Have you noticed how frequently the Scriptures speak of God’s deliverance of his people?
In fact, God’s deliverance is an overarching theme of the Bible, with language that is full of hope. The Lord saves from sin and death, he delivers from oppression, he rescues from danger and from the present evil age, he saves us from despair and from a meaningless life.
Looking forward to the coming Messiah, the psalmists and prophets of the Old Testament often wrote about God’s deliverance, past and future. The New Testament writers proclaimed the same story from a different perspective. John the apostle expressed it this way: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.” (1 John 1: 1-3)
Some things simply bear repeating. The truth about Jesus, our saviour and deliverer, must be communicated again and again until the day he brings world history to its grand culmination. Until he comes again, our mission is to spread the good news, to make disciples and to grow in grace, ever trusting in our Lord.
There are special times of special emphasis in the church year, and Easter is one of those times. It’s an occasion for us to celebrate the essentials and to remember those things that bear repeating…
We remember the cross where our saviour spilled his blood and gave his life in absolute obedience to God the Father and in sacrificial love for us.
We remember the tomb that held Jesus’ body for three days until he rose triumphant over death and hell.
We remember the One who is the resurrection and the life, walking out of that tomb and proving himself to be the Son of God, filling our hearts with that certainty.
We remember the promise that he gave to all who follow him—even to this very day—that he will never leave us nor forsake us.
We remember that before we believed and received the Lord Jesus we were without hope and without God in the world.
We remember that he makes us able to proclaim his gospel to the lost.
We remember that Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ is coming again!
Jesus has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. (2 Timothy 1:10)
May these profound truths fill your thoughts this Easter season. May they penetrate your heart deeper than ever. This is the message we cherish. This is the message upon which our faith and hope rest. This is the message we must share with people everywhere.
The death and resurrection of Jesus changed life forever. With his broken body he inaugurated the great Gospel Day, the day of good news for everyone.
The psalmist declared that Jesus came in the name of the Lord, that he opened the gates of righteousness, that he became our salvation, that he became the capstone of God’s rule on earth for all nations, and that he is the One who answers when people cry out, “O Lord, save us”. (Psalm 118:19-26)
Yes, this bears repeating, and it must be repeated!
It would be easy to lose sight of the mysterious power of the gospel amidst the rumbling of disbelief in today’s Christless culture. But thanks be to God, the power of the message of salvation is shattering and liberating, and we must continue to ensure its presence in the world. It can penetrate the hardest heart and illuminate the darkest mind. Everywhere this good news is proclaimed, Christ saves, delivers, and restores.
I encourage you to hold on to the message of Easter in your own circumstances. His life gives you life, his joy gives you strength, and his peace gives you rest. And please continue to pray with us that Jesus will touch the people of our own nation with the same glorious hope that we know, just as he does in so many places of the world.
Let’s hope in the Lord, always. Let’s never cease to share this hope with others, in and out of season.
Jesus is Lord and his saving power is never ending and never changing.
This bears repeating!