Easter Message from Archbishop Peter Jensen

“Easter brings of the Good News of forgiveness and love”

Our world today seems to be regularly experiencing the untimely, senseless deaths of many people, going about their own business in normal day-to-day activity. In a club on a Saturday night in Bali for example, or on a train trip to work in suburban Madrid. This sense of the cruel, untimely death of innocents haunts us and brings a sense of foreboding when we read the news or watch the video clips on our television screens.

Good Friday has always been a sombre day for Christians. Though they will be surrounded in the city this year by holidaying, joyful crowds and many Easter Show goers, still for many Christians it will be a day of reflection, and even grief.

We should surely ask, ‘Why do we speak of Good Friday?’ when on this day, above all days, we recall the death of Jesus of Nazareth. How can it be ‘good’ when it speaks of the cruel death of an innocent man?

The truth of the matter is that it is ‘good’ because he was the Son of God become man to save us. Here is Good News of forgiveness of sins and the promise of salvation. In Jesus’ message and the invitation that comes to all of us on Good Friday and throughout Easter there are eternal benefits for those who respond in repentance and faith, seeking forgiveness.

Those who seek will find, forgiveness, assurance of salvation, a sense of inner peace and awareness of God’s immense love.

Over the last weeks many people have been to view the latest film about Jesus Christ, that is, Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ. Many have been overwhelmed as they have realised the dreadful nature of the manner of his death – crucifixion. It was the death reserved for criminals who were non-Romans or slaves in the Roman Empire.

He was a good man, the good man, indeed the Son of God, entirely innocent, blameless of sin, yet he died on behalf of the sin of each one of us. Jesus whose death we remember, is the One who is at the same time Man and God, the Lord of Glory who in his death gave up his own sinless life for the sins of the world. He died, but after three days he rose from the grave, the victor over sin and death.

He died in our place and for our salvation, that is, for those who repent and believe in him as Saviour, there is the promise of eternal life with God. It is God’s free gift.  This good news from the Bible’s teaching is the good news of Good Friday and Easter Day.

It is an overwhelming message of love, God’s love for this sinful, broken world that knows no peace. In Jesus’ death and resurrection we find knowledge and understanding of the length and height and depth and breadth of the love of God for us. It calls us to respond with love for Him. We can do nothing less.

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