Preacher: Pastor Daniel Nzo (HPS Canada)
Mark 1:1 reads, “The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” The Gospel means the Good News, that of freedom. It is great joy when prisoners, bound and chained, learn that their freedom is not a thing of tomorrow but today! Thus, the decision is ours to embrace the Good News. We have joy today because of salvation. We have been set free to rejoice!
To speak of freedom, a situation of bondage or slavery needs to be active. Colossians 1:13 tells us that we have been set free from the power of darkness, which keeps man enslaved. Jesus Christ came to set us free from the power of darkness, adopting us into the kingdom of light. Therefore, life without Jesus is one without hope, because without Him, we will remain enslaved and in bondage our entire lives, struggling with addictions, unforgiveness, hatred, and all kinds of sin. Yet, when we are set free, we are able to enjoy a life of purpose in Jesus Christ, but outside of Him, our lives become meaningless.
Similarly, the death of Jesus Christ without the resurrection is meaningless, as it renders our faith vain and invaluable. Luke 24:34 states that Jesus Christ really rose from the dead and Peter saw Him. This was crucial for the disciples, as He had promised them He would return and be among the living (Matthew 17: 22-23). The resurrection thus confirms that He is who He says He is, affirming that His promises are true. The truth cannot be proven by reality but by using God’s Word. Therefore, the resurrection of Jesus is the truth that reveals the reality of His life and death.
Freedom is the deliberate gift of God to us, demonstrated by the death of Jesus on the Cross for our sins. John 3:16 tells us about God’s intentionality. He gave up His only Son so that we would have eternal life. The intention of God to grant eternal life is reflected in the phrase “so that.” However, we often misinterpret His intentions when things don’t go our way. The Israelites lost sight of God’s good intentions to deliver them to a land abundant with milk and honey. Yet they had to cross the desert to get there.
In facing deserts or experiencing our wilderness on the way to the Canan of our lives, we remain joyful, strong, and hopeful when we hold onto the knowledge of God’s good intentions for us. Doubt and unbelief are on the enemy’s agenda but the Will of God is that we rejoice in the life we have through Christ. This life contains many packages, of which, the foremost is the guarantee of eternal life: the life of God in us.
It does not start when we die; it starts when we accept Jesus Christ. Instantly, His life starts to flow in us. That is why, in the life of man, it is the spirit that matters, not the body, because our body does not define who we are but the spirit does. When we understand this, we will experience our freedom differently. This difference is soon visible in the joy we radiate, no longer joy depending on what we see but on the Lord, for His joy is our strength. We rejoice because we know that God’s intentions for us are good and perfect.
Finally, the Bible teaches us that “repentance” is the change of one’s mindset and direction. Jesus, before His death on the cross, emphasised the narrow road to heaven compared to the wider road of destruction. After His death on the cross and His resurrection, He planted the cross on the wide road that leads to death so that those who are going in that direction can encounter the cross and change direction. He came for sinners—to transform them into saints, removing their guilt and giving them hope.
Summarily, somebody who is still in bondage does not rejoice because they are still enslaved. So such a life without Jesus is meaningless, as it lacks hope and purpose. Moreover, true peace and joy are not guaranteed by our environment but are found only in Jesus Christ. He has good intentions for our lives, and when we encounter His love, we should take advantage of it. God did not keep His love from us; He gave His love so that all might experience it. As beneficiaries of God’s love, Christ appointed us to bear the testimony of His Cross in us, presenting others with the opportunity to be recipients of this love.
