“What’s so great about Easter?” It’s a question most vicar’s ask about now, but someone else has got there first this year. What’s so great about Easter is asked at the beginning of the latest advert from Tesco which has recently hit our screens. The answer (according to Tesco) is chocolate eggs, roast dinners, neighbourhood garden parties, hot cross buns and rabbits.

And in one sense Tesco is right because most of those things will be part of my family’s celebrations in the next few weeks. But Tesco has actually made a big mistake in answering that question, because they have made a glaring omission.

Imagine you heard that a tourist guide entitled ‘What’s so great about Ilkley?’ had been written but it made no mention of Ilkley Moor, the Cow and Calf or our famous song? Even if everything else in the guide was true you’d conclude it gave a wrong impression because it missed out the big things that shape Ilkley’s identity.

And that’s the problem I have with the Tesco Easter advert. With the exception of a brief glimpse of a vicar and a pile of hot cross buns, there is no reference to the greatest thing about Easter – the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ!

Of course Tesco is not a church, and its aim is to sell ‘stuff’ and not to preach the Gospel. But to talk about Easter and not mention Jesus at all takes real effort and intentional planning. If the strapline had been ‘What are your favourite things about Easter?’ then the advert would have made more sense, but it wasn’t and it doesn’t!

Don’t worry, I’m not advocating a boycott of Tesco this Easter. I’m sure other supermarkets would do the same had they thought of it, and well-known companies missing the point about Christian festivals is nothing new (remember the “Sausage Roll in the Manger” Christmas advert by Greggs a few years ago?). I also like Tesco corn bread and granola too much!

But if Tesco ever decides to re-write the advert, let me make a constructive suggestion? Give the briefly glimpsed vicar a few more seconds to say... ‘Easter reminds us that because of Jesus we can know God personally. His empty cross and His empty tomb tell us that sin has been forgiven, death has been beaten and eternal life in God’s presence can be a reality for everyone. That is what’s great about Easter.’

All the Christian churches in Ilkley have special Easter services next weekend and you are very welcome to attend, we’d love to celebrate the greatest thing about Easter with you.

Happy Easter, and maybe see you in Tesco in the granola aisle soon!