I got to share the Easter story with some African children last week. While most knew of the Resurrection, I think many were hearing some of the details of the passion week for the first time. What a pleasure it is to tell children the stories of God. I’ve discovered that no matter where you are in the world, little ones seem to hang on every word. I chose young barefoot volunteers to be Jesus, His disciples, Malchus, and a donkey. When we came to the Cross, I asked, “Why did Jesus have to die?” Many voices rang out, “To save us from our sins!”
Nearly 20% of the population of Namibia is HIV positive. We cry out, “Lord, save the Africans from their sins!” But as I cry for Africa, I also cry for our country. We have more stuff, but we have the same need. We may not see the exterior devastation in our neighborhoods, but the devil is just as happy to destroy the interior and his tactics in the U.S. are just as lethal.
I sat next to a white South African businessman on the plane from Windhoek to Johannesburg. When he heard our reason for visiting Africa, he made an interesting observation. “Scores of Africans are turning to Christianity these days. And do you know why? Because unlike so many of us educated Westerners, they are desperately in need and they ask God to rescue them.” If the devil has succeeded in making the wealthy and educated believe they don’t need God, who is in the greatest danger?
This is why the Easter story is the hope of every nation. We remember the sacrifice of our Savior on this Good Friday, but the Resurrection brings the celebration. After telling the children what happened on the third day, I asked, “Why did God raise His Son from the dead?” No one answered. Finally one little boy raised his hand. His beautiful voice will stick in my mind forever as he shared a profound truth: “To prove that He was the Almighty!”
God proved Jesus is the Almighty by raising Him from the dead and He wants to let this Almighty One give us new life. One of my missionary friends in Namibia shared an encouraging word last week. She told me that while she was praying one day, God showed her a picture of me. “I felt God was literally raising you from the dead and infusing you with life.” Often I feel that God has physically done this for me. Even for this past trip, I think God touched my body and allowed me to go. So many of you pray for me and I sometimes think I am a walking testimony of the power of God. But if the blood I gave at the doctor’s office yesterday comes back with a bad report, I won’t be overly discouraged, because I know this earthly body is only temporal. There is a testimony greater than physical healing that has everything to do with the Resurrection. I was once spiritually dead and God made me alive.
This is why I can never look down on a sinner in a poverty stricken African neighborhood. I was a sinner in the wealthiest nation on earth. Jesus died for us all. He is the risen King of Kings and He gives eternal life to all who believe in Him… whether we have shoes or not.
The Resurrection is the heart of the Gospel. Paul wrote, “If there is no Resurrection, we are to be pitied more than all men.” (see I Corinthians 15) Though we sometimes don’t see ourselves in Christ quite as clearly as we should, the truth is we are resurrected souls. We are walking proof that that there is a God. We don’t even need to fear death, for we are confident there is a Resurrection. What a reason to be thankful for Easter!
“Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin – because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” Romans 6:3-11