EASTER SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE
20 April 2014 | Delhi EBCC | Dwarka
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It was a bright and beautiful Easter Sunday. The church was packed to the brim with people donning their Sunday bests, for this was not an ordinary day. This was a day of Glory. This was a day to revel in, to celebrate, to glorify God, a celebration of triumph. They were gathered there to celebrate Jesus’ victory over death. Even after the programme was started, more people kept on arriving. The balcony, the porch of the church, the steps and even the courtyard was thronged with people gathering there yet again to rejoice in this miraculous victory from death and to thank God for the hope that it gives to mankind.
The worship programme was started on time as usual. The Worship Team led the congregation with selected songs that celebrated the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Songs like, “Hankhuk Sung Ah Lum Hi” which lauds the wondrous fact that Jesus had the power, the ability and the authority to overcome death, and “Khosiangthou Jerusalem, Ka Tanpa Ahing Chih Ka Thei, Thou Aw Ka Kha Kipak A Om, etc. are some of the songs that were sung, which were all all-time favourites. These songs explored the Resurrection in great details, also tells us to rise up, be glad and glorify the Lord with songs of praise and to be reassured by the fact that this day is proof that Jesus had indeed risen from death and is living!
After these singspiration, it was time for each members of the congregation there to dedicate themselves to God in prayer, thanking the Lord once again for giving us His only begotten Son to save us sinners, and for opening the Gates of Heaven through Him. Upa Khamkhanpau Guite then asked for the Lord’s blessing of the donations and gifts collected for the day.
Then followed two beautiful choirs presented in succession by the Local Baptist Dorcas Fellowship and the Baptist Youth Fellowship. The BDF Choir sang ‘Ka Tanpa Ahing Chih Ka Thei’ and the BYF Choir, ‘Ka Mang’ Lenna,’ both beautiful and haunting songs about the Resurrection.
Then Pastor Nenglian took to the pulpit and started his living message for this Glorious day. He began by reading from The Scripture, The Gospel according to John 20:18 which says, ‘Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and that He had said these things to her. I have seen the Lord, this was the topic for the Pastor’s message of the day.
The Pastor began his sermon with a reflection on the various questions asked by the doubters of today’s world. He said that doubters often question why Christmas day is important trying to find historical accuracies, then shared his thoughts on the propounded theory that the very name Easter Sunday is derived from the Babylonian goddess Ishter. He stressed and clarified that the name of the day itself or what we choose to call it is not important. What is important is the reason that they were being celebrated for. He said it is important instead to ask yourself what God want for you in this Easter occasion.
There were many sceptics when it comes to Christianity. Those who rely solely on their own wisdom will always fail to see the truth. This is why Existentialists could never accept something which defies the laws of nature. People rising from death, a mass of people crossing the Dead Sea on foot, these are things which are against the law of nature. They said if you strip away the myth and the miracles from the Bible, you will see the true message in the Bible. They said all miracles are myth including Jesus walking on water is hogwash. But today, God is declaring now that He had overlooked our times of ignorance and is telling us that people of everywhere should repent. Even the Individualists’ self-reliance and self-importance techniques will not cut it anymore. God is demanding that we repent. No one will be able to say I don’t care anymore. Nobody will be excused.
He then discussed the circumstances surrounding the Resurrection of Christ, of how Mary Magdalene was the first person to ever saw Him after He had risen. Jesus had appeared first before her and she then ran off to tell the Disciples. They were doubtful of her and Peter and John went to confirm. They saw that indeed the tomb was empty and they found the shroud with which Jesus’ body was wrapped in lying there still intact with the imprint of Jesus’ head and body shape. He then appeared to them before being taken up to Heaven.
The Pastor pointed out that the clinchers of Resurrection are:
- The empty tomb
- Witnessing
- Appearance of the risen Christ to the Disciples.
The Pastor then read a passage from Proverbs 3:7 and warned that as long as you continue to believe or use God according to your own convenience, then there maybe something wrong with the way you believe. He asked the congregation to have a firm belief. He said that believing in the Bible or in God is never a blind belief. He then concluded his message with a prayer.
The Worship Team again led the congregation with the last song of choice, “Ka Damlai Na Ka Zohchiang,’ after which Upa Kam Suanthang closed the Easter Sunday Worship Programme with a benediction.
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-By Tuangoulal Phualte
Content Writer, Media Team
