In its bid to part consumers with their money, Walmart has produced a television commercial advertising Easter merchandise. The ad makes reference to an Easter meal, an Easter basket, Easter eggs, and running shoes. The ad suggests that, with these items, kids can get ahead of the pack at an Easter egg hunt. The message of the ad is summed up by these words: “Only Walmart has low prices every day on everything you need for an epic Easter.”
In recent times, the term epic has come to be used to describe all sorts of things. From books and movies to the names of rather mundane churches, from ice cream to running and all sorts of human activities, epic is a widespread adjective these days. Apparently it also applies to Easter egg hunts.
And, apart from the bastardization of the English language, all of that might be okay. But if we think spiral-sliced hams, plastic eggs, and Starter running shoes are what make Easter epic, we’ve fallen a long way from reality.
Shortly before he was crucified, Christ prayed these words to God the Father (John 17:3): “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” Weighed against eternal life, fake eggs and juicy hams don’t seem important.
Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead was and is what makes Easter epic. Only Christ’s atoning sacrifice on the cross and his defeat of death and the grave can effect eternal life for mankind. The epic story of all time is the love and mercy of God shown in the death and resurrection of Jesus.
To learn more about having your own epic Easter, drop me a line.