The Easter Round-Up | Isobel Lin
It’s hard to believe that Easter is just a month away. And a little more unnervingly for me, EQUIP21 is less than 4 months away! I’ve been really enjoying deep-diving into the Book of Ruth and can’t wait to share it with you but… there’s a LOT more work to go between now and then!!!
But first Easter… here’s a quick round-up of bits and pieces that you might find useful as you think about sharing the good news of Jesus this Easter.
Share a video
I loved watching these animations at EQUIP and I know lots of you did too. Honestly, even though I’ve watched them literally hundreds of times, they still catch me by surprise every time; such powerful reminders of what Christ has done. You’ll find these available for purchase and download (at a higher resolution and without the watermark) from our Library. Great for playing at church or Scripture this season.
(If you’re wondering why we ask you to pay for download? Purchasing these videos contributes to the on-going costs of the EQUIP Library, including creating, hosting and allowing other resources to be free.)
‘JERUSALEM’ (EQUIP18) - featuring the moving CityAlight song of the same name and using the artistry of paper cut outs, steps through the events of Easter page by page.
‘RESURRECTION WITNESSES’ (EQUIP20) - using the medium of fictional social media posts, it immerses us in the world of Jesus’ disciples; what the days before and after Jesus’ resurrection might have been like for them.
Read a devotional
I find seasonal devotionals very useful in slowing down and savouring the wonders of Christ. I’m reading Tim Chester’s, The Glory of the Cross, this Easter. It’s based on John’s gospel and it’s the perfect companion to church and Bible Study this year, as my church works our way through John. I particularly enjoy the way he closes each day’s reflections with a prayer to pray or a verse from a hymn or poem to meditate on. It gives me different things to ‘salt’ my thoughts and so my conversations with each day. Even better, invite a friend(s) to read along with you! I did this one Christmas via WhatsApp and it not only helped me stick to the month of daily readings (peer pressure at its best!) but it enriched my own reading through hearing the different details we each noticed.
It did begin on February 17th (Ash Wednesday) and has a reading for each day until Easter Sunday. If you’re like me and Easter has snuck up on you, you could still read along and either skip the days you’ve missed or keep reading past Easter.
Tim Chester has another Easter Devotional, The Beauty of the Cross, based on Isaiah 52 and 53.
The Wonder of Easter by Ed Drew looks really useful for families. Based on Luke’s Gospel, it has questions for the whole family from pre-schoolers to teens. I like the idea of not needing different books for different ages! I haven’t read it but Colin Buchanan recommends it :)
If you’re up for a bigger challenge, consider the classic read, The Cross of Christ by John Stott. It’s a big book and a harder read but you won’t regret any hours spent thinking about the meaning of the cross. Stott carefully examines the Scriptures and answers the most common objections to the atonement. As one famous sportswear company would say - Just do it!
Gift the gospel… instead of Easter eggs
Luke’s gospel has many stories of Jesus’ encounters with women, and quite a few of them are unique to Luke. With a simple gospel outline, a fresh modern translation, type-set like a book (not a Bible) and two testimonies from real women included, The Essential Jesus, is a timeless Easter gift for someone who needs to meet Jesus. And I love the cover <3 (Look closely at the crown of thorns to see the three crosses on a hill.)
Lastly, new from the Good Book Company, a book by Jonty Allcock, Happily Ever After. Self-described, as a book to give away to unbelievers at Easter. I haven’t read it yet but I’m keen to. I’ve enjoyed Allcock’s previous offerings aimed at teenage boys - with engaging titles like Lost: When the dream turns to a nightmare, in an easy to read style. This one, aimed at adults, takes our longings for happy endings as a starting point and takes readers through the Easter story - where Good Friday looked like a bad ending but Easter Sunday changed everything for everyone. Can’t wait to get my hands on it… to give it away.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. - John 3:16