2024 EASTER MESSAGE

2024 EASTER MESSAGE

I want to talk and encourage you with a message of hope from the Lord. The Bible was written to encourage every generation. Therefore the word of God is alive for us today to encourage each one of us in our individual situations.

My brother in the Lord, Solomon Enya, said that the Devil is a lawless person. That is true of him from the Bible. His is lawless enough to attend meetings of the sons of God in the book of Job. He is lawless enough to tempt his own maker, the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Sometime the Devil appears to have won. In the life of the Lord Jesus Christ from Good Friday all the way to Sunday morning, the Devil appeared then to have won. We can see the situation and the despair in the words of those two disciples going to Emmaus. 

Luke 24:21b (KJV) But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: 

From Good Friday to Sunday morning at that time was a terrible time. The disciples locked themselves in because of fear - fear of the Jews or human beings. The women were afraid of who will roll away the stone. Fear was everywhere for the righteous at that time. 

We are familiar with such situations when we, like Jesus, hang on the cross and people mock us. There are times, like it was for Jesus, when we are benefit and those who depend on us lose hopes. The story of resurrection can encourage us as such times.

How do we have a living hope, hope that doesn't die or stand on uncertain foundations? Let us gain some insight on how to do that from the story of these our two brothers going to Emmaus. They were people going away from the center of hope. There is no need to stay in the fireplace when there is nothing but ashes. They had concluded in their hearts that Jesus had died and that all hopes were gone.

In such a time we need the following steps:

1. Recognize Jesus after Resurrection

Luke 24:16 (KJV) But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.

Jesus after Resurrection is not the Palestinian Man or the White Man that He used to be before He was killed. Resurrection makes Jesus available to us in all kinds of shapes, colours and sizes. 

Their eyes were holden, meaning they could not recognize Him as Jesus. We used to know him as physical human being with light skin. It is no more like that. He now lives in every true believer in His name. So how do you keep your hope alive? By walking with Him and by listening to Him as you walk the journey of life. 

I listen attentively at every altar, no matter who is preaching. I have heard God from even preachers I know nothing about. All I do is to have my paper and pen ever ready to note down His orders. You see, I've worked in Government House before in Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria. We had Military Governors then. Whenever they were talking we had to be ready to note down their instructions. How dare you say that you did not remember what you were told? 

Being ever ready to write was part of my practice after my conversion. Sometime it is not writing, for I do not even expect to hear Him. A total stranger has spoken the mind of God to me. A person just leading prayer had spoken the mind of God to me.  Choir ministration prelude have spoken the mind of God to me. A book that has been long on my shelf has been used by God to give me direction.  The thing to do after resurrection is expect the Master to reach you from any angle.

John 16:7

Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

That is one of the benefits of Resurrection. The Lord now operates from the Spirit angle. We don't need to observe the winds. We may not see wind or rain but these ditches shall be filled with water. 

2 Kings 3:17

For thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts.

That is the beauty of resurrection message. It gives us living hope. There should not be surprises anymore. A preacher on Television may speak the mind of God to you. Just ask for wisdom (Jam. 1:5) and wait. We used to know Jesus in the flesh. That has stopped. He is in all true believers now. Don't under rate any. 

2 Corinthians 5:16 (KJV) Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.

You and I can now enjoy living hope. That is a key blessing of Easter.

2. LEARN TO WALK WITH HIM

Those two men walked with the Lord. Average speed when trekking is about 2 to 3 miles per hour. The journey was for 7 miles. It must have taken them three or more hours. Remember that they were discussing. A lot of that time and journey was covered while Jesus, in the form of a stranger, was expounding the scriptures about Himself from Genesis to Malachi. What a walk with the Lord. Those who walk with Him cannot be taken by surprises. It's His habits not to do anything without telling the prophets. 

Genesis 18:17 (KJV) And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;

Abraham was not left in the dark when Sodom and Gomorrah were to be destroyed. Neither will God leave you and I in darkness concerning things or events around us. 

Amos 3:7 (KJV) Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

That is another consolation we have at Easter. But to maximally benefit from this, we need to have the habit of walking with God daily and every moment. We are taking of your daily prayer life and the way you read the word of God.

3. INSIST ON MORE FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM

Jesus appeared interested in going further, for He does not impose Himself on anybody. His call has always been based on 'If'.

Matthew 16:24 (KJV) Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

You are always free to follow Him or follow another person or thing. Nobody will be forced into Heaven. Coming to Heaven is like that invitation to dinner. 

Matthew 22:1-3 (KJV)  And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,

The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,

And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.

Nobody was forced to come. The invitation has always been like that all through generations. Even the feast by the husband of Queen Esther has the same space for human will. See the orders concerning their drinking of the wine made available in diverse types.

    

Est 1:7-8

And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one from another,) and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of the king.

8 And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure. KJV

This is the principle of God we see at Easter. 

3. THE TWO DISCIPLES INSISTED THAT HE TURNED WITH THEM

Without that, their next experience would have eluded them. It was then that the real revelation happened. 

 DINE WITH JESUS

The stranger did a strange thing. He took over the sharing of the meal. Who else could do that except the owner of all things? The two men looked up at His face. This time, nothing was hidden. They saw that it was Jesus. That very moment, He disappeared.

What a way to draw disciples to Himself! Did tiredness stop their retuning that night? Could fear of the night hinder them? No! A thousand times no. This journey back was faster. If they had dragged on in the night up this time, they now changed gear. Maybe they had arrived by 8pm in the earlier journey. Imagine that they spent to prepare the meal and spent time to prepare the room and the beds, especially because of their special visitor. Let us put the time now to be 10pm. 

4. PROMPT OBEDIENCE

They dressed up in a hurry. They rushed out in a hurry. They locked the door in a hurry. They walked back in a hurry. The journey that took almost four hours before was covered under two hours. So they were there by 12 midnight.

As they were reporting the matter, Jesus came in to collaborate their reports. What a way to have a living hope. May we always do this, 'drag' Jesus into more fellowship and into dining. At the peak of obedience, He shall always appear. On Mount of obedience, He shall appear more and more.

Genesis 22:14 (KJV) And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.

So do the four steps this moment.

1. Begin to recognize Jesus in other people, things and situations.

2. Walk with Him all the way of life from this moment.

3. Insist on more fellowship with Him

4. Give Him prompt obedience.

That is a sure way to benefit from the resurrection story this year.

Happy Easter to you.

Alex Oguh