Sadly, myself along with many other children (and adults for that matter) believed that Easter was all about the bunny and not about the lamb. Raising children of my own now, we explain the true meaning of Easter, but we still celebrate with a basket full of candy too.
I never knew what Palm Sunday was, I never understood what Good Friday was as well as what Passion week meant. The Passion week is Jesus’s step-by-step journey to Golgotha to die on the cross for our sins. It is a glowing revelation of the extent of his love. He loved us “to the uttermost” (John 13:1) in going all the way to the cross for us, with every bruise, every puncture, and throb and stab of pain. And it is during Holy Week (Passion Week) that we see most profoundly how deep the Father’s love for us. “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
The seven days that lead up to Jesus' crucifixion was a long road traveled. He descended from Mt. Olives to head to Jerusalem on the road to Golgotha. The people of that town were looking for a King to save them from their lives of bondage. Scripture says that a Messiah was to come to free the people who believed in Him. Everyone was imagining a King on a big white horse riding in to save the day. But what they saw was Jesus, riding humbly in on a donkey. People shouted "Hosannah!" Which means "save us now!" Those same people who shouted "Hosannah!" and "King!" were the same people who shouted, "Crucify him!"
Jesus had to carry His own cross after being tortured and beaten almost to death. The whips that he was whipped with were full of metal razor blade-type material that tore His skin as it lashed His back tearing His skin off of His body. Almost unrecognizable and extremely weak, He carried His own rugged cross to Calvary where He bled and died for our sins.
After accepting Jesus into my heart October 2014, I have a complete understanding and extremely deep love and appreciation for Palm Sunday, Passion Week, Good Friday and of course, Easter. To me and my family, it will never be about the bunny, but forever about the Lamb.