The Resurrection of Jesus Christ 耶稣基督的复活

(Chinese) 耶稣基督的复活  (Pinyin) Yēsū jīdū de fùhuó  (Maori) TE TOHUANGA O IESU KRISTO

Let us transport ourselves back to the days just before the time when Jesus Christ was crucified.

(Chinese) 让我们回到耶稣基督被钉十字架之前的日子。(Pinyin) Ràng wǒmen huí dào yēsū jīdū bèi dīng shízìjià zhīqián de rìzi.

(Maori) Kia hoki tatou ka hoki ano ki nga ra i mua tonu o te wa i ripekatia a Ihu Karaiti.

Those were dark days for all who believed in Jesus Christ. His Heavenly Father had abandoned Him. He has been silenced by earthly authorities. His title of “The Messiah” appeared to be just another false claim made by Him. His influence had been suppressed. His church would soon have perished forever. He would soon live in oblivion.

(Chinese) 对于所有相信耶稣基督的人来说，那是黑暗的日子。他的天父抛弃了他。他已经被世俗当局沉默了。他的“弥赛亚”头衔似乎只是他的另一项虚假主张。他的影响力被压制了。他的教会不久将永远灭亡。他很快将被遗忘。(Pinyin) Duìyú suǒyǒu xiāngxìn yēsū jīdū de rén lái shuō, nà shì hēi’àn de rìzi. Tā de tiān fù pāoqìle tā. Tā yǐjīng bèi shìsú dāngjú chénmòle. Tā de “mí sài yà” tóuxián sìhū zhǐshì tā de lìng yī xiàng xūjiǎ zhǔzhāng. Tā de yǐngxiǎng lì bèi yāzhìle. Tā de jiàohuì bùjiǔ jiāng yǒngyuǎn mièwáng. Tā hěn kuài jiāng bèi yíwàng.

(Maori) Ko era nga ra pouri mo te hunga katoa e whakapono ana ki a Ihu Karaiti. Ua faarue To’na Metua i te Ao ra Ia’na. Kua whakakahoretia ia e nga mana o te ao. Ko tana taitara o “Te Karaiti” ka puta he tika ano mo tetahi kereme teka na Ia. Ko tona mana i peehia. Kare i roa ka taka tana hahi. Kaore i roa ka ora tana noho.

At that very moment, it did appear that our Lord, Jesus Christ, had been totally defeated by Satan.

(Chinese) 在那一刻，看来我们的主耶稣基督已经完全被撒但击败了。(Pinyin) Zài nà yīkè, kàn lái wǒmen de zhǔ yēsū jīdū yǐjīng wánquán bèi sā dàn jíbàile.

(Maori) I taua waa tonu, ka puta ko te Ariki, a Ihu Karaiti, kua tino hinga a Hatana.

It is during such times that a re-reading of Psalm 139 becomes most refreshing.

O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. … Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

But, three days later, the entire scenario changed. You were resurrected. You sat on the right hand side of God in Heaven. Your cross became the symbol of victory, a victory over the sins of this world. You had risen up for us. You gave us eternal life.

As we reflect on this story of the resurrected Christ, we think about ourselves in these quietened times of COVID-19. We think about our lives on this earthly world. In Colossians 2:6-7, Paul had said, “So then as you receive Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, noted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Paul was not speaking of the victory of Christians as a future event. I will change my tense. Paul is speaking of the victory as a present realty. Just like Christ, we have been raised up with Him and are seated with Him by Our Father’s side.

We have been buried with Him in baptism and we are raised with Him through Faith in the pier of God. We therefore can face all dangers, including COVID-19, and all difficulties that occur in our lives with the faithful confidence that, as Christians, He will not abandon us.

Yes, we are therefore not afraid of the many adversaries that appear to be constantly following us. In short, we are prepared for the worse. We are not afraid of anything so long as we live lives like Jesus Christ, a Christ-like life, and show our agape love to everyone we meet.

We are not afraid to die as we know that we are on His side.

Amen.

(in Maori) Haumi e, Hui e, Taiki e!