From the Desk of Bishop Evon St. A. Nunes
Greetings to everyone in the name of our Savior and our Sacrifice, Jesus Christ!
During this time of remembrance of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, some may ask the question, “What has this to do with me”?
The scriptures teach that we were created by God in the beginning of time, righteous, and we had fellowship with God – this, of course, was because humans were innocent and free of sin. The separation came when the first man disobeyed the command of God and plunged all humanity into sin.
Gen 1:26-28
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Gen 2:8 And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.
Gen 2:16-17
And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Gen 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
Gen 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. KJV
This disobedience resulted in expulsion from paradise and fellowship and highlighted the need for redemption.
Gal 4:4-5
4 But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Note Jesus’ words prior to his redemptive act on Calvary captured in John 12:27 “Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.”
The definition of redemption is deliverance by payment of a price. In the New Testament, redemption refers to salvation from sin, death, and the wrath of God by Christ’s sacrifice.
Easter reminds us of that time when Christ gave His life for the whole world, that we might be saved and brought back in to fellowship with God. This is what the season has to be with each of us.
We pause to celebrate that great event on Calvary, and rejoice in sins forgiven.
May this time bring you joy, peace and a sense of deliverance, as we anticipate our final redemption!
If your hope is wavering or you think that your sins can’t be forgiven. Come; hear the word of the Lord. His thoughts toward us are good and not evil. He has given us an opportunity for a successful end.
