The Jewish PASSOVER WAS NOW IN PROGRESS - nothing more could be done further before Sunday morning.
SATURDAY must have sat heavily upon all the Disciples. A day of deep distress, and sense of immeasurable loss; a day of FEAR.
Certainly NOT happy day of frivolity for THEM.
Here in ELDORET we have been quite amazed to find that many Churches had no Service on Good Friday. We had a few 'pastors' attending ours!
AND TODAY some are already rejoicing over the Resurrection! A day of FUN, and LOUD rejoicing. We wonder what will happen tomorrow! Such a CHANGE. There could have been NO resurrection without SACRIFICE.
SATURDAY has all these years been a very QUIET day. Shops have opened, but generally there has been a kind of subdued sense of impending desolation - at least for some.
The Hymn writer, Robert Lowery, writes of the hours immediately following the Death of our Lord -
'LOW IN THE GRAVE HE LAY,
Jesus my Saviour!
Waiting the coming day,
Jesus my Lord.
Yes the FINALITY of the STONE in front of the TOMB must have encouraged a lack of belief in His Life. He was DEAD, even the Soldiers at the Cross believed it. Pilate, the Priests, even Joseph of Arimathaea believed it. Life for them seemed to be at an end. Nothing would be the same again.
BUT ON SUNDAY morning the Women went back to the tomb and found it EMPTY, the STONE rolled away from the Entrance - And the hymn writer says =
UP FROM THE GRAVE HE AROSE,
with a mighty triumph o'er his foes
He arose a Victor from the dark domain
And He lives forever with His saints to reign
He AROSE! He AROSE!
Hallelujah! Christ Arose!
Mary met and spoke with Him before running to tell the others. Peter and John ran to find the tomb EMPTY. Two men walking home that morning also met Jesus, and took Him home with them. They did not at first know Him, but then as they ate breakfast together they saw the 'nail prints' in His hands - and then He appeared to the Disciples in the Upper room where they were hiding Yes He was not Dead but ALIVE, and is alive today, and soon to come again to gather all those that have believed in Him, both dead and living, to take them to be with Him Forever.
Easter Sunday
for us, this year will see us joined together for our
Resurrection Service
which we hold in the School Hall at 10.30 a.m. our time.
ALL our Staff and children, and young people.
from the three Homes and two Hostels will be there.
I shall be leading the Meeting.
First we shall have a time of Praise and Worship
Then Breaking of Bread.
Thereafter perhaps some testimonies
plus Bible Readings, Hymns and Choir pieces
THEN, finally
Pastor Wykliffe Ondanga
will bring the Message for the Day.
We shall be giving Thanks for our Father's Providence
and Love to us all
We trust that this Easter will also be Meaningful , and especially a Blessing to you all, You will all be in our prayers, trusting that Jesus will give you new proof and evidence of His Risen Presence with you all.
Lovingly in Him.
John, Esther, and Daryl Green
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