Bishop of NWA’s Easter Message

Posted on March 28, 2013 
Filed under Australia

Bishop Gary NelsonBishop of North West Australia, Gary Nelson, writes in the March 2013 Northwest Network (PDF – grab a copy for your prayers) –

As I write there is a cyclone brewing off the coast near Port Hedland – just another aspect of life and ministry in the North West. I managed to fly out of Karratha before the alert turned from blue to yellow, but as the airport doors opened for boarding the winds blew in with menacing intent. I can only imagine how fear could easily grip you when caught in the destructive winds and torrential rain of a cyclone. Please pray for those who live and serve in these regions.

Easter is rapidly approaching and I look forward to sharing with the people of Geraldton the good news of what Jesus has done in his death and resurrection.

At the cathedral we will be looking at the significance of the Easter event via two VIP Old Testament passages (Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53), followed by passages from John 17-20. I have been struck once more by those opening words of Psalm 22, echoed on Jesus’ lips as he hung on the cross (Mark 15:34), ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’. For David there can be no greater despair than to be forsaken by God – to cry out in anguish, yet seemingly receive no answer, no rescue. As David describes his experience you cannot but be moved by his abandonment, his rejection, the mocking words of those around him. The feeling of despair keeps growing as he says (vs.14 &17):

‘I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted within me … All my bones are on display; people stare and gloat over me. They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my clothing.’

Yet, David constantly clings to his God – the covenant LORD. For he knows ‘strength in despair’ can only come from the LORD. And so we see with relief from v.21 onwards how God answers David’s cries of despair – God has not abandoned him. This leads David to overflowing praise to his LORD. His greatest fear has been overcome – God is with him, even in despair.

Easter reminds us of another One who experiences abandonment, mocking words and actions, physical exhaustion and division of his clothes. But these experiences aren’t simply an echo of David’s experiences – rather, they’re a fulfilment (cf. John 19:24). Christ gathers up the whole psalm into his own experience as he faces death by crucifixion – but unlike David, he is saved through death. As Christ suffers on the cross he enters the fear of mortality that we humans face. He does this by taking on himself the real cause of all human suffering, and hence mortality – our sin. Christ dies as the sinless one (cf. Isaiah 53:4-6, 9; 1 Peter 1:18f, 2:22f; 2 Corinthians 5:21) and experiences God’s abandonment on our behalf. The despair of abandonment due to sin has been suffered by Christ. And his death saves us so we can always be certain of God’s presence with us – we are never alone. How can we not praise God? Surely our lives must echo in everything thankfulness for all God’s done in Christ? So how can we not but trust him – especially when we feel weighed down by menacing darkness all around us?

But Easter also reassures us of Christ’s vindication – he is resurrected; death doesn’t have the last say! Death pinpoints the terror of our mortality; the fear that grips us in our suffering. In Christ we can be freed from this despair, for in him we have the certainty of eternal life. What a blessing to rejoice in!

Friends, are we rejoicing in this wonderful blessing?
Are we daily thanking God for his rescue in Christ?

Yours in Christ

Gary Nelson