Easter — If Jesus was here, what would He do?
THIS year’s Easter celebrations are unique to the church and our communities in several ways as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic has claimed and affected the lives of millions of people- we are having more questions than answers. If Jesus was here, what would He do? How would He solve this pandemic? Would he allow us to congregate and celebrate the traditional Palm Sunday the usual ways? No one knows, all we are doing is adhering to Covid- 19 protocols of maintaining social distancing, hand-washing and vaccination, among others.
As Christians, during this Easter and Holy week, we remember Jesus Christ; the Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary. In John 1, He is part of the Trinity. He became flesh and dwelt among mankind. He is commonly referred to as the ‘Bread of Life’ (John 6: 25-59) and satisfies our deepest needs. He is the ‘Light of the World’ (John 8:12) who illuminates the world from gross darkness and sin. He is Emmanuel, meaning the God who is with us (Mathew 1: 23).
He is our Saviour (Mathew 1: 18-25); our Peace (John 14: 27); our Friend (John 15: 15); our Mediator (1 Timothy 2: 5); our Intercessor (John 17); our High Priest (Mathew 8: 3); our Good Shepherd (John 10: 11, 14); Our advocate (1 John 2: 1); our Righteousness (1 Corinthian 1: 30); our Healer (Mathew 9: 35, 1 Peter 2: 24).
The bible reminds us that when we were young, we used to think like toddlers, alas, we have grown up, we now think as adults, asking a very serious question once again that, if Jesus was here with us today, ‘what would He do?’ for His people in the face of the seemingly unending crises. Now that we are mature, we should understand the importance of this consciousness on the value of Easter celebrations. We believe that one
day, some day, there is going to be the second coming of Jesus Christ. That He died and resurrected on the third day. Today’s many crises we face as humanity shall come to pass!
At a time when our nation is grappled with social problems such as the murder of the seven year old; Tapiwa Makore from Murewa, we ask ourselves ‘If Jesus was here, what would he do?’
At a time when there is child sexual abuse, we ask the same question, ‘If Jesus was here, what would he do?’ We are confronted with alcoholism ‘kusticker’ because of crancho, broncho, msombodia, ‘If Jesus was here, what He would do?’ We now have absent fathers ‘If Jesus was here, what would He do?’
Families are broken because of moral decay in the form of infidelity, incest and gender based violence, ‘If Jesus was here, what he would do?’
Our youths are now slaves to laziness, hopelessness, disrespect, substance abuse, pornography and sex orgies ‘If Jesus was here, what would He do?’ Corruption – kudhiza, kutonyora have become the language of the day, ‘If Jesus was here, what would He do?’
The Easter story reminds us that Jesus is the answer to the world’s problems (John 3: 16).
He brought hope to the woman of Samaria. He did not discriminate on the basis of gender. Jesus embraced those who were labelled by world as sinners and outcasts, for example, Mathew the tax collector (Mathew 9: 9-13), the Leper and Legion (Mark 5: 1-20).
He did not regard a person’s stature, for example, Zaccheus (Luke 19: 1-10). He cried with those who were crying when Lazarus died (John 11: 35).
I present to you; the risen Saviour who is the Man in authority (Mathew 8: 5-13). He can resurrect the dead situation in your life.
He can resurrect a dead financial situation, a dead marriage, dead relationship, a child who is dead due to substance abuse, a distant father who has gone astray with a mistress because that is what Jesus would do.
He would resurrect all negative situations to positive situations, for with Him, all things are possible!