Alastair Bateman, CEO of Church Mission Society, reflects on the power of the resurrection this Easter.
In a personal message, Alastair reflects both on the loss of his own mother and the horrifying situation in DR Congo.
In the face of our grief, whether a personal loss or tragedies of an international scale, Jesus’ resurrection has the power to transform and bring lasting hope.
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Transcript
Hello, everyone, and Happy Easter.
The Good News of Jesus’ resurrection and therefore our eventual resurrection has been especially poignant to me this Lent.
In February I lost my mother suddenly and unexpectedly.
Mum was a much loved member of our family and church community at Saint Peter’s Frimley, where she attended for 60 years.
Full of faith and commitment to mission, she was a supporter and pray-er for CMS for years. She was due to step down from the PCC this year but at 87 years of age, showed no signs of slowing down in living life to the full and in service to others.
I have learnt in my time at CMS that this level of faithfulness is not unusual for the older generation! And if that description of mum fits you as well – then thank you – you are an inspiration to the rest of us.
I was reminded last week by a vicar friend of mine that the Anglican Church takes death very seriously. It is, of course very sad – brutal in fact. There’s no denying the loss that we will all experience at some point in our lives. And yet, as Paul writes to the Thessalonians, we do “…not grieve as others who have no hope” (1 Thess 4:13).
This means that while grief is real and painful, our mourning is different from the world’s because we believe Jesus conquered death and that those who believe in him have everlasting life.
As Jesus said,
“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.”
John 11:25-26 (NIV)
Of course this doesn’t remove the grief – but it does transform it.
And it is this Christian Hope that can help us through the tough seasons of life.
I want to thank all of you who have recently joined with us in our particular concern for the situation that has unfolded in Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Your prayerful generosity has meant the world to our brothers and sisters serving in this time of tragedy.
And we remember other places in our world that cause us to grieve and lament, too, almost too many to list here.
If you’ve been following our Lent devotional, “How Not to Give Up”, you’ll know that our ultimate reason, is that we don’t give up because, thanks to Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, all shall be well.
His love conquers all, even death.
In the wonderful words of the old hymn we sang at Mum’s thanksgiving service, because of Jesus, we persevere, in confidence that we will be
Changed from glory into glory,
till in heaven we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise.Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
Charles Wesley
Thank you for listening to this message and for being part of CMS. Once again, happy Easter to you all. He is risen indeed!
