DEAR FRIENDS,

 Easter is the hub around which the Christian faith turns. In fact, the last few days of Jesus’ life are critical for all Christians. The simple facts that historians agree on are: Jesus was arrested, tried and executed by the Romans and the form of execution used was crucifixion. Beyond that, we have to look at what the Gospels tell us. Here, the much asked question is, ‘are they true?’

Did he really forgive the men who had beaten him without mercy and had laughed as they nailed him to the cross? In all the agony he must have been in, was he really able to worry about his mother, or expend precious painful breath in promising a place in heaven to a convicted criminal crucified alongside him? Did he really commend his Spirit into the hands of a God who seemed to have deserted him and left him to suffer alone? 

The whole story is ridiculous to the thinking of many people. It is laughable to the Jews that the promised Messiah should end up suffering a terrible, apparently powerless fate, the most ignominious of deaths. It is an offence to Moslems that Almighty God would allow his only Son, part of himself, to suffer such as Christ demonstrates. St Paul reminds us that to those whom God has called, whoever they are “the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.”

 “To those whom God has called”. Is this Gospel only for a privileged few? Far from it. The Gospels tell us how Jesus explained to his disciples that he was going to die, that his death was for the forgiveness of sins, that he died for the whole world because God so loved the world!” Almost beyond belief, God sent Jesus, his only Son, to die for you and me. “Amazing love! How can it be, that Thou, my God, should die for me” wrote Charles Wesley, as he thought about the wonder of the creator of all things, being willing to die for him. It is amazing, and wonderful, for Jesus to be Lord of our life, our guide, our Saviour. Yet it is true, if only we will believe it; if only we will open our hearts to this most glorious news and allow Jesus in.

 I am often told that there is no need of God today; we have outgrown the superstitions of the past. Our modem scientific society provides all we need, and allows us to make informed choices without the necessity of faith in a supernatural being to dictate our behaviour. That lonely, agonising, terrible death on a cross was not a demonstration of power as we understand it, rather of weakness. It was not a demonstration of a desire to control but an acceptance of being controlled. It was not a demonstration of a lack of real concern but rather a wonderful outpouring of unconditional love for you and for me. I like to be loved, don’t you? Loved by a wonderful, wise, kind and gentle Jesus who never gives up on us, always sees the best in us and always only wants the best for us. “Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by?” asks Jesus from the cross in Stainer’s Crucifixion. It means the world to me, I hope and pray it means the world to you. 

REVD TIM WRIGHT