THE MYSTERY OF EASTER: CHRIST OUR HOPE IN A TROUBLED WORLD
- Introduction: A Greeting of Grace and Peace
Beloved in the Lord, and all people of goodwill across the world, grace and peace from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ be with you all. I bring you warm Easter greetings from the General Assembly Council of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana as, in this sacred week, we bring to a climax the observance of the forty-day Lenten Season.
We do so through the solemn commemoration of the divinely ordained events surrounding the betrayal and trial of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, His sacrificial death, His burial, and His glorious resurrection. These saving acts are reverently observed in our Passion Week evening gatherings across our Churches, Good Friday services, Holy Saturday retreats, and the grand Easter Sunday celebrations in which we proclaim with joy the risen Christ.
As we journey once again through the sacred period of the Christian calendar, we affirm that Easter is not merely a season; it is the very foundation of Christian hope and indeed the hope of the world. It is the divine answer to human brokenness, the triumph of life over death, victory over sin and its related encumbrances, and the assurance that God’s redemptive purpose for the world cannot be thwarted.
- The Journey of Redemption: From Lent to Resurrection Hope
Lent, observed over forty days, calls the Church into reflection, repentance, and renewal, a sincere return to God who is gracious and compassionate (Joel 2:13). It reminds us of our human frailty and sinfulness, confronting the illusion of self-sufficiency and directing us to our complete dependence on divine grace for salvation and restoration. Thus, Lent is not merely ritual observance, but a spiritual reawakening expressed through prayer, fasting, and acts of love.
This journey reaches its climax in Passion Week, beginning with Palm Sunday, where Christ enters Jerusalem as the humble King riding on a donkey, revealing a kingship marked by sacrificial love and obedience. It continues on Maundy Thursday, where He institutes Holy Communion and commands love through servant leadership, and culminates in Good Friday, where His declaration, “It is finished,” proclaims the complete and victorious accomplishment of redemption.
Holy Saturday invites us into silence and waiting, reminding us that God is at work even when He seems silent. Then comes the triumph of Easter Sunday, where the risen Christ conquers sin and death, assuring believers of new life and the fulfillment of God’s promises.
This hope continues into Emmaus, where the risen Lord reveals Himself in the breaking of bread, transforming despair into renewed faith and reminding us that He still walks with His people. At the heart of this sacred season lies the essence of the Gospel: humanity, unable to save itself, is redeemed solely by God’s sovereign grace alone, through faith in Him alone, Christ alone, grounded in the witness of Scripture alone and ultimately for the glory of God alone.
- Easter and the Global Human Condition
The message of Easter speaks powerfully into our troubled world. Today, we witness conflicts, economic instability, injustice, and suffering on a global scale, particularly in the Gulf Region and other areas of conflict, where we see hostilities that continue to destroy lives and displace families.
Back home in Ghana, we have recently received news of the escalation of conflict in Nkwanta and other areas. This is unacceptable and must stop. Many are denied the freedom to worship and daily existence because of conflict. Innocent lives continue to be destroyed, and human dignity is trampled upon with impunity and hateful aspersions.
In such a world, the Church cannot and must not remain silent. The resurrection compels us to speak for peace, justice, and the sanctity of life. Christ, who died for the world, calls us to be instruments of reconciliation. We affirm that every human being is created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), and therefore every life matters.
Violence, oppression, and exploitation stand contrary to God’s will, and must be completely expunged from human existence. Thus, in the face of global crises and national developmental concerns, the Christian response must be clear and faithful:
- A Call to Prayer: We are called to intercede for nations, leaders, and those suffering (1 Timothy 2:1–2).
- A Commitment to Justice and Social Action: We must stand against injustice and defend the vulnerable (Micah 6:8).
- A Ministry of Compassion: The Church must be present where there is pain, offering hope, relief, and love.
- A Witness to Truth: Even in hostile environments, we must hold firmly to the truth of the Gospel.
- Addressing National Concerns
As a nation, we must also reflect deeply. While efforts of the government towards national development ought to be applauded, the existential threat to the ethos of mission schools, environmental challenges posed by the galamsey menace, staggering youth unemployment rates, moral decline, and social inequality, among several vices, continue to threaten our very existence and advancement, and thus demand urgent attention.
Easter calls us to renewal and action, not only spiritually, but morally and socially. We must pursue integrity in leadership, accountability in public life, and justice in all sectors of society. Let us remember that righteousness exalts a nation (Proverbs 14:34), and without moral renewal, no nation can prosper sustainably.
I would, at this juncture, commend our President, H.E. John Dramani Mahama, for his public posture on matters of national values and identity, particularly his stance on issues of human sexuality and his support for the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, 2021, which remains yet to be passed into law. This stance has not come without consequence.
Notably, Lincoln University withdrew its decision to confer an honorary doctorate on him just days before the scheduled ceremony, reportedly following concerns within its community regarding his perceived position on the bill. While such actions reflect the tensions of our globalised world, they also underscore the weight and conviction of leadership that remains anchored in deeply held national and moral principles.
While acknowledging these developments, we respectfully urge that renewed attention be given to the legislative process, so that clarity, consistency, and national consensus may be achieved, and that the bill may be duly considered and ratified in a manner that reflects the values, laws, and aspirations of the Ghanaian people.
- Conclusion: The Living Hope of Easter
The Church is called to be the light of the world (Matthew 5:14), shining ever brighter in times of darkness by nurturing faith, strengthening families, discipling the youth, and building communities grounded in love and truth. Empowered by the resurrection, we are called to live as people of hope even amid uncertainty, confident that the story does not end in despair but in victory, for Christ is risen.
Therefore, let us live as a resurrection people, assured of God’s grace, committed to His purposes, courageous in our witness, and bold in addressing national and global challenges without fear. May the risen Christ fill your hearts with peace, renew your strength, and guide our nation and world into His righteousness and truth.
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!
Rt. Rev. Dr. Abraham Nana Opare Kwakye
19th Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana
