Dear COA Family,
Christ is risen! Alleluia!
This is the proclamation of the church on Easter Sunday.
But praise God the church calendar teaches us that Easter is not just one Sunday but an entire
season of fifty days. This is because we cannot fully celebrate and understand the effects of Christ’s
resurrection in a single day. It takes an entire season to work this out.
So, what is the main message of Easter?
It is this: Jesus has conquered all that stands against God and his good will and purpose for us by
his resurrection. The Apostle Paul tells us that the final enemy is death and Jesus has not only
defeated but also destroyed death by his rising from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:26). If this is the case,
then we can be very assured that the Lord will also grant us the victory in all that we are facing.
As a vicar and a pastor, I am growing to be more acutely aware that many among us face
difficulties of all kinds. No one is immune from troubles and everyone struggles with an issue one
way or another. It is like what the Bible tells us: “People are born for trouble as readily as sparks fly
up from a fire” (Job 5:7). The sooner we realise this the better for us.
Yet we are not left without hope. The resurrection of Christ tells us that God will deliver us from all
troubles through his power at work in our lives.
Church, I am convinced that the Lord will lead us in this season to not only trust in but also
experience his victory in our lives. His victory is not like the victory that the world expects. It is not
an absence of conflict or ills that assails us. Rather it is the accomplishing of God’s greater will in
our lives through the trials we face. We know that our troubles are not for nothing. By fulfilling God’s
will, we become very fruitful for his kingdom and therefore bring glory to him.
So, let’s continue to be strong in our confidence in God and steadfast in serving him and others in
this Easter season!
God bless,
Revd Ian