The Easter Bunny

I wonder if you remember ghostbusters? You will if you are of a certain generation. It ended with the team battling the giant Marshmallow man - Ray's first thought and a humorous way of meeting out destruction to the world.

I have my very own marshmallow man fear at the moment, but it isn't a giant sugar confectionery foe fit for roasting over a roaring fire, it is the ever growing Easter Bunny. In our commercially aware culture retailers are seizing upon Easter as another way to increase sales - in between Valentines Day and our Summer holidays - and put pressure on us to spend, spend, spend. Easter cards are now in the shops and we are encouraged to remind someone that you are thinking of them, oceans of chocolate is setting as I speak and being ferried up and down the country, Easter presents are beginning to appear complete with Easter chick, rabbit and lamb wrapping paper.

And in all the commercialism where is the actual symbol of Easter? The rabbit has, or is beginning to, dwarfed the cross.

No, I'm not turning into scrooge (well not over Easter anyway), sat chuntering humbug over my keyboard as I type, but just as the commercialisation of Christmas has divorced it from its true meaning so I fear the Easter bunny is set to displace the cross and the empty tomb at Easter.

Easter is the most amazing opportunity to share the gospel with those around us. It is a time to remember the great news. "that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures, and after that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve..." (1 Corinthian 15:3-5).

That is what Easter is all about, remove the cross and resurrection from Easter and there is no reason to celebrate. God in his love sent his only Son to pay the penalty for our sin and to enable us to enter into relationship with God, to look forward to life without the wages of our rebellion - death - dominating our landscape, and all because God sent his Son who willingly goes to the cross in my place. And 3 days later the tomb was empty, Christ was alive again and was seen by many witnesses, as he rose again death and sin were defeated for those who trust in him, because his resurrection declares it is paid for, it is accomplished, it is finished. God now views me as his perfect Son in Christ and I can live now in light of that reality.

How should Christians respond to the rampant commercialisation of Easter - oppose the bunny! Declare the cross. The challenge is to convey the true message to our children, our neighbours, our family, our friends. It may not be popular but surely at Easter more than at any other time the love of Christ must compel us to witness to him. To give a gospel rather than an Easter card, to give a tract rather than chocolate, to speak of Jesus Christ rather than the Easter Bunny!