by: Marie Antoniette Z. Balungcas / 1 April 2018
This year’s Easter Sunday theme was drawn out by the very reason for the crucifixion and resurrection, that is, the “Extravagant Love” of God.
Service got off to an entertaining start with two special numbers lined up, namely, one theatrical dance choreographed by Enrique de la Cruz and a chorale maestroed by Pastor Carlos Barcelona. The dancers were all in white spruced up with cloths of neon colors. Stringed wooden balls served as their props all throughout the presentation. It was a colorful and meaningful dance number. The singers too were all in white except for the purple top on women and the scarf on men. They sang the song titled Praise the King. It turned out to be a lovely blending of 4 different voices. Indeed all the performers did a job well done!
Of course, we still had the privilege of having our special speaker Pastor Michael Picone deliver the sermon. It was unexpected that on a Resurrection Sunday, he talked about the death of Jesus, referencing key text from Luke 23:44-46:
44 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, 45 for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, [a] he breathed his last.
Verse 44-45, talks about how darkness covered the whole earth and how Jesus stopped shining as he was breathing his last. It was God the Father’s way of grieving for the death of his only begotten Son. At the same time, the temple curtain in the Holy of Holies was torn into two giving us direct access to God. We can now come boldly approach the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16).
Verse 46 When Jesus commited his spirit into the Father’s hand, he not only imparted himself but of everything eternal especially our salvation.
In his preaching, he also posted a thought-provoking question that got us wondering“Why did it take 3 days for Jesus to rise again?” The explanation? The 3 days epitomize 3 different generations:
(Adamic) Adam and Eve Day 1
(Jewish) Moses Day 2
(New Creation) Present Generation Day 3
We are the New Creation in Christ as mentioned in 2 Corinthians 5:17. And because we are the present generation, we actually have a tremendous responsibility in our hands to become partakers of divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). We are entitled to pray for the sick and lead others to Christ. Since God has forgiven us, we can pay it forward by turning someone to Christ too.
We are all thankful to have Pastor Mike come preach to us throughout this Holy Week. His preaching served as an eye opener to all of us. It taught us not to waste the influence we have on others and use it in every oppurtunity we can to bring glory to God.
