THE WORD BECAME FLESH

Wednesday in the second week of Easter

Acts 5:17-26

Ps 34

  John 3:16-21

God so loved the world…

Dear friends in Christ, love is another name for God and that love moves God to mercy. If not for that love, the world should have ceased to exist. Even by human reckoning, the evil we witness on a daily basis which we refer to often as news, is beyond comprehension. The Book of Genesis relates the story of the flood in which God wiped out everything just saving a few to begin a new world. That however did not stop the evil that caused the first destruction from rearing its head again. The only explanation for the existence of the world, is the love of God which is beyond our understanding.

Our Gospel reading of today is from John 3:16-21 and it reveals the whole essence of the coming of Christ into the world. “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God sent his Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.” God’s judgement upon the world should have been that of condemnation. With so many warnings unheeded before the coming of Christ, one should have reasoned that the next sensible thing to do, will be to destroy the world and begin a new one. God however chose to send his Son. Not because the world had recognised its need for a saviour, but because God wants it saved. We are products of God’s love and mercy upon the world. The coming of Jesus therefore gives every person the chance to make a choice—a choice for salvation. Each person’s redemption will be based upon this choice—the choice for eternal life or eternal condemnation. But as John tells us further, “This is the judgement, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.” You need to examine yourself at this season. Jesus died and rose for our sake. Are you still living in darkness? What are those things you are doing and are convinced yourself that they are not right?

Our first reading today (Acts 5:17-26) reveals the courage of the apostles in proclaiming the Gospel, at the expense of their lives. The Apostles had been arrested and kept in the common prison for preaching the good news. Miraculously, God sent his angel to set them free and told them, “Go and stand in the Temple and speak to the people all the words of life.” It was possible to imprison the men, but the word of life could not be imprisoned. The courage of the Apostles is very refreshing, they immediately returned to what led to their arrest and imprisonment. We are the children of light and must never shy away from leading people to that light. Make the choice for God and for salvation and do all it takes to get there.

Let us pray: Lord, I am glad you are in my life. Give me the courage to make you known to all. Amen. 

+Remain blessed