2015 Easter Message to North-East Archdeaconry
Dear People of God,
On behalf of our Bishop, The Rt. Rev. A. Fagbamiye and his wife, My wife and I bring you Easter Greetings: "He is risen! Hallelujah! The tomb is empty! Jesus is alive!" Indeed, thisEaster Sunday approximately one-third of the world's population will pause to celebrate the most significant event since the creation of the universe. The Easter celebration marks the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It was a day unlike any other... a defining day that serves to split all of humanity into those who are redeemed by faith in Him and those who are not. Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). His claim is either true or false. It's indisputable that He made this statement, knowing exactly what He was saying.
As an Archdeaconry of a Missionary Diocese (MDT), we are inspired to be a continuing part of that evangelization movement that did quickly spread the good news of Easter across the then known world bringing to all the salvation message of the Cross and the Empty Tomb. Jesus clearly claimed to be the Messiah, the suffering servant and spotless sacrificial lamb who would die, in spite of His innocence, to offer salvation and peace with God for all who would believe in Him. He predicted His sacrificial death at the hands of sinful men who would torture Him for sins He didn't commit and then hang Him on a tree to die. He promised to rise again in three days. Indeed, He was crucified and died as He said. And then... He did what even His disciples had initially failed to fully grasp. He arose from the tomb alive; never again to die! Over the next 40 days, He appeared to more than 500 people. They saw, touched, and ate with Him before He ascended to His rightful place at God's right hand, from where He will return one day to lead His Church home in ultimate and final victory!
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the pivot point of the Christian faith. Without it, all of Jesus' teaching, casting out of demons, and healing the sick mean little, as others have done these things. Some have even temporarily miraculously come back from death only to die later. But not Jesus. He is alive... today and forever! In fact, just 10 days after His ascension, He sent His Spirit at Pentecost to guide and reside in those who trust in Him.
Listen to what the Bible says about the significance of Resurrection Sunday: "If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied" (1 Cor. 15:13-19).
We who know Jesus don't hope in Jesus solely in this life. Our hope in Him is for today andfor all eternity! We know He was raised and we know He lives because we know He lives in us!
So, on behalf of our Bishop, I thank you for your obedience to the call to be a part of the announcers who, today, are shouting: He is risen!! Let push on to grow and expand our Archdeaconry because our Savior and Lord who can fully identify with us, arose and overcame death that we might have eternal life in Him and have power to do exploits across this north-eastern seaboard of the United States of America. For all of us who are committed to the work of God in this Archdeaconry remember that Jesus, when He introduced the Lord's Supper, broke a loaf of bread and said, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me" (Lk 22:19). Let this Easter season be for you a time to remember Christ Jesus for who He is and what He did on our behalf. He defeated death and conquered sin by rising from the dead and ruling at the Father's right hand. We are now part of His Body and must work to maintain the unite and growth of this Body. Hallelujah! As you celebrate - be sure to remember Jesus, celebrate His overcoming love and share it to all in members of His Body in this Archdeaconry and across our Diocese. Amen.
Yours in Our Risen Lord,
The Ven. Prof. M. Joe Omeokwe
Archdeacon