Tower and Town, April 2024 (view the full edition)Clergy LetterJane, my wife, and I enjoy a good murder mystery, whether read as a novel or watched on television, at the cinema or theatre. One of our favourites at the moment is "Death in Paradise". Set on the Caribbean island of Saint Marie, DI Neville Parker and team solve complicated murders against cloudless skies and sparkling blue seas. Each week, we try to work out whodunnit. There is a sense of satisfaction on the rare occasion when we get it right. However, it is great when, during the denouement, we are taken by surprise and did not see the outcome until it was revealed. The killer is then handcuffed and led away. DI Parker and friends retire to Catherine's beach-front bar in Honoré for a cold beer and we are treated to more scenes of sea, sand and boats before the credits roll. Thinking of "Death in Paradise" led me to thinking about Jesus' death on the cross on Good Friday. Jesus, who had been proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God for the past three years or so, was nailed to the wooden crossbar to stop him. In the Bible, the Gospels of Mark, Matthew, Luke and John, tell us how Jesus shared the good news through teaching, preaching, healing, befriending, sharing meals and responding to all those whom he met. Declaring that the kingdom of God was at hand, he challenged the status quo, threatening the traditional religious leaders. So, they trumped up charges against Jesus and persuaded the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, to condemn Jesus to death on a cross. Jesus was crucified under an inscription which read, "This is the King of the Jews". His cross stood between two criminals. Whilst they were hanging there and dying in agony, one of the criminals taunted Jesus by saying, "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!" The other criminal asked, "Don't you fear God, since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus answered him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:39-43). "Paradise" was originally a Persian word, meaning a "park", or "wood" or "enclosure". When the Hebrew Bible, (what we call the Old Testament), was translated into Greek, paradise was used to describe the Garden of Eden when everything was perfect, just as God created it, before Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit and were driven from the garden. So, the loss of this paradise came to represent the loss of the presence of God. When people asked for forgiveness and came into a right relationship with God, then they returned to paradise, whether that was on earth or in heaven. At the end of time, at the end of the world, the righteous would return to paradise. After Jesus, the Son of God, came to earth and lived amongst us, the early Christian writers believed that paradise was restored and fulfilled in Jesus and his ministry. Jesus died on the cross so that our sins may be forgiven. When we believe in Jesus and are sorry for all that we have done wrong, which separates us from the love of God, he does forgive us. We can then know the peace and joy of knowing this and God's love for us, as his individual children. We are again in paradise. The choice is ours, yours and mine. Jesus' dead body was laid in a tomb. I imagine the religious leaders celebrating that Sabbath evening as they shared in the Passover Supper with extra joy as they had got rid of the troublemaker. However, they celebrated what they thought was the denouement too soon. God raised Jesus from the dead and on Easter morning, the women and disciples found Jesus' tomb empty. He was alive! Jesus has conquered not only sin, but death itself. Just as God raised Jesus from the dead, so he also raises those who believe in Him. We now no longer fear death, as Jesus has overcome it. Although this earthly life ends, we now have the hope and knowledge of eternal life with God in heaven. There is now "Life in Paradise"! May you know the power of the resurrection and the love of God this Eastertide and always. Happy Easter! Stephen Skinner |