Today is being celebrated as Easter Sunday. This day commemorates the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Resurrection reminds us that there is proximity between the Cross and the Resurrection. We cannot even understand or imagine Resurrection without Cross. Resurrection always depends upon the Cross. “No Resurrection without Persecution”.
In our faith journey we celebrate the gifts that were given to us through the incarnation, life and ministry of Jesus Christ. Christmas, the celebration of the birth of Jesus is the gift of love, Easter, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the gift of life. So, this event of the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead reminds us that we need to rejoice and celebrate the gift of life.
The gift of life that Jesus brought for the whole world and all human beings through his sufferings and Resurrection, gives us his special blessings for our life.
The Resurrection of Jesus transforms us and helps us to have personnel encounter with the Risen Lord.
The biggest enemy of human beings is “fear”. On first Easter Sunday when few ladies visited the tomb early in the morning, they were stunned to see the stone had been rolled back from the entrance of the tomb. Then the angel of the Lord told them not to be alarmed. Then, a little group of men, the disciples of Jesus gathered together behind the locked doors. Fear was on every one of them. Then the Risen Christ entered the closed room and said, “Pease be with you!”. When the peace of God entered, there was no room for fear and anxiety. Those ladies and the disciples of Jesus were over joyed. They experienced the real transformation with the Risen Christ who transformed their life from fear to peace, comfort and joy.
On the first Easter Sunday when Jesus appeared to his disciples, Thomas one of his disciples was absent. But, a week later when he encounter with the Risen Lord he confessed, “My Lord and my God”. The Resurrected power of Jesus transformed Thomas from his unbelief and made him to confess that he is the LORD! So people all over the world today are accepting and confessing Jesus Christ as their Lord through the Resurrected power of Jesus alone! All those who believe in Jesus and his Resurrection, this power from resurrected Lord has been and their life will be totally transformed from fear to Joy and Peace and from death to everlasting life. The power of the Risen Lord gives us new promises, strength and courage. The personnel encounter of Jesus Christ gives us all these transformed blessings.
Celebration without transformation is meaningless. Let us celebrate a new life, a new hope and a new relationship in Christ. Let our life be transformed and the resurrected power of Christ rule our heart and mind. As Jesus raised with a imperishable and glorified body, let us be raised from old self to new and transformed life with new hope and courage facing the life’s situations and challenges. Let our life be a channel to others so that their life may be changed.
May this Easter bring a new blessing to all. Let the greetings of Jesus Christ, “Peace be to you” come true in your life.
Wish you all a very happy and blessed Easter.
- Rev. Derick Christopher