Chris Chamberlain is the National Leader of the Baptist Church of New Zealand.
Kia ora, New Zealand Baptists. It’s Easter and as Christians, we’re right in the thick of our big moment.
As we recall what went on during holy week - Good Friday, the quiet and the darkness of Saturday, and then the joy of the resurrection on Easter Day - I’m hoping these words from scripture will be special for you as you think about what Easter means to us as followers of Jesus.
Colossians 3:1
You have been raised to life with Christ. So set your hearts on the things that are in heaven, where Christ sits on His throne, at the right side of God.
Isaiah 25:6-9
Here on Mount Zion the Lord Almighty will prepare a banquet for all the nations of the world, a banquet of the richest food and the finest wine. Here he will suddenly remove the cloud of sorrow that has been hanging over all the nations. The sovereign Lord will destroy death forever.
He will wipe away the tears from everyone's eyes and take away the disgraces people have suffered throughout the world. The Lord Himself has spoken. When it happens, everyone will say, He is our God. We have put our trust in Him and He has rescued us. He is the Lord. We have put our trust in Him and now we are happy and joyful because He has saved us.
And finally, some words from Psalm 118.
Psalm 118
Give thanks to the Lord because he is good and his love is eternal. Let the people of Israel say his love is eternal. Let the priests of God say his love is eternal. Let all who worship him say his love is eternal.
Prayer
I’ll finish with this poem - or perhaps it’s a prayer - by Emily Dickinson, and I hope you’ll find something in it that speaks to you.
When we are despairing, when the world is full of grief, when we see no way ahead and hope has gone away.
Roll back the stone.
Although we fear change, although we are not ready, although we'd rather weep and run away.
Roll back the stone.
Because we're coming with the women, because we hope, where hope is vain, because you call us from the grave and show us the way.
Roll back the stone.
Amen.
Image Credit: Photo by Jasmine Waheed on Unsplash
