There were 6 desperately ill men in the cardiac ward, waiting for a death, and hoping it would not be their own.  “What does it feel like knowing that for you to live, someone has to die?” I asked David.  He lay back against the pillows, his face as white as the linen.  “I am already praying for that person”, he whispered breathlessly.  “And I’ll pray for him every day for the rest of my life”
 
I glanced around the ward of mostly middle-aged men who were hoping for a suitable donor heart to be found before their own tired hearts completely failed.  (Around Christmas is a good time, they tell me, with lots of young hoons involved in terrible road smashes.  Healthy hearts from brain-dead donors are what would save these patients.)  All were on Dialysis (as was my father,) while they waited for a saviour kidney.
 
How would you feel having the heart of a donor beating in your chest?  What about a donor’s kidney filtering your blood?  Would your life take on a new level of significance? a sense of responsibility? an appreciation of the high price of your health?  Perhaps, an indebtedness to the one who had died, so that your life could be renewed?   I would thank God daily for His provision of a new organ when mine was unable to support life!  Even so, however advanced surgical skills become, organ transplants can still only extend the life of the human body for a limited period of time.
 
The Bible speaks of another death which brings unlimited life to the recipient’s heart and soul; -  the death of  our Lord Jesus.  While amazing medical advances make heart transplants possible, this procedure only prolongs our life until organ rejection, or age wears us out.  The reprieve from a heart or kidney transplant is temporary.  But the death of Jesus is effective not only for this life, but for all eternity!
 
Because Jesus died as the perfect sacrifice for our sins., He died in our place the death we deserve. His death gives us the opportunity to be reunited with God.
 
How should we respond to this amazing gift of life?  Firstly, we can only receive it by faith and repentance.  Just as the heart or kidney patient will not benefit from the death of the organ donor unless willing to receive that organ, so we will not benefit from the death of Jesus unless we accept His gift of love and forgiveness.
Having received our new life, how then should we live?  With gratitude, humility, and obedience to the One who made it possible for us to live a full life,
 .
The result – suddenly there’s a new meaning and deeper purpose in life.  This is the real renewal;  the change from ‘waiting for death’.  to ‘preparing for our new life.’  What’s more, it takes us through to Eternity.
There’s no better time to receive this gift than at Easter time.
 
By His death and resurrection our sins are forgiven  (Ephesians 1:7)

Rose Francis

Chilly, concerned, Christ calls
“Come, companions.  Consider, counsel,
comfort, cleave, console, cheer.
Co- operate.  Crisis creeps closer!”
Crafty chum, calculating; concealing contempt
Coolly cuddles Christ. 
Corrupt coward’s conspiracy complete.
 
Captured Christ calm, courageous;
Countenance composed.
Chosen course – Creation’s cure.  Christ consents.
Critics, culprits cursing, chastening. 
Certain conviction; culmination – crucifixion!
 
Chosen close comrade cowering, capricious.
Cephas creeping closer; concerned, cautious.
Citizens clamouring, cry “Crucify!” 
Consequently challenged,
Christ’s companion capitulates. 
Contact confirms claims, charges.
Christ’s covert colleague crumples.
(Concerned Christ concurs Cephas’ conduct culpable.)
Cock crows - cowardly chosen companion cracks.
 
Clamouring crowd congregates.  Confusion! Contention!
Cheats conspire, Caiaphas conforms, Christ’s cheek clouted. 
Cruel crown crushes Christ’s comeliness. 
Chanting crowd cries “Crucify!”
Council challenges, censures Christ;  chastise cruelly.
Chief-priest compliant, conforms, colludes.
Caiaphas commits, charges, condemns courageous Christ. 
Congregating crowd churlish, celebrates.
Clemency choked; calamity certain.
 
Christ creeping, clutching cross;
 crumples,
                     crawls,
                                  collapses.
Cyrenian chosen, coerced, compelled; carries Christ’s cross.
Chaos! Commotion! Calvary comes closer!
 
Crude crosses cast; clanking cruelly.  Cynical, curious crowd converges.
Critical crucified criminal companion challenges Christ.
“Consider consequences!”
Contemptuously curses calm, considerate Christ.
Contrary conduct; convicted criminal companion contrite; changed.
 Confesses consternation, calls Christ – character converted!
 
Christ’s cross central.  Contorted, Christ’s comeliness cut. 
Contemplating, calling, caring,
comforting crying companions.
Custodial centurian, confounded, clasping  cast-lot cloak. 
Convinced, converted, confesses
“Condemned character’s certainly Christ – Creator’s Child!”
 
Clouds cover Calvary.  Christ’s crucifixion cancels corruption!
Carnal censure ceases.  Condemnation conquered.  Cyanosis culminates-
Controlled climax.  Closure.  Curtain cut.
 
Corpse collected.  Cell contains, conceals cadaver, conspicuously confined.
Corpse cold, constricted. Cave closed.  Christ’s carnality ceases.
Copious crying; consternation.
 
 
Cherished corpse changed!  Celestial conquest complete!
Choir chants “Celebration!   Christ’s Cross conquered Calvary!”
 
Christ comes, calls, challenges, cherishes.
Converts contrite;  controls cheats; calms confused, comforts concerned.
Cleans contaminated, confounds critics, convinces cynics, convicts consciences,
Christ calls “Come close!  Cleave, commune, celebrate.  Calvary’s conquered!

Rose Francis

In such a time as this, we may pause and reflect upon the role and direction of every church. Within our small groups, perhaps we could discuss and pray about the church’s role today. Here are some thoughts we’ll like to share:

• The church comes home: That every home may be a sanctuary for God and provide warm hospitality to people
• The church goes digital: That every member would stay connected to their church communities in this digital age
• The church prays more: That every believer would unite with the wider church in fervent and steadfast prayer
• The church brings hope: That every church may actively step up in evangelism and social care for the vulnerable

Even as we exercise responsible care and take precautions such as online sermons and meeting only in our household groups during this situation, may mutual encouragement from the community continue to flourish!