Monthly Devotion - April 2023
TURNED INTO A MARRIAGE OF GOOD NEWS
"Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” (John 4:39, NIV)
In April 2023 we will celebrate Easter, which is the commemoration of the day of Christ's resurrection over death. Without Christ's Resurrection the good news of eternal salvation is incomplete. The Word of God says, "Death has been swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who has given us the victory through Jesus Christ, our Lord" (I Corinthians 15:54-57). And as soon as Jesus was resurrected, His disciples preached from East to West the news of Christ's victory over death. Before the events of Christ's resurrection, in John 4:39 events are written, where many Samaritans from that city had believed in Christ because the Samaritan woman had been changed to become a true worshipper (John 4:23) and the Samaritan woman had also been changed to become a bearer of good news, which is about the Lord Jesus and his life and in the end many Samaritans from that city came to believe in God. What more after the Lord Jesus died and rose from the dead. The story of Christ's resurrection was not actually preached from West to East as we might think, but instead, reports from the Bible say that this news was preached from East to West (Mark 16:8 b). Major changes after Christ's resurrection moved from East to West. Likewise in these last days, the good news about eternal salvation, may it be preached from East to West, from Indonesia (Asia) to Europe. If Jesus, through the intercession of His disciples, preached the news of His terrible resurrection from East to West, today He also through us, the nations of the East, wants to convey this holy and incorruptible message about this everlasting salvation. to the nations of the West. This is a very special mission task for churches from the East who have experienced the power of Christ's resurrection. We, who are currently in Europe, should be able to be used by God to be bearers of good news that bring change. Just as the Samaritan woman was reported in the Gospel of John 4, so through our intercession as bearers of the good news, Jesus can make big changes to cities and nations in Europe. This is not impossible, but it is a reality that can happen when we can prove that we have a good way of life (moral excellence) on the day when God visits us. The Apostle Peter said to the Jewish immigrants who were abroad, “My beloved brothers, I advise you, so that as immigrants you distance yourself from the desires of the flesh that struggle against the soul. Have a good way of life among the Gentiles, so that when they slander you for immorality, they may see it by your good works and glorify God in the day when He visits them” (1 Peter 2:11-12 ). This reminds us as believers, so that we can be God's witnesses who have living testimony and want to be bearers of the good news, so that people can see our good deeds and glorify our Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16). For that, let us continue to be changed by God's power to become bearers of good news in these last days. Happy Good Friday and Easter, Amen!
By Pastor Silwanus Obadja M.Th.
...Monthly
Devotion - March 2023