Sunday, April 12, 2020

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It’s Easter Sunday, Resurrection Day, a day that should give everyone hope (especially given the current global pandemic and economic turmoil) because it was on this day over 2,000 years ago when Jesus rose from the dead – the most incredible comeback and the greatest victory mankind has ever witnessed! An irrefutable fact of history, the Resurrection is what underpins the Christian faith and makes it unique – it’s why Jesus is “the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6). And the same Spirit who allowed him to conquer death can dwell in each of us, if we so choose.

It’s important to practise “social distancing” to conquer this pandemic, but God never wants us to be distant from Him. He is always nearby, available 24/7. In fact, especially during times like this, it’s more critical than ever that we embrace Him and pray for our country, our leaders, families and friends, courageous health care workers, and struggling neighbours we don’t even know. And back up words with actions.

There has never really been a more perfect time for the next Great Awakening.

Today a BMR exclusive – a special message from Montreal’s Onward Gospel Church Pastor Bryan Guinness, who’s also a keen follower of the markets and the junior resource sector, and a link to his Easter Sunday sermon. At a time when we can’t go to church, we’re bringing church to you on this special day.  

Easter Message From Pastor Guinness

Pastor Bryan Guinness, Onward Gospel Church (Montreal)

We are now living in unprecedented times. That is the rhetoric that we keep hearing, and for valid reasons. COVID-19 has indeed altered life on planet earth. Infections continue to climb in many countries, and with it, the death toll grows. The virus has led to staggering job losses, bringing the North American economy to a dramatic slowdown – in some sectors a standstill. Despite a rebound, equity markets are still well off from their earlier highs, and for many people investments and savings have been severely impacted as a result. There is a cloud of fear that has spread far and wide. Fear of getting sick. Fear of dying. We have heard stories of people, yes even young adults, who were fine one week, sickened with the virus the next week, and then dead the week after.

Through all this darkness, though, there is opportunity and a light that shines brightly for those who care to look.  

Let me take you back to another dark moment, of a different sort, in history. The year was 33 A.D. The place was Jerusalem. Jesus hung on a cross. He had been beaten, tortured, mocked and shamefully treated. His crime? He claimed to be the Son of God (Matthew 26:63–65), God in human flesh, the Savior of the world. And before breathing his last breath, he said, “It is finished!” (John 19:30). In the original language of the New Testament, Greek, those 3 words are a translation of just 1 word: “tetelestai”, which means to pay in full. Interestingly, archeologists have uncovered financial receipts from the first century with this word written on them as a way of saying that the bill was paid in full. Paid in full means once it’s paid for, we never have to pay for it again. And that’s exactly what the death of Christ has made possible for us. The moment we put our faith in him, over top of our statement of sin, God stamps “paid in full.”

As bad as the coronavirus is, the Bible describes an even more lethal disease: sin. And though “the wages of sin is death” (physical death, yes, but even worse – eternal separation from God), “the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:23). The darkest hour of human history had a silver lining – it was the means of salvation. Furthermore, what seemed like defeat actually paved the way to the most incredible victory the world has ever known: The Resurrection of Jesus! That’s why we celebrate this day.  

When his followers went to visit his grave, 3 days after his crucifixion on the first Easter morning, they discovered a surprise: Jesus wasn’t there! Instead, an angelic messenger showed up with this message: “He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’  Then they remembered his words” (Luke 24:6–7).

Jesus had previously predicted his death and resurrection, and now it had come true just as he predicted. The resurrection validates Christ’s claims (to divinity) and vindicates his Word (his teaching). In due time, Jesus also appeared physically alive in his resurrected body to his followers on multiple occasions to assure them it was so (there were hundreds of witnesses), before ascending back to Heaven.

When the apostle Paul later wrote about the significance of Christ’s resurrection, he put it like this. “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:56–57).

For now, death is a great foe. And what makes it so stinging is that for a person who hasn’t received Christ’s free offer of salvation, there is no hope of eternal life. But the good news of Easter is that Christ’s death and resurrection has made it possible for that sting to be removed. I remember once reading the story about a man who fought in World War II. One day he and another soldier came upon an unexploded land mine. Later that same day, when it was time for bed, he walked into the barracks and was shocked to find that his friend was lying down resting his head on the same land mine. Then he discovered that his friend had removed the firing pin, rendering the land mine harmless. What had been an instrument of destruction had become a pillow for a weary soldier.

That’s what Christ’s death and resurrection did. It rendered death harmless. The sting is gone, for those who believe. There is One who is greater than death. That’s the message of Easter. If we look to man we will be disappointed, but if in these times, we look to God, we will never be disappointed. If we try and find hope in the things of this world, we will never find it, but if we put our hope in the One who conquered death, we will find everlasting life and peace. 

From our family to yours, wishing you a joyous hope-filled Easter. 

Easter Sunday sermon: “The Resurrection of Jesus: Examining The Evidence”.