Magyar Egyház, 1970 (49. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1970-03-01 / 3. szám
MAGYAR EGYHÁZ 13 Then the man telephoned his wife to tell her that he was alive. When she heard his voice, she dropped the phone and collapsed. He called on some of his friends who, upon seeing him, thought he teas a ghost and slammed the door in his face. Finally he found a friend who had not heard of his death and burial. He had his friend serve as an intermediary to convince his family and other friends that he was not a ghost. On the first Easter, a similar experience was had by Jesus. The women at the empty tomb, and the disciples were scared to death at the appearance of the resurrected Christ. The angel hud to say. Fear not . .. He is not here; for He is risen. Jesus himself urged His friends not to be scared but to believe that He was not a ghost but real. He urged them to handle Him, for a ghost did not have flesh and bones as He had. This is one of the chief proofs of the reality of the resurrection. If the friends of Jesus had not reacted in fear, which is normal, then the resurrection story would only be a story and nothing else. What is heaven like and where is it? To the penitent thief on the Cross Jesus said, “T o d a y slialt thou he with me in paradise.” The phrase with in e gives the answer. Heaven is where Christ is. A little boy who was lost was asked where he lived and he answered, “Where my Mommy lives.” Practically everybody wants heaven . . . but everyone shall not receive it because not too many walk with Christ on earth. Oh yes, they leant Christ in a sort of formal and routine way but to take up His Cross and follow Him. denying many things of this world, is too much to give up. They will cry to Him for help in time of trouble, in their last hour they will look to Him for mercy, forgetting that it is written: “and when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. Wash you, make you clean: put away the evil of your doings. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land” (Isa. 1:15-20). We must be willing and obedient to the Spirit that "it e walk in the light, as he is in the light . . . and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (/ John 1:7). Praise God “for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” I Jude 3 I that He revealed the poiver of God over all things, even death. Not only did He bring new hope and joy to his followers in the midst of their discouragement and sadness; He also gave to all men tin* great promise of eternal life. May His spiritual presence bring peace and joy to us as we sing the great hymn of Easter victory: 1. Low in the grave He lay—Jesus my Saviour! Waiting the coming day—Jesus my Lord! (Refrain) Up from the grave He arose, With a mighty triumph o’er His foes; He arose a Victor from the dark domain, And He lives for ever with His saints to reign. He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! CHRIST AROSE! 2. Vainly they watched His bed—Jesus my Saviour! Vainly they seal the dead—Jesus my Lord! 3. Death cannot keep his prey—Jesus my Saviour’ He tore the bars away—Jesus my Lord! LET US PRAY . . . Almighty God, whose Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, broke the seal of the tomb and came forth in glory, we laud and magnify thy holy name. Thou hast through thy Son conquered death. Thou hast given life to the sorrowing and thou hast covered the despairing with light. All honor and glory to thee who hast shown this dark world that thou art life and light. W'e who live in darkness because of disappointment, sickness or death, come to thee, beseeching thee to show us the empty tomb. Show us that in Thee death becomes resurrection, that through thy power we can rise from our dead selves. Too long we have lived half-heartedly. Too long a cloud has hung over us. We come to thee seeking deliverance from the body of this death. W’e pray that new life may come to our homes. We bemoan their lack of hope. There is no sign of Christ in our hearts. We are blinded by activities, earthly rewards, and temporal aspirations. Come into our homes, we beseech thee. Let us see the cross and then the empty tomb. We cannot stand hopeless before such glory. Let thy life so overpower us that we shall be changed. Dead customs prevail. Human reason, rather than thy spirit, sits enthroned. Only a few are brought to a knowledge of Christ. We honor tradition but not thy name. Thou who didst in Christ break forth from the tomb, break forth again. Revive thy church that it may be thy temple and a channel of redeeming love. We pray that new life may come to our world —to this wounded, broken, disillusioned, and despairing world. Lift up before the hungry peoples of the world the risen Christ on this Easter Day. Let the empty tomb move us to pay homage. Enter into the hearts of men and let them see Christ as Lord over death. Come, thou great Deliverer, to our torn world and revive it by thy mighty power. Thou who art the Lord, the risen Christ, come to us, show us the way and guide us by thy heavenly light. In the name of Christ. Amen. Bertram J. Sathmary
