At this time of spring, Christians all over the world celebrate Easter as a way to remember the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. But what is all the hype about? The crosses, the fancy dresses, the baked ham, and family... why are all of these things important to Christians at this time of the year? It is important because we deserved a punishment so bad that God wanted to take it away because of his everlasting love (1 John 4:8).

Christians celebrate Easter for a number of reasons, but not because the name actually came from a Babylonian pagan god "Ishtar," the goddess of fertility, not because there is an Easter bunny in all of his glory, and not even because there are tons of great food on Sunday. All of that does not matter. Here is the low down...

Christians celebrate Easter because Jesus, the living Son of God was crucified (the most horrific way to die in those times) for OUR sins and took away a punishment that we so rightly deserved (1 Peter 1:3; Isaiah 59:2; Isaiah 53:6; Genesis 3:15).

Jesus was the perfect sacrifice and it is because of his gift that we are able to follow him and go to heaven some day.

Now let me give you some things to chew on. It is common knowledge that none of us is perfect, right? I mean, even Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus wrote a song about it. Because none of us are perfect we are separate from God (Romans 3:23, 6:23). But God is perfect. He is completely holy. It is amazing to think that a God who is completely holy could make and love humans like us who do horrible things every day. But it is true! Everywhere in the Bible it talks about God's love for his followers, both Jew and Gentile; in Galatians and in Romans it is said that we are grafted into the lineage of Abraham and "have the right to be children of God" (Romans 10:11-13; Galatians 5:29; John 1:12).

So what about Easter? How are we able to be "children of God?" God sent his son in his perfect timing, in the form of an innocent child. It is crazy in itself to think that instead of showing himself as a king, he came in the form of something so humble and weak. Jesus was the epitome of what a servant king should be. Jesus also knew what was to happen and he even asked God, his Father, if there was another way, but this was the ONLY way for the people of that present time and future to be saved from their sins.

It says in the Bible that there is only one way to get to heaven and that is through Jesus and his death on the cross (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

So, on Good Friday, Jesus was taken to the cross on Golgotha ("Place of the Skull") and crucified unjustly. He did not deserve it -- the people of the world said that he was to be crucified. They got to choose who was released that day because of Passover customs, and he was the one who got the punishment, not the robber. He died, and when he died, the earth shook. His body was put into a tomb and guarded so that people could not get in (the Romans knew that Jesus said he would die and rise again so they didn't want anyone to take the body and say that he had risen).

But, the reason why we celebrate the actual day of Easter is that Jesus rose again. He rose on the third morning just as he had said. He overcame death and defeated Satan's power over us.

Christians celebrate Easter because we have a new beginning in Christ and his sacrifice was made because of his love for everyone on the earth.

So this Easter, remember the sacrifice above all else: above the name, the name's meaning, all the extra "stuff" thrown in with the holiday, and even the food. Just remember on this day, as we should every day, what we are living for and who we have as an example in our lives. Jesus loved and still loves YOU just as you are, flaws and all. Remember him on Easter.