A. We may be vaguely aware that Easter is a traditional celebration of the resurrection of Christ.
B. The best traditions to follow are those of the Apostles. 2 Thessalonians 2:13-15

LESSON--

A. The history of Easter is veiled in controversy.
1. No firm record of its practice until several decades after the last verse of the New Testament was written.
2.The first observances coincided with the Passover of the Jews.
3.Schaff says, "Gentile Christians, for whom the Jewish Passover had no meaning except through reflection from the cross, would chiefly celebrate the Lord's resurrection as they did on every Sunday." (Vol. 2, p. 208)
4.Violent controversies came over the proper day.
a.Early apostates celebrated several different days (not always on a Sunday).
b. The Council of Nicea (325 AD) asked Astronomers from Alexandria to determine an appropriate time.
c. A Pope in the 7th Century devised the formula--The first Sunday following the 14th day of the lunar calendar or new moon which comes after the vernal equinox, fixed at March 21. (Easter falls anywhere from Mar 21 to Apr 25)
5. This method of dating an event not commanded in the Bible is complicated by differences in the calendars used.

(NOTE: The Jewish Passover could very as much as 30 days or more depending on the corrections that had to be made in their faulty system of reckoning time [they counted time by Lunar Months]. The Roman world used the Julian Calendar, which reckoned a year at 365 1/4 days. This contained an eleven minute error, making a difference of 1 day every 130 years. Thus by the 16th Century, the Vernal Equinox was coming 11 days earlier than in Bible times. So, Pope Gregory ordered every nation to make correction to a new reckoning in the year 1582. Only those countries under Roman Catholic domination complied. England waited until 1752 to change, and Greece waited till 1923. Greek Orthodox churches still use the Julian Calendar. Jew, Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant all use different days.)

B. The religious world needs to learn that Easter is not commanded in the New Testament (the word Easter in the KJV in Acts 12:4 should be translated Passover).

APPLICATION--
A. Some say 1 Corinthians 5:7 authorises its observance, but in this passage, Passover is past, and Christians are to keep a figurative feast of unleavened bread.
B. The Lord's Supper (celebrated every 1st day, Acts 20:7) is the proper observance of the Death of Christ and His resurrection.
C.Christ tells us not to teach the traditions of men. Matthew 15:6-9
D. The Apostle Paul confirms this. Colossians 2:8-10, Galatians 4:8-11 (Easter is named for a Pagan Goddess.)

CONCLUSION--We observed the significance of Easter last Sunday, and every other Sunday of the year. Honor the Lord, and worship His way.