I read my Bible to see what men ought to do; and read the newspapers to see what men are doing - John Newton
" Lord renew the church beginning with me. Lord renew the church that teh church may renew the nation(s)...a prayer for this Ministry
INTERNET MESSAGE
Not even the dastardly act of the shooting death of a father by gunmen whilst walking with his son, near to the Prime Minister's official Residence, could take away my joy this morning. Not even the news of the banks re-opening in Cyprus could, I am sure, compare with the joy that Christians felt this morning in that country. Not even the news of Usain Bolt, set to make 500,000 UK pounds tax free, for running two races over there, could overshadow the news of this past week and in particular today . Why? Because Jesus Christ was raised from the dead over two thousand years ago, and this is the day that Christians worldwide celebrate this event that has irrevocably changed the course history. No matter how much controversy surrounds this fact, both within and without the Christian Community, this truth is deeply rooted in the minds of millions of people across the globe.
And so we celebrate. We rejoice that Christ is risen indeed! And because He lives, because He was raised to life anew as a human being, we too can live a new life, in and through Him, despite the fact that outwardly we may not seem to have changed much. But inwardly, if we trust and obey, supernatural things are working in and through us, by the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit of God. So we believe in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Triune God, as revealed to us by the Paschal mystery of Jesus, the Redeemer of the world.
I have been reading the great and wise theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, he who paid the ultimate price with his life in the struggle against the evil of Hitler's Nazis, all Lent, and even up to last evening.
A couple of things he asserted, are worthy of mention on this great day.
One is that, as Christians, we are to careful not to separate the Incarnation of Christ, The Crucifixion of Christ and the Resurrection of Christ. As all three aspects of the life of Christ are inter-related. The Incarnation, speaks of the love of God for all Created things. That's why God became man, in order to redeem human beings and the also the earth - both of which were affected by the Sin of Adam. Christ's death of a Cross, the crucifixion brings the final judgement over all creation - the " death sentence" of the world. We, al of us who now live under the symbol of death - the cross - can chose to despise it and bring judgment on themselves. Or acknowledge it and thus achieve their won salvation. Finally, the Resurrection of Christ reflects God's love and power which brings death to an end, and calls a new creation to life..."making all things new".
The relevance of this to a dying world, is that we the Baptized are called by God to be " light and salt". Two points are relevant in this discussion. One is that whether people around us accept it or not, whether they believe it or not, it is the "light and salt" of the Christian Community which keeps the world from being utterly corrupt and completely separated from God, and thus subject to God's wrath. Therefore Easter, the new life that we have in and through Christ brings a great responsibility. The light of the believer must shine. It cannot remain hidden by indifference to fallen humanity, struggling to find meaning and purpose in life. It cannot remain hidden because we are fearful, or on account of our selfish ambitions, or greed or be guilty of those things which unbelievers strive for and after - power, and pride and fame and fortune. The life of a believer, the Easter people must be salt in a corrupt society, where injustice and corruption and immorality flourishes. Otherwise we will bring judgment upon ourselves, and our lives will be deemed to be worthless and fit only to be thrown away.
Hence Bonhoeffer used the Word of God to challenge his readers.
" You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot. You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all the house. In the same way, let your light so shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:13-16.
Thus in our long journey through Lent, learning about Christian Discipleship, subjecting ourselves to lenten disciplines of fasting, praying and doing good, denying ourselves of various pleasures, traveling with Jesus through the suffering and rejection of Good Friday, waiting in vigil for His resurrection, we rejoice in this new day with new possibilities for our personal lives and that of the nation. One of the key things that our Rector drove home in a powerful sermon this morning is that, " because our God can raise the dead, we are a people of hope". Thus when things seem hopeless, when things seem impossible, when things cannot be explained or understood, we do not lose hope, as that is exactly the position that the disciples of Christ found themselves on the day of the Crucifixion. And even up until they encountered the " empty tomb" and heard these fateful words, from two witnesses, two angels of God, that have changed history for ever. " Why are you looking for the living among the dead"?.
So as we continue to live in dread of the high murder rate in our nation. As we continue to mourn with those who suffer loss. As we continue to grapple with huge economic problems occasioned by low productivity, owing too much money, anemic export performance, profligate spending by successive administration over the years, a run-a-away dollar ( worth almost US 1 cent). As we continue to witness the growing number of prostitutes peddling their wares on the "Portmore backroad, and in high society in more sophisticated ways. As we continue to witness the growing number of "schoolers" who are becoming parents. As we continue " reap " the effects of the ill will generated between the two political parties over the years and which tribalism has served to tear apart communities and promote the kind of internecine warfare which has contributed to the violence in our society. We do not lose hope, because we know that God can and has raised the dead, to new life. So we are not to be guilty of looking for solutions, for salvation for ourselves and our country, from the " dead way of living" that the world offers. The dependence on police strategies.The dependence on the IMF. the dependence on the Private sector ingenuity and entrepreneurship. The dependence on the negotiating skills, and leadership skills and creative skills of our political leaders. The dependence on the resurgence of the middle class and a new value system which will promote a new morality in our land. As important as all those things are! Rather we are to be assured by the Incarnation, the Death and Resurrection of Christ, that the God who created this world, has the power, loves His Created order, and has come to make all things new and will be with us forever. All because of Christ. This is the message of Easter to the believer and all who would seek to know the truth.
Evil and wickedness, pain and grief, will not reign in Jamaica, or in the USA or in Syria forever. It will come to en end one day. All because Christ is risen.
So for those of us, like me who spend this weekend praying, along with others, without ceasing, for someone close to me who is desperately ill, let us draw comfort from the fact that God can raise the dead, if He so choses. And even if He does not, we are called to trust Him and be confident in His power, and not to panic and fret, as that does not help anyone. And thank God on this day when we celebrate new life, He has shown that He has so chosen. And we place tomorrow into His very safe hands.
In the same way many of us who have been praying for our nation, and for more personal issues, perhaps financial, perhaps relational, perhaps related to the office environment, or the school, perhaps the grandchildren or the children, perhaps the devil is so powerful in the temptation you are facing, perhaps it is a loss of faith in God. Whatever! Let us rest assured that God is able! And He has shown this by raising Jesus from the dead. All other calamities, be it the tragedy of sudden death from whatever reason, the tragedy of war, the tragedy of famine, the tragedy of rape, of HIV/AIDS, or injustice of whatever sort, Jesus suffered as much, and then more and died, styled as a criminal, but lived a sinless life. And was indeed as the Roman guard cried out soon after Jesus died and supernatural things began to take place around him, " truly he was the Son of God".
When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.
Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.
But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.
Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.
So we continue to pray for each other, and for this nation and the nations of the world, for Nelson Mandela, for that little boy who lost his dad so tragically, so senselessly and so horrifyingly, and for the whole world, and for fallen humanity. With hope and faith in God as mirrored in the words of the songwriter whose song was referenced by my rector Rev. Sirano Kitson this morning during his Easter sermon
When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.
Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.
But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.
Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.
And we close by praying according to the Word of God found in 2 Kings: 6-15. NIV
" When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. ' Oh, my lord, what shall we do?' the servant asked.
' Don't be afraid', the prophet answered. ' This who are with us are more than those who are with them'.
And Elisha prayed, ' O Lord, open his eyes so he may see'. Then the Lord opened the servants eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha."
O God open the eyes of that brother, that sister, that husband, that wife, that child, that politician, that businessman or woman, that professional, that prostitute, that murderer, that rapist, that atheist, that agnostic, that con artist, all of us dear Lord, that we may all see ourselves around the cross of Christ. That we may hear Him cry out , " My, God, my God, why has thou forsaken me, as the weight of our collective sins separated Him from the Father He had known before time was created. That we might hear Him cry out, " Father forgive them for they know not what they do". That we may all be convicted of sin, the 'filthy rags' that we all wear, and thus feel the need for salvation. And come to appreciate the grace that " saved a wretch like me". And then fall down and accept the forgiveness that God in Christ offers on the Cross of calvary and worship and trust in God. And who knows how God may change this nation. And that nation. And that nation. All because of Easter. All because of the love of God that passeth all human understanding Amen!.
