March 2016 newsletter
HIStory
The apostle Paul writes in His letter to the church at Colossae concerning Jesus Christ, “… it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or in heaven, having made peace through the blood of the cross. (Colossians 1:19-20)
In the month of March, we will once again celebrate Easter in remembrance of the death and resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
We can think of many individuals and events that made history – that set something in motion which could never again be reversed. Kingdoms that were once great came to nothing, as others took their place. Inventions and discoveries changed the course of human existence. All these events took place in the physical realm; they could therefore only affect the history of the physical world, and only for a time. Mighty leaders eventually died and new ones arose. And so the story continued.
On the day, however, when Jesus gave His life on Calvary, the course of history was changed forever – in the unseen, spiritual realm. That very hour marked a change for all eternity. Through Jesus’ death, a lost world without hope had been redeemed. The rule of Satan, which had brought so much wickedness and despair to mankind, had come to an end. Men and women no longer had to remain subject to his evil devices.
God’s own Son had paid the penalty for our guilt. He alone was without sin, and therefore He alone was able to pay for our redemption through His blood. By His sacrifice on the cross, He triumphed over all the powers of Satan on our behalf (Col. 2:15).
And His story doesn’t end there. On the third day Jesus rose again from the dead, demonstrating the power of God through His resurrection and raising us up with Him to new life (Col. 2:12-13). Because of this single event, we have now been saved from sin and death and have received the hope of our own resurrection to eternal life. This is the only event that truly changed history - forever. The real issues of victory and defeat are not decided on physical battlefields, but in the spiritual realm. Through Jesus’ resurrection, that ultimate war has been won on behalf of mankind. Victory over sin and Satan is for all those who will believe it and receive it.
As we remember the events of Calvary, let us look to our Saviour, knowing that He has already overcome the world for us! Now He is calling us to bring His story to our community. By His grace, we can bring the promise of eternal life to others!
Pastor Konrad