Life wins!

LAST week we welcomed 420 Year 6 pupils and staff to our buildings in Milton Road to spend two hours exploring the story of Easter week. The story was presented by volunteers from across the town’s churches. It was a joy.

Of course for the children this was an educational and cultural visit: the story is on the schools’ curriculum because it’s written deep into our nation’s culture. But we told the story with the conviction that it is important, not just culturally and historically, but daily. Right now.

As part of the presentation I asked the children what they feel is wrong with the world right now.

Their responses were fascinating – they are informed and aware: pollution, terrorism, war, poverty, certain politicians… But also things that impact their lives more immediately: unfairness, people being mean, bullying, inequality. The stuff we humans do to each other and to the world.

We then talked about the Christian belief that when Jesus suffered in agony, nailed to a cross, he was willingly, deliberately taking upon himself the pain and agony of all these terrible things that blight our lives today. And he cried out to God, “Father, forgive them”.

“What does this tell us about what sort of person Jesus was?” I asked. “Loving, forgiving, kind,” they typically said.

And then he was buried in a tomb. Dead and buried. That’s the last we’ll hear of him.

Except it wasn’t, was it. Christians believe that a couple of days later, Jesus rose back to life. And when he did, suffering and evil snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Life Won.

What this means is, there is always hope. Because when it all comes down, however painful the agony and death we feel we are experiencing, there is always resurrection afterwards. Whenever you get knocked down, you can get up again. Just like Jesus did.

This law is written deep into the fabric of the world: Life Wins. Happy Easter.

(PS If you’d like to know more, visit a church this Easter Sunday. You’ll be made really welcome)