- William. D. Barrick: “Good Friday service in Dampara Baptist Church, Chittagong, Bangladesh, was packed. Little children sat on the floor in the aisles, across the front of the church. Rows of people stood in the back, craning their necks to see the crucifixion scene as depicted in the Jesus Film. Weeping, gasps of unbelief could be heard in the shocked hush as Jesus was crucified. As the Bengalis watched, they were feeling the agony of Jesus’ pain and the disappointment of the disciples. In that emotional moment, one young boy in the crowded church suddenly cried out, “Do not be afraid. He gets up again! I saw it before.” Small boy’s encouraging cry gave new hope to viewers of the film. “He is risen!” is the cry that gives new hope to all.”
I said on Good Friday in order to satisfy His wrath towards sin, to satisfy His holiness and righteousness Christ had not only to die but be judged for our sin. God declared Christ’s sacrifice as necessary to deal with sin. He is opposed to sin, our sins and all that is evil. Sin is a deadly enemy of our souls, an enemy of everything we are and can become. God sent His Son to die for us, to atone for sin and our personal sins. As I explained atonement means reconciliation is possible and God is satisfied with the sacrifice of His One and Only Son. At-one-ment = Reconciliation. The effect that flows from Christ`s Death. The word is also used to denote how this is brought about (Death of Christ) = Satisfaction (God is Satisfied). What wonderful truth, difficult, in fact impossible, to explain.
- Dr. Michael Green: “At the heart of Christianity is a cross; and one of the most significant things about it is that it is an empty cross.”
As a church, we were blessed as we worshipped our Precious Lord both on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. We sensed the Lord`s Presence as we shared in Worship and Communion. We celebrated with joy because Death has been dealt a blow from which it will never recover and finally it will be destroyed forever! Christ is Risen in his body from the dead. The resurrection of Jesus affirms the Lordship of Jesus Christ over everything and everyone. He is alive, that is what Easter is all about.
On Easter Sunday we were also blessed to hear the testimonies of those being baptized remembering and reflecting on the words of the Apostle Paul in:
- Romans 6:3-5, “Don`t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will also certainly be united with Him in His Resurrection.”
Those being baptized give us a visible picture of the believing Christian dying to the old way of life, burying it and rising to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit. May we do so in our lives. May the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ impact our lives in such a way that we believe with our hearts, live as we should so those who come into contact with us, those who do not have a personal, dynamic, transforming faith in our Lord Jesus, will put their faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord!
- Billy Graham: “When we preach atonement, it is atonement planned by love, provided by love, given by love, finished by love, necessitated because of love. When we preach the resurrection of Christ, we are preaching the miracle of love. When we preach the return of Christ, we are preaching the fulfillment of love.”
- HALLELUJAH WHAT A SAVIOUR!!
Your friend and Pastor,
Jim