Letter from the Manse                                 Easter 2006

Dear Friends

Max Lucado is one of my favourite Christian authors. I was reading in one of his books lately of one of his childhood memories. He and a group of friends had constructed a tunnel. Well, in actual fact it was more like a trench or ditch a few feet wide which they made into a tunnel by covering it with planks of wood and heaps of earth, while the entrance to this make believe world was camouflaged with bushes. The day came for the tunnel to be tested. Was it strong enough? Wide enough? Would it collapse? The only way to be sure was to send a volunteer through. So as five friends in T-shirts and jeans stood in the Texas sun, Max’s brother made his way into the tunnel. As they waited with their eyes fixed on the exit, no one spoke. The only movement was the pounding of their young hearts. Finally, they saw the sandy hair of the brave volunteer emerging form the tunnel. Lucado says, “I can remember his triumphant fist leading the way as he scrambled out, yelling, “There’s nothing to it! Don’t worry!” Who could argue with the testimony of seeing him alive and well? They all went in!

As I write this letter, though it seems that we have only just celebrated Christmas, already Easter is not far away. I think that childhood recollection has something to say to us about what Christians will celebrate on Easter Morning. Lucado puts it like this: “Christ … entered the tunnel of death to prove that there was indeed an exit. And as the world darkened, creation held her breath. Satan threw his best punch, but it wasn’t enough. Even the chambers of Hades couldn’t stop this raider. Legions of screaming demons held nothing over the Lion of Judah. Christ emerged from death’s tunnel, lifted a triumphant fist towards the sky, and freed all from the fear of death. DEATH HAS BEEN SWALLOWED UP IN VICTORY!”

Because the Newsletters come out at the same seasons of the year every year it is tempting to want to depart from seasonal themes and write about something else. But the fact is that in life we are in the midst of death. There will be very few of us in the congregation or parish whose lives have not been touched by the reality of death which has claimed or even may be threatening right now to claim someone dear to us. Even as I typed the last sentence you have just read, I had a C.D. on in which a man called John Paul Jackson read out the biblical assertion, “I am the Lord. Precious in my sight is the death of all my saints.” Coincidence? I think not. Rather, confirmation that some of us in a cynical age, where unbelief has pervaded the world and the church, need to take comfort once more in the hope of Easter. As long as men and women live and die the message of an empty tomb is good news to hear, to believe, to hope in, to find comfort in … and good news to share.

 Your friend and minister

 Rev. K. S. Borthwick