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Easter Sunday Service
EBCC Delhi, Dwarka
Sunday, 31st March, 2013
John 20:29- Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed”.
Today marks the occasion of Christ’s resurrection, when he conquered death and crucifixion on the Cross to walk among Man before his ascent to Heaven. As we have mourned His death on Good Friday, on this Easter Sunday, we come together to celebrate his victory. The service began with the reading of the pledge and the congregants led by the worship team lifted their voices to the Lord in jubilation. Upa Tuanmuanthang delivered the offertory prayer and the induction ceremony of our fellow members- T. Siamkhum, Lalbiakmuan, Nianglalmuang, Niangmuankim, Chandan Katani, Esther Katani, Anand Katani, Kripa Katani and Nivedan Katani was presided upon by the Pastor as he prayed for them thanking God for the new members of His Church. This was followed by the presentation of a special number the Baptist Youth Fellowship choir and Mrs. Florence.
The Pastor then began his sermon on the topic Emmau Lampi (the road to Emmaus) based on the Book of Luke 24:13-35. With a quick recapitulation on last years’ sermon: the experiences of the women at the tomb of Jesus, he gave two key evidences of Christ’s resurrection which defies all logic and reason employed by those who wish to refute the facts. The first was the empty tomb and the second was his appearance. The dead body of Christ was laid in the tomb by Arimathea and Nicodemus, Thomas and Mary Magdalene too knew where the tomb was. The tomb guarded by vigilant Roman soldiers was found empty because Jesus was resurrected. This bodily resurrection signifies the resurrection of the dead on the day of Rapture and His bodily appearance is a living proof that He is truly arisen from the dead. For forty days after His resurrection, He walked with His disciples and appeared at around ten places, one of which is on the road to Emmaus.
The incident on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35) begins with a deliberation on the death of Jesus by two believers as they journeyed on the Emmaus road (v. 14). They were sad and disappointed because the Messiah who was supposed to have delivered them has died a physical death, proving Himself to be just as human as they were. They had expected him to lead them in a revolution that would begin about the deliverance of the Israelites and establish His reign, but the turn of events disappointed them. When Jesus appeared before them and made Himself unrecognizable to them, He asked them what they were discussing (v.17). Cleopas, who was one of the two men, rebuked Him for being ignorant of the Messiah’s death and expressed his disappointment to Him: “..we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel” (v21). To many, death seems like the ultimate end, that is why Christ chose to die, to show that there is resurrection, a victory over death for those who believe in Him. He was not late for Lazarus, He is the Lord who is never late in fulfilling His purpose. In verse 25-27, Jesus admonished the two men on their ignorance, “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself”(v.27). After He had instructed them and dined with them, Jesus revealed himself to them and ‘their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight. And they said to one another, ”did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road and while He opened the Scriptures to us” (v31,32).
When Jesus appeared before His eleven disciples (after the death of Judas), he dispelled their doubts by showing them the marks on His hands and feet to prove that it was Him, in the flesh. Jesus blessed them with a spiritual gift which He also bestows upon us as His believers. It is a spiritual gift: “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you” (v49). Those who are connected with the resurrected Christ, have the spirit of discernment; they can discern the works of the Holy Spirit from others. These are the people who commend their soul to God, as Jesus did on the Cross. It is not a one-time act, it has to be done daily, for with justification comes sanctification. For Jesus is the example of all that we must be, He understood that for Him there would not be glory without suffering, no exaltation without humiliation. He did not live as the world expected Him to, as we often seemed to be doing, rather, He showed the world what He expects us to be. He has set His footprints that we may follow in His path. This path is revealed to those who commend their spirit unto God and with this comes a sense of longing to walk with Him; the desire for a fellowship with God. This is the spiritual gift God has bestowed on us through Christ and ours to embrace or discard.
The sermon ends with a heart-warming rendition of “Emmau Lampi” by Mrs. Lydia and the singing of the “Khosiangthou Jerusalem”, led by the worship team. The benediction by Upa Thianzakham bring the Easter Sunday Service to a close.
# Let us pray that God gives us His blessings and brings us together for the next service on the 7th of April. Like the two travellers on the road of Emmaus, God walks with us always. Amen.
