Thought for the Month - April 2008

Saints and more Saints - By Pastor Ian Wilson

In some Churches this year controversy has surrounded the moving of St Patrick’s Day to Saturday 15th March. This was due to Easter being so early. This fact has caused a clash between the usual date of 17th March and the beginning of what some term ‘Holy week’.

The early date for Easter has also caused many to wonder why we cannot have a fixed date for Easter. If you ever wondered how the date for Easter is arrived at, the following information is available on the BBC website:

“In Western churches like those of the British Isles, Easter is taken to be the first Sunday after the full moon that follows the (northern hemisphere) spring equinox. But this is based on a centuries old method of predicting the full moon (or equinox). It does not absolutely correspond with the lunar cycle. In reality, the equinox can fall before 21st March, but in the religious calendar it is fixed as 21st March. The absolute earliest date for Easter is thus the 22nd March.”

I am sure, like me, you are not much the wiser. Apparently there was an act passed in Parliament in 1928 to fix "Easter Day" as the first Sunday after the second Saturday in April. But this has never come into force.

As far as I am concerned the date of Easter is irrelevant, it is the events of Easter that really matter. The following two verses from the Bible explain something of the importance of the Easter events for believers.

1 Cor. 15:14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
1 Cor. 15:17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.

In the Bible we discover that the word “Saint” is used of every Christian and is not applied to an exclusive club.

Romans 15:25 But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.

The events of Easter are much more important than any saints’ day. If the events of Easter had not taken place then we would have no saints according to the biblical use of the word.

One thing that true saints will seek to do this Easter is to consider again the great love that Christ had for us when he died on the cross.

As Paul puts it…
that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,  May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.
(Ephesians 3:17-19)

Have you responded to His love yet?

Are you SURE that you have your place booked in Heaven? Read this if you're not!