Dear COA Family,
Blessed Easter Sunday!
Our celebration of Easter is not just a simple celebration of the fact of the resurrection of Christ but
Christ’s resurrection after his suffering and death for us and all humankind on the cross.
What is the significance of all of this?
It is that our Lord Jesus showed his great love for us by willingly sacrificing his life for us. It was not
an easy journey for him. He had to take on the nature of a created being, live a life of love as an
example for us and then take our place of guilt and punishment on our behalf.
His resurrection is then a vindication by God the Father of his obedience and also a victory over sin
and death. It is in the midst of great sorrow and trials that our Lord accomplished our salvation. This
is why we celebrate Easter Sunday with such great joy and in such great hope.
But it is a great pity I find that in many churches only Easter Sunday is celebrated among all of the
other significant events in Holy Week. Many of the Christians I spoke to have not even heard
of Maundy Thursday or Holy Saturday. They may have known of Good Friday but that is all. Their
churches only celebrate Christ’s resurrection on Easter Sunday.
This is a pity because these churches miss out on the context of Jesus’ victory over sin and death.
He did not simply rise from a commonplace death but achieved it through an entire series of
experiences ordained by God. And it is impossible for any church to squeeze all of these
experiences into one Sunday service. It will be near schizophrenic of us to cry with sorrow at
Christ’s crucifixion and then rejoice with delight at his resurrection – all within a one-and-a-half hour
Easter Sunday service!
That is why it is such a good thing and privilege that our church remembers all of the significant
events of Christ during Holy Week:
- The demonstration of Jesus love at Maundy Thursday when he washed his disciples’ feet and
instituted the Lord’s Supper for the family of believers. We are reminded to love one another as
he has loved us. - The suffering and death of Jesus on the cross on Good Friday. We grieve at our Lord’s pain
and over our own wretchedness of sinfulness and faithlessness. - The silence of God on Holy Saturday. We await with patient endurance the deliverance of God
just as Jesus did. He did not rise immediately after death but stayed dead for three days. - The victory of Jesus over sin and death on Easter Sunday. We rejoice with unbridled joy that
Jesus’ eternal life will also be our life as we put our trust in him.
I pray that for those of us who have participated in all of these services over the last few days, we would
be deeply impacted and blessed. Our faith will be strengthened as our roots in the life of Christ
grows through entering Christ’s life. Our understanding and appreciation for his sacrifice is
expanded.
For the others who could not make it for our services, I urge you to not only view our recorded
services but also make it a point to participate in such services in future. They are a privilege that is not
afforded in many other churches in Singapore. We, in the Anglican Church, should be so thankful and grateful that the services of the Holy Week are part of our heritage and practice to help us grow in the life of Christ – which is our hope of glory (Colossians 1:27).
Have a blessed Easter season ahead!
God bless,
Revd Ian