For our Jewish friends who still believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, this weekend is incredibly significant. Sundown on Friday marked the beginning of Passover, and Passover is the annual celebration that memorializes ancient Israel’s salvation from Egyptian slavery. This weekend is also incredibly significant for Christians, because Jesus who is head of the church was crucified during Passover. More importantly, Jesus was raised on the Sunday morning following Passover, which is a large part of why Christians continue to gather for worship on the first day of each week. It is the “Lord’s Day,” because Sunday is the day of Jesus’ resurrection. And Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection are what liberates us from our slavery.
There are a lot of people, and maybe you’re one of them, who don’t think they’re slaves. But we all are. Read Romans 6:12-23 for yourself, and you’ll see that the Apostle Paul taught that we’re either slaves to sin or slaves to righteousness. There is no middle ground.
But there is good news. While sin brings destruction, division, and death into our lives, God has proven his ability to overcome all of that for us. We have a way out. Liberation is available to us, because Jesus conquered on the cross. I know that’s hard to understand, because nothing about crucifixion looks like victory, but Jesus’ crucifixion most certainly was. Over the next few weeks we’ll talk more about that in detail, and I’m glad you’re here today to get a sneak peek into this foundational truth of our faith: sin and death will not have the last word.
If you want more information or are interested in learning more about God and the salvation he made available in Jesus, please let me know. I’d love to study with you. (patrick@manchestercofc.org)
Patrick Barber, preaching minister