Today I listened to the Queen’s first ever Easter message .  From her lock-down in the Palace, she shared her faith to encourage her country and commonwealth in the challenge of the Covid crisis attacking the world.

A devout woman, our Queen wrote her speech, and used the Christian symbol of hope bringing light into a dark place.

We Christians are all supposed to be shining a light into the darkness around us.  We may feel helpless to do big things in the enormity of Covid; but even one little wavering, flickering candle can pierce the darkness.  Together, our little lights can shine and spread encouragement to many.  In the words of my favourite Sunday school song:

‘Jesus bids us shine with a pure, clear light,
 like a little candle burning in the night.
In this world of darkness, so we must shine
You in your small corner, and I in mine.’

We are three weekends into this extraordinary time of self-isolation.  We have adapted to tough new restrictions, not just for ourselves, or because it is required; but to help protect the vulnerable among us.  In this time of closed businesses, churches, parks, playgrounds pools and schools, we have pondered anew the message of Easter.  From His joyful welcome by crowds of admirers on Palm Sunday, we’ve followed Jesus’ journey to his chosen destiny.  We’ve grieved again with His family and friends as they dealt with shock and confusion through that first Easter.  We have remembered His suffering and death; knowing full well the happy ending to this sordid story of sin trying to destroy the truth of the Son of God.  We are relieved to leave that trail of evil men, and turn the page to the wonderful miracle of the empty tomb and Jesus’ Resurrection, the ultimate victory over evil and death!
Some of us feel that this Easter, we’re in a dark space; isolated and anxious about the feared Covid virus sneaking silently into our lives, bringing grief, pain and death.  God has instructed us, 365 times in His word, (one for every day of the year, plus another for good measure!) Be anxious for nothing!  Fear not! As Jesus left the dark place of the tomb, so will we come out the other side of the Covid gloom, and we will see the glory of Heaven’s light and warmth, the beauty of all creation.  Meanwhile, remember that we’re charged with keeping our little lamps burning, being beacons of hope and life to those who we have contact with; even in enforced isolation.  Be creative, and make a list of those who would appreciate a phone call, an e-mail or a request for a God-honouring song dedicated to someone needy on radio request programmes.

The chain of events, from Jesus’ arrest and false trials, through His torture, crucifixion, burial and resurrection, is the turning point in God’s divine dealing with all His fallen people.  Jesus’ suffering showed up evil in many forms; the religious, psychological, political, physical and spiritual torment that was dumped on His shredded shoulders.  The miracle of God’s love is that His faith, hope and love was not crushed.  All that evil was exposed and overcome.

That amazing week is the hinge of history, still marking our calendars as ‘Before Christ and Anno Domini (after Christ.)  This is the pivot point where evil intent, injustice and prejudice were overcome by justice, goodness, and forgiveness.   Ultimately, our belief in Easter is the Holy-Spirit-inspired decision made in individual minds and hearts.  It is a free choice which we are faced with.  We are invited to accept the triumph of life over death, love over hate, and as our Queen said today, light conquering darkness.

Luke states that the only people to whom the Risen Christ appeared were people who loved Him. They had already known and followed Jesus, even if they had denied Him or betrayed Him in their human weakness and fear.   Those of us who believe that love is stronger than death CAN believe in Easter.  The glory of the Easter message touches us because we know that God is love, and we believe that His sacrifice gives us a new way of living.

So, let’s trim our wicks, and stand tall to share the Light of Life that our world is crying out for at this time.  And follow in His footsteps.  “God’s word is a lamp unto our feet, and a light unto our path.”  Let’s shine for Him.

Rosemary Francis

Davy was the biggest, slowest boy in his class.  He was born with a slow mind and a crippled body, and he struggled to learn.  Sometimes his behaviour disrupted his classmates, because he would twist and squirm and grunt and drool.  At other times he spoke clearly and his thoughts were coherent.  Miss Scott, his teacher, struggled to keep her class focused on their studies.

So Miss Scott  phoned Davy’s parents to arrange a teacher-parent discussion.  When they met, she told them that Davy should be attending a special school, as it wasn’t fair to his classmates who learned much faster and were not disabled. “After all, Davy’s four years older than the children in his class,” she explained, as  Davy’s mother wiped tears from her eyes.  His s dad pleaded for their son.

‘Miss Scott”, he said, “Davy loves coming to school here; it’s the highlight of his life, and he is learning some things. Please don’t take away Davy’s future.  He respects you, and tries so hard to please you.  There is no better place that we could send him.”

After Davy’s parents left, Miss Scott pondered their difficult challenges, and her responsibility to persevere with Davy, who may never learn to read or write or understand numbers.  A wave of guilt washed over her, as she considered the daily pain and effort of Davy’s parents.  He wasn’t expected to live a long life, and every day was precious for his family.  Her heart melted as she asked God for strength and wisdom to handle her class better, and she prepared her class to not snicker when Davy did odd things, or made strange noises. “ Let ‘s all give this family a special gift of accepting and caring for their disabled son,” she shared with her class, one day when Davy was attending a hospital appointment. Her class were basically good children, and could learn compassion and patience by encouraging and helping Davy.

Easter was coming close, and the class were looking forward to celebrating that exciting time.  Miss Scott repeated the wonderful story of Jesus and His sacrifice for us all, and the children all drew pictures of the Crucifixion.  All except Davy – he sat crumpled in his wheelchair, and didn’t seem to react. Miss Scott talked about the idea of new life springing forth, like a chick emerging from its egg, and she gave each child a large plastic egg to take home.  “I want you to bring your egg back after the Easter holiday, with something inside that shows new life.  Do you understand? “

“Yes, Miss Scott,” they chanted excitedly.  Davy sat silently, staring at the big egg he was clutching on his lap.  Miss Scott wondered if he had understood the wonderful story of Jesus’ suffering and death, and his resurrection three days later.  She decided to ring Davy’s parents and explain the symbolism of the egg, and what she wanted the children to do.  But she was so busy over Easter that she forgot to phone them.

When the children returned to school, they were all excited and chattering as they placed their eggs in a box on Miss Scott’s desk.  After their reading and spelling lessons, Miss Scott opened the first egg.  In it she found a sweet smelling rose.  “Yes, that’s a good symbol of life, and brings pleasure to the world.  Whose egg is this?” she asked.  Jane put up her hand, and Miss  Scott handed her back her egg.  She picked up another egg and opened it and pulled out a plastic butterfly.  “That’s my egg,” said Stephen, bouncing around excitedly.  “Grandma says that the caterpillar goes into a coffin-crysalis and later hatches into a new life as a butterfly.”  “Well done, Stephen!” beamed Miss Scott, handing Stephen back his egg.

Danyel had seeds and beans in her egg.  “They look dead,” she explained, and when they are planted and watered they grow into beautiful new plants. “ 

How true, Danyel, such a good choice of new life,” said Miss Scott.  The next egg she opened was Terry’s, and it held a little soft toy lamb”.  “It’s my baby sister’s toy,” he said.  Miss Scott affirmed each student as they explained their different ‘new-life-out-of-emptiness’ assignment.  She pulled up another egg – and it was empty!

Miss Scott decided it must be Davy’s egg, and she suddenly remember that she had forgotten to ring his parents. Poor boy, he probably didn’t understand her instructions.  Not wanting to embarrass him, she quietly put the egg to one side.  But before she could pick up another egg, a voice called out “Miss Scott, aren’t you going to talk about my egg?”

Flustered, Miss Scott replied “But Davy, your egg is empty.”

He looked at her and said slowly, “But Jesus’ grave was empty too.”  The class fell silent.  Amazed, Miss Scott asked Davy if her knew why the grave was empty.

“Yes Miss”, said Davy.  “Jesus was killed and put in a grave, but then His father woke him up from death.”  All the class clapped and cheered, and they voted that Davy’s egg was the best of all.

Before that year ended, Davy’s frail body failed him and he died.  Miss Scott took her class to the funeral.  Every one of Davy’s classmates brought their Easter eggs, and placed them on his coffin.  They all remembered him as the boy who showed them the victory of Easter and the empty grave.

Rosemary Francis.
Easter Day 2020

“He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.”
Matt 28:6

We see in these confident words, the great overview of God. What was at the time concealed from the world, was in full view of Him who ordained it. The resurrection of Jesus was no fluke, nor was his death the disaster it seemed. Often we are not made a full party to the intentions of God and must live off the scraps of our own insight. So, where to for us next in this on-going story?

When all is said and done this Easter Sunday, we may be no wiser as to the full meaning of the resurrection. Yet, if Christ has died for us, then there must be something in it for us now that he has risen.  If it is in God’s power to make one man transcend the limits of the natural world, then it cannot be beyond him to do the same for us. The Gospel suggests greater things can come of our prayers than maybe we expect with any confidence.

When we eventually all appear before the Judgement seat of Christ (2 Cor 5:10) we will see with greater clarity how much of our lives has borne the character of the Christ within us. Worryingly, we may also see how much we have lived oblivious to him; how much time we have wasted. The Easter message has this one bottom line, that despite all odds and irrespective of our understanding, he has risen. Because he lives, everything we hope for, eternal life included, must start from there.

Barry Struthers

Thirty clinking silver coins-
currency of trade and commerce
sealed the deal. For one, accusation,
condemnation, torment, grief.  
For the other, easy money.
Reward for Judas, financial advisor,
close colleague of Jesus, having sold his soul to Satan,
Was tempted by the Sanhedrin to betray Jesus.
Cold round tokens
Judas negotiated this insulting pittance
to fill his own purse; betraying his friend, while
confirming his loyalty to Roman oppressors.
Thirty pieces of Roman coinage,
Caesar’s image glinting on every shining coin
handed over by Caesar’s ‘Yes-Men.’
A bag of thirty coins
for his treasonous greeting “Rabbi!” identifying Jesus. 
The kiss of his friend, the gesture of betrayal
that sealed Jesus’ arrest.
Predicted by Christ, hours before,
this evil act set in motion events
long foretold in prophecy.
That Last Supper Jesus shared with His beloved followers,
(Where Jesus’ love extended to His betrayer
as He humbly washed those sin-soaked feet,
knowing full well the traitorous act that
Judas planned to execute that very night.)
Thirty pieces of coinage
purchased arrest, ridicule, false accusations,
Five mock trials.  A bargain at the price?
A Death Sentence for our Lord;  plus
cruel nails, a crown of thorns, a splintered cross,
a whip-lashed body, torture, the walk of shame,
agony and dishonour, as he hung on a Roman tree.
The most brutal death imaginable.
From this instrument of torture, God’s Son cried out
“Father forgive them, for they know not what they do!” 
Judas was included in that amazing act of forgiveness.
Those tokens of greed and treachery-
paid for the release of a murderer,
and purchased the death of two.
Jesus the innocent was laid in a borrowed tomb.
on that Friday we call Good.
The devil’s deed done, Judas tried to return
 the coins to the chief priests. They’d paid him
filthy lucre
for his betrayal of Jesus in Gethsemane.
Grief-stricken, Judas hanged himself.
Those thirty blood-stained coins were then used
to purchase a field in which to bury strangers.
Judas was the first inhabitant in that field of blood,
bought with bloodied money, from guilty parties.  
BUT - Jesus did not remain entombed.
Within three days He rose from death! 
Judas’ evil deed and Pilate’s cowardice
have marked them in history;
Named, blamed and shamed.
While innocent, courageous Jesus is
celebrated around the world!
For those thirty pieces of silver could not negate
God’s loving plan to save us from Satan’s grasp!
What man intended for evil, God used for good.
Judas’ betrayal set in motion the events
that led to Jesus’ foretold crucifixion and resurrection
that brought salvation to humanity.
Money cannot buy forgiveness.
Repentance is the currency of heaven.
Celebrate our Risen King Jesus!
​
By Rosemary Francis.
Good Friday, 2020

As I have spent this Good Friday, alone I my bubble, I found myself thinking on the aloneness of the cross and the events leading up to it for Jesus. Gethsemane, while the disciple slept, before the Sanhedrin, King Herod and Pilate, in a crowd shouting “Crucify Him,” the mocking and the long walk to the place of crucifixion. All happening I the midst of crowds, but Jesus alone not part of the crowd.
Alone, in the choice and determination to bring salvation to humanity.
Alone, God, in the midst of Humanity.
Alone, his friends long gone or kept from him.
Alone, carry the weight of our sin, of my sin.
Alone, in pain and straining for breath……..

…And I was reminded of these words of Martin Luther
Salvation is found in Christ alone,
By faith alone,
As stated in scripture alone.
………………………………………………………………

“Take a guard”, Pilate answered. Go make the tomb as secure as you know how.”
Matt. 27:65

The Easter story does a little jump over Easter Saturday. The above scripture is the only event mentioned in the four gospels. Being the Sabbath, the entire Jewish community was in a “lockdown” of its own, observing the customary requirements of an enforced day of rest. The crucifixion story was in a state of limbo, much as we are at present due to the Pandemic. The grieving family and friends of Jesus could not attend to his body in the customary way until after the Sabbath had passed. There were countless limits and restrictions placed on everybody at the same time, much as there are on us today. For all of us the desire to re-engage with normal unregulated activity has been put on hold, no matter how pressing the things are we have to do. When at last the Sabbath was over the three Marys were ready and equipped with spices to prepare Jesus’ body, but on finding the tomb empty, they were denied their chance to serve him one last time.
 
Yesterday we heard of a New Zealand woman in her nineties who died from the Corona virus, contracted somehow in her otherwise secure Rest Home. No family were allowed to attend her. She died among strangers, and her body prepared in cold isolation from everyone. Thankfully, she is only the second person to die from this dreaded disease in this country. When I heard her story on the news, I spared a thought for the three Marys too.

What useful things may we now do with our time before we are safe to be released from our imposed isolation? Will it be simply filled with mindless entertainment and trips to the fridge? Or will the forced slowdown teach us afresh the value of our relationships, and the benefits from taking time to nurture and to cherish? Hopefully so. May it last.

Barry Struthers

Jesus called out in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this he breathed his last.
Luke 23:46

The spirit of Jesus was the last thing he had to give. Having been given a mortal body, this awful death had to play out to the last breath. Who can follow such a man and be indifferent to his personal loss? Had he not done enough to be spared this final agony? In our economy of things that are important, he had certainly deserved better. Can we now not revisit this scene without railing at the injustice of it all; have we got so used to the story that it has become mere religion, something we can gloss over without entering the grief?

Jesus death was a loss. The fact that it led to great gain for all mankind does not diminish the wrongfulness of it. Were he to have avoided the cross, it is true that our own story would have ended differently, but surely his story, his life, deserved to be spared. The trade-off was so huge that we must not move past it without a second thought.

We will have many opportunities in this period of “lockdown” for the Covid 19 pandemic to offer our own spirits to take a back seat too, for the sake of others and the greater good. There will be some in their bubbles whose needs are greater than ours and whose stress-levels will be higher. Can we muster a spare thought for the agony of others while safe in our own cocoons? We may be spared of the many deaths experienced in other countries, but we will not be immune to the fallout. Lives will undoubtedly be changed, some perhaps for the better, but most others for the worse.

When we calculate the final tally of loss caused by this global event, we need to factor in the untold moments of grief, big and small, through our own loss of one kind or another. Perhaps this Good Friday we can take a moment to take the weight of all that distress, and put it beside the broken body of Jesus. Not only will it give us some perspective, it will place it where it can find healing.

Barry Struthers

Greetings, fellow 'inmates' in solitary confinement!  Imagine we've been brought to this by a tiny, insignificant virus!

But by respecting this lock-down, and thinking of others, we are well on the way to beating Covid's power of seeking out new victims.

Stay safe at home in your bubble, and enjoy the extra time of peace as we focus on that first Easter.  Please pray for those on the 'front line' of essential services.  My three sons are all involved in these, so their families are at increased risk even within their home 'bubbles'.

God is with us in our predicament;  He will never leave us or forsake us.   A promise from our Bibles:  "This too, will pass!" In times of testing, God is growing  qualities in his children; resilience, perseverance, patience and determination.  We will look back on these challenging times and, with perspective of time and distance, see that God was working in us to mold us and shape us to His perfect will for our lives.

This will be an Easter different from all others.  Physical Church buildings will remain empty. I can recall this happening in the late 1940s and early 1950s when Poliomyelitis struck New Zealand, causing widespread closures of schools, (from Christmas until after the Easter break;) churches, meetings, gatherings, swimming pools, parks etc were closed; and the inter-island connection was broken as ferries were forbidden to move freely. During these epidemics, coming so soon after WW2, many goods were still not available; or were restricted still under war-time rationing.  Our country was fearful of this terrible Polio curse that caused disabilities, and muscular wasting,  Many spent years in the dreaded 'iron lung' which breathed for them, keeping withering bodies alive.  There were also hundreds of deaths. Families with a polio patient had to stay in quarantine, flying a flag warning that they were 'unclean.' Kindly  grocers, fishermen and other vendors would collect necessary goods for isolated families, and drop them at the gate; to be paid for when the epidemic was over.  While young children regarded polio as a bonus extra holiday, it was a huge burden on families and medical and educational ministries.  Being such a resilient little country, Kiwis swung into gear, helping each other and respecting the restrictions rapidly put in place.

The  education of all children was paramount.  Those were the days where fixed telephones were not in many homes.  The 'red box' on street corners was the main contact with the world.  People saved their copper pennies for precious 3 minute phone-calls with family members.  We had no such devices as TVs, smart phones or computers. Most homes had a big old  clunky radio called the wireless; and the  Ministry of Education had one possible way of reaching at-home students.  That was the Correspondence School, which provided home- schooling programmes for remote farming families who were unable to get to schools.    They geared up magnificently, and soon produced up to 40 lessons a week, over the good old radio. Meanwhile these completed work assignments were posted in, or delivered to schools; where teachers spent many hours reading and marking 'homework,' and parents collected the marked papers from school.  This was mostly by bicycle, as no buses were running.

So we have 'form', Kiwis!  We have adapted to crises before. In this last decade, we've dealt with terrifying earthquakes, volcanic eruptions. terror attacks, massive floods and destructive wildfires.  We
have rallied and responded; helping each other through these turbulent times.  We remain vulnerable in our active and restless land-mass.  Every generation can learn from those who have guided us through past events; and our responsibility is to ensure that we are well prepared to handle future crises.  We must be alert, act wisely, and work WITH nature's forces rather than exploit them and disrupt echo-system; by greedy grabbing of riches.  We need to respect God's Creation;  It is His gift for all living species, for all time.  We are given the privilege of being stewards of His world, and He expects us to take that responsibility seriously .

So, while we are under such restricted living conditions, from the Covid virus, let's observe how creation is responding.  With fewer vehicles commuting on roads, at sea and in the sky, our air is clearing of daily pollution which had previously been rising rapidly.  Birds are singing more in urban areas, rivers are running more cleanly as pollutants from various businesses are reduced.   We have so much to be thankful for.

Today is Maundy Thursday; when we remember Jesus' last meal with His disciples, trying to prepare them for the horror to come in the next few days.

Let's honour His plea to them  "Do this in remembrance of Me."

Rose Francis.

Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I will not”.
Mark 14:29

The Lord has no use for bravado. How many personal disasters are born out of an arrogant spirit? At its root is presumption; the enemy of faith. Do we imagine that we really do deserve a safe passage through life, or may in some way earn it?

The Easter message is a collision of old and new. Under the old Law of Moses a pathway is prescribed that meets all of God’s requirements, yet none were found until Jesus who could do so. Enough time had been given to make the connection that righteousness was beyond mortal man. Not even Moses was up to it, and because of his presumption was left on the wrong side of the Jordan River when the promised-land appeared. Mankind was meant to fail, meant to recognise their need of a Saviour. It was time for the new.

The Peter that went on to become an empowered Apostle had to first be stripped of his own self-sufficiency. His denial of Jesus when put to the test proved to be his most important revelation about himself: he had limits. We too need to make that discovery for ourselves on a daily basis. When we come to Good Friday, we do well to acknowledge our shortcomings with some remorse.
Jesus re-instated Peter, just as he does for us when we come to Him for forgiveness. The new way to be put right with God is so profoundly different from the old. When we take the communion cup in our homes this Easter, will we recognise the great escape we have been given?

​Barry Struthers

Luke 22:11,12

“Say to the owner of the house, ‘The teacher asks: Where is the guest room where I might eat the Passover with my disciples?’ He will show you a large upper room, all furnished. Make preparations there.”

The Lord is never caught short of what He needs in the way that we often are. His foreknowledge of the Upper Room was exactly what was needed to set the stage for what was to become the most sacred of all celebrations for the Christian: Holy Communion. Every detail had symbolic significance which, like finishing a jig-saw, produced a whole new picture of God on Earth. No longer was He a remote, all-powerful and fearful deity in the heavens, but rather a fully present being, seated at the table beside us. The imagery is just as astounding for us today when we take it in.

It is all too easy for us to take Jesus’ presence for granted, yet fail to make contact. If we know that He did not hold himself back from even his enemies, then how much more does he desire the company of his friends? The invitation to join Him in Holy Communion is more than a symbolic gesture. He requires our presence. Even Judas was invited to the last supper. What Jesus has done is lay a table for all of us; one that is as perfectly prepared as the Upper Room itself. Man and God working together can result in great things. This is the message of today’s scripture.

We may want to shrink back from the thought that God requires something from us in order to get His own work done. Yet the Jesus we know is present within rather than outside of us. He is preparing us as He did the owner of the Upper Room, to make available everything we have for His purposes. “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for a life of good works, which God has prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2;10). Why would we resist such adventure?
 
Barry Struthers