Easter: Victory over an invader

Many of us have spent much of 2022 so far with our eyes fixed on eastern Europe. No one could quite believe that an invasion of Ukraine would actually go ahead – until it did. As we’ve watched tanks rolling down suburban streets, we’ve felt shocked that a European war could happen “in this day and age”.  As we’ve seen artillery firing on residential buildings, we’ve all felt “it should not be this way”. In 2022 we’ve been reminded that our world’s problems don’t only come from infectious viruses or extreme weather. So many of the world’s problems originate in the human heart.

As we stare at our TV screens or scroll through the online updates, we all long to hear news of victory. We want to hear that the defenders are succeeding, that the invaders are being defeated, that the forces of aggression are having to give up and go home. At the time of writing, it’s unclear when or if that moment will come in Ukraine.

Easter is all about the defeat of an unwelcome invader.

When the Bible tells the story of human history, it shows how God intended his world to be a place of life and peace. But, sadly, human choices have made it a place of conflict and disconnection. Amidst the relational split between creatures and their creator, death has entered the picture. Death is an unwelcome invader in God’s world, with no rightful place here, wreaking destruction and heartbreak far and wide.

But at Easter, Christians celebrate the defeat of this enemy.

As we’ve watched the war in Ukraine we’ve admired leaders who don’t flee to safety but instead stay at their post out of solidarity and care for their people. On Good Friday, Christians remember how king Jesus didn’t back away from death but courageously walked towards it – for the sake of his people. On Easter Sunday, we celebrate how Jesus defeated death – rising to new life in victory over the invader. This is a victory that all followers of Jesus get to share in. As the Bible puts it: “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15.57). Sharing this victory means the solid hope of eternal life in the future, and a reason to be workers of life and peace in the meantime.

Whether you have some background with church things, or are just a curious spectator, we at All Saints would love to have you come along to church this Easter to hear more about Jesus the victorious king and the difference his victory makes for us.