- Newspaper gives words of advice for Easter
The Patriot-News --- Harrisburg, PA
PennLive. Com (section)
By CHRIS MAUTNER,
Tuesday March 30, 2010, 2:23AM
Surviving Easter: How To Ensure Your Kids Have A Happy, Fun Holiday
The Easter holidays are upon us and no doubt filling excited children’s heads with visions of colored eggs, chocolate rabbits and jellybeans. But for many youngsters, Easter also means having to sit still and behave — either in church or at a relative’s house — a prospect that can be fraught with frustration and difficulty.
What’s the best way to ensure little Johnny or Jane doesn’t get into trouble? To get the answer, we consulted educator and best-selling author Joy Berry (author, educator and child developmentalist).
“The most important thing to remember is that 80 percent of misbehavior is caused by boredom,” she said. “When they don’t have something to do they’ll make up something and often that’s not the best thing in the world.”
IN CHURCH
Many moms and dads have romantic notions about the whole family going to church on Easter morning and getting a wonderful religious experience, but that’s really not realistic according to Berry.
She best thing, she (Joy Berry) suggested,
<.....is to simply keep the kids away from the service.......>
“They’re designed by adults for adults and not appropriate for children,” she said
Most churches have a day care area or Sunday school offering that kids can attend while the service is going on. However, if you do have a situation where the child has to attend services with you, Berry recommends bringing along quiet activities they can do in the pew like coloring or drawing.
“It’s better than him kicking the seat in front of him,” she said. “You cannot control a child in those situations. An hour is an eternity.
<...... It just isn’t an appropriate place for children.” .....>
<..... What’s more, dragging young kids to church will create negative associations that will encourage him to avoid the place when he’s older......>
<..... “I always say the damage you do by making the experience negative is far worse than if you didn’t go at all, .....>
” Berry said.
--- Article continues on:
EASTER BUNNY
Berry encourages it though, saying that it stimulates children’s imagination and aids in their creativity.
<..... “It’s very important for children to have these fantasy characters,” .....>
she said. “Developing imagination is one of the most important things you can do for kids. That way leads to creativity, which leads to inventions and interesting lives.”
- Focus here is on fun & happiness
- There is no danger or enemy, or emending doom
- No sense of urgency
- Rescue is not needed
Before the first Easter
- There was all of the above PLUS
- There is Tears
- There is Hopelessness
- There is Lost
- There is no Savior
-There is no Salvation
The First Words of Easter Changes Everything
- Me ssages & books have been written on the 7 Words on the cross
- Jn 20:15 – Gives us the 7 Words of Easter
… Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou?
- The First words of Easter was a question
- The first question ever asked
Genesis 3:9KJV
9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
- Here it was to man after he had sinned
- Now to a women who loved the sinless
❶. WOMEN
- Strength For the weak
- Speaking of the weaker sex
- A women’s right was through her husband
- ID in v.1 Mary Magdalene
Luke 8:2KJV
And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,
- Disciples were respectable
- Mary was demon possessed with 7 demons
- Jesus comes to who ever we are
- Changes the past into New Life
❷. WHY
- Answers for the Confused
- Here is a problem – Pain, a sense of lost. Bitterness
- Confusion “Why me?”, “Why did this happen?”. “Why now?”
- First time “Why” is used in scripture
- Dealing with emotion
Genesis 4:6KJV
And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth (angry, displeased, furious)? and why is thy countenance fallen (looking unhappy, sad, the scowl)?
The “Why” at the Cross
Matthew 27:46KJV
46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
❸. WEEPEST
- Comfort for the Hurting
- Mary is weeping.
- Tears through the years over lost
■ First in scripture is Abraham at the death of Sarah
Genesis 23:2KJV
2 And Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.
■ Esau over the lost of birthright – Gen 27:38
■ Hannah’s frustration for a son – 1 Sam 1:7
■ Mary at the death of Lazarus Jn 11:35
■ Jesus wepted a week ago over Jerusalem – Lk 19:41
■ Peter after his denial - Mt 26:75
- If there had been no sin there would be no tears
- He was there as an answer to her tears.
- One Day ---- Rev. 21:4 "And God shall wipe away all
tears from their eyes"
❹. & ❺. - Thou (You)
- Focus on the Personal
- Why are you weeping - Whom are you seeking
- You is singular – individual
- It is personal
- We ask “How are you?”
- If not doing fine there is little we can do
- This question he can ask & personally meet
- I Love You
John 20:17
17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
Jeremiah 31:3
3 The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee
1 John 3:1
1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God….
❻. Whom
- Presence for a Relationship
- Two questions in these 7 words -- “Why”, “Who”
- The “why” and “who” of life is answered in Jesus
2 Corinthians 6:16KJV
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
---- Jer 24:7, 31:33, Ezk 11:20, 36:28, Zec 8:8, 13:9
❼. Seekest
- Direction for the Lost
- Seeking speaks of diligent search
- Solomon charged to seek the Lord & build his temple
1 Chronicles 22:19KJV
19 Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God; arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the LORD God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the LORD.
- This also is our charged to seek and to build
- He & ourselves are given a similar charge
2 Chronicles 7:14KJV
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
- Mary was seeking and found more than expected
Psalm 34:4KJV
4 I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
- Remember Jesus speaking at Zacchaeus’ house
- Luke 19:10KJV
10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
- There was Jesus doing the same thing after the resurrection
- He is still in the business of seeking us
v.17-18 – Now go and tell
