April Newsletter Article

I get to write for our congregational newsletter every other month, here is the coming offering:

I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously;
the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.
Exodus 15:1

Dear Brothers and sisters in Christ, making the Lenten journey from Ash Wednesday to the Resurrection of the Lord is no simple task. I suppose in one sense we can look at as a simple passing of seven and a half weeks, but we all know there’s more to Lent than that – Lent is as much a spiritual journey as it is a unique period of time within the church. We hold many extra services throughout the season, we hear more of repentance and faith, and above all else we focus upon the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In Lent we are preparing for the three holiest days of the church year – from Maundy Thursday to Easter Sunday morning (I know that’s four calendar days – but from beginning to end it’s more like two and three quarter days). These are called the holiest days of the church year because in them we travel with Jesus through the most important time of his life – his passion and resurrection. On Maundy Thursday we will find ourselves with the disciples in the upper room, not just watching and listening with them, but eating and drinking with them the body and blood of our Lord for the remission of our sins. On Good Friday we stand with John, the beloved disciple, and Mary, Jesus’ mother, at the foot of the cross, not just watching our Lord give himself up as the atoning sacrifice for the sin of the world, but also listening as he speaks and prays from the cross. Finally, on Easter Sunday, we will be there with Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, the three women who sought to anoint Jesus’ body, when they discover that Christ is not dead, but he is indeed risen from the dead!

That Easter Sunday indeed, dear friends, will be full of joy and gladness. We will be surrounded not just by hundreds of fellow Christians here at Zion and Christ The King – we will be celebrating Christ’s resurrection with the whole Christian church of every time and of every place. We will sign our Alleluias with the whole company of heaven and we will feast as God’s children should feast, because he has made us his children and won the victory for us!

Our celebration will not be unlike the celebration of God’s people, Israel, when God delivered them from certain death at the hands of Pharaoh’s army. In fact, I suggest you read it yourself by way of preparation for Easter! The first 15 chapters of Exodus are full of incredible hints, or shadows, that reveal themselves in Christ and the New Testament church, especially at Easter. The Passover, and then the delivery across the Red Sea on dry ground and the defeat of Pharaoh’s army, his horses and riders, are a picture of the redemption God has accomplished for us in his Son and delivers to us as we live our baptism. Daily, our sinful nature is drowned in baptism so that the New Man may arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever!

Make your plans now; I encourage you, to gather together with us at Zion to travel through the holiest three days of the church year. We will join our voices with the children of Israel – with Christ’s beloved church – and we will sing praise to the Lord together for he has triumphed gloriously! Our sin, our death, and the devil have been thrown into the sea – they have been defeated forever by Jesus’ resurrection! He is risen!

To Christ alone be all the glory, forever and ever, Amen.
Pastor Bakker