter. Take time out of your busy schedule and do nothing but just meditate on Christ’s goodness will put you in a great place spiritually to celebrate Easter in a new way.

Take time to meditate on the scriptures before Peter and John discover Jesus is no longer in the tomb.

9 Best Bible Verses for Reflection and Meditation on Holy Saturday

4. Learn about Shabbat

In the Jewish tradition, from Friday 6:00 p.m. to Saturday 6:00 p.m., they celebrate Shabbat. For 24 hours, they rest from all work. They don’t do any household chores, they rest from all technology, and they just enjoy time with their family and keep the day holy.

If we’re honest, we don’t celebrate Sabbath as a celebration. Choose to make a celebratory meal at the end of your Sabbath observance. Place a candle in your window to let people know you are celebrating and are not to be disturbed.

Make the Sabbath holy by studying Shabbat. Are there principles from the Jewish traditions that you can incorporate into your own Sabbath each week, or at least during Holy week? The Jewish faith can teach us a lot about what it means to keep a special day set apart from the other days of the work week.

More info Here – Shabbat 101

5. Study Scripture

Take this time to study the scriptures that tell us about Jesus’ ministry. Write down the ways in which He ministered to people. In what ways did He demonstrate His Christlikeness to others?

6. Plant Some Trees

Since Easter is all about resurrection and new life, what’s a better way to celebrate new life than something coming from nothing than doing something to help your environment? Plant a new tree in your backyard and watch as it grows year after year.

Study its roots and notice how strong the roots need to be before the tree will grow. Take a lesson from nature and realize that nature is all in balance because God keeps it in perfect order.

If there is new life and resurrection all around us, we can be a part of that by planting a garden and planting  trees to beautify your neighborhood. In this way, we show respect for our environment and do something kind for our community.

To celebrate new life means we put aside the old ways of thinking and our flesh. This means acting in a way most people don’t see very often.

When we demonstrate the gifts of the spirit and allow ourselves a way to help our communities, we become better people, and our community is changed because of it.

7. Make Service a Priority

The majority of Jesus’ ministry comprised of healing people, teaching his disciples, and meeting the needs of his community. He also dedicated part of his time to being alone and maintaining his relationship with God.

In society, however, we spend most of our time working to put food on our tables and a roof over our heads; we spend very little (if any) time in service to our local church body or community.

In what ways can we emulate Jesus’ ministry and serve in your local church or community? Share the Word and Jesus’ story? Help others?

You could serve on a prayer team, help in children’s ministry or middle/high school. Serve at a non-profit organization. Here are a number of ways you can serve and be the hands and feet of Jesus. This will help you remember ministry every day, not just on Easter Sunday.

8. Eat a Meal Together

People who celebrate Easter often have a special meal after Sunday service. They make it a special holiday similar to Christmas or Thanksgiving. But, you don’t have to wait until Easter to have a meal together.

If you and your family have trouble eating together regularly, consider sitting down and eating a meal together. One of the last things He did just before He was turned over to be crucified was eat with and drink with His disciples.

He chose to give thanks at that moment and celebrate all God had done through Him and what He would continue to do through His disciples. We can also create a special meal giving thanks for all the ways God has been with us up until Easter.

Go around the table and ask each person to state a few ways they want to give thanks to God, expressing thanks to God is not limited merely to Thanksgiving or on Sundays.

By eating together and giving thanks, we emphasize our need for God to give us our daily bread, and we thank Him for His glorious provision.

Easter doesn’t have to be a mundane holiday where we eat the same food, dress up in special attire, and attend the same worship service. You can breathe new life into your Easter celebration this year by either taking one of the suggestions above or making your own, new tradition. Go to service and then take a long hike and relish in what God has created.

Incorporate some new ideas into your life in these weeks leading up to Easter. You may find as you walk into Easter Sunday that you are worshipping in a deeper, more intimate way because you took the time to remember His sacrifice.

For God and you,
Deb Bostwick