Church

Easter 2008 - Messages From Australian Church Leaders

Over the centuries, as they have scattered over the face of the earth, Christians have developed different dates for the festival of Easter. This collection of Easter messages from Australian Church leaders is timed for March because Australians mostly follow the Western tradition, when there is a national public holiday. Other Australians, however, following the Eastern tradition, will not celebrate Easter in their Churches until the end of April.

Or maybe the discoverers so wished for an empty tomb and for a resurrection they deluded themselves into believing it.

Or was it the gardener who, tired of his plants being trampled, removed the body and buried it elsewhere?

When the followers of Jesus claimed he had risen, no one took them to the tomb and said ‘there is the body, you are wrong!’

This resurrection, the most incredible claim in history, is no mystery for Christians. Christ is risen! Everyone is now invited to celebrate new starts, new life and hope as he rose not for himself, but for us.

Reverend Dr Mike Semmler
President
Lutheran Church of Australia



The Salvation Army

We tend to identify Easter with symbols of the cross, and rightly so. It represents the extent of God’s love for humankind. It reminds us of His plan that all might be saved.

Every believing Christian can look beyond the cross to the empty tomb. It represents God’s power over death. It brings to us the hope of eternal life.

May you be challenged by the price Christ was prepared to pay for your sin and may you be encouraged in your faith journey as you realise the hope of the resurrection.

May God Bless you,

Commissioner Les Strong Commissioner James Knaggs
Australia Eastern Territory Australia Southern Territory


Seventh-day Adventist Church

EASTER IS ALL ABOUT LOVE BEING STRONGER THAN HATE and it is about God’s love at that!

At such a time as this with global turmoil, you and I need God’s love.

Human hatred brings death. Human hatred brought about the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. Yet it was love that drove Jesus to allow men to kill Him.

If there were no resurrection it would mean hatred had conquered God’s love.

But Jesus is alive! Death could not hold Him. Jesus has risen from the dead.

The resurrection of Jesus is the triumph of God’s love over all that human hatred could and can do.

Why not, right now, call on God to cover you with His love.

Pastor Ken Vogel
General Secretary
Seventh-day Adventist Church

Uniting Church

Easter Impacts on People of All Faiths… and of None

Despite walking this earth 2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ continues to make more impact for good on people in the world today than any other human being.

This Easter it is worth noting that the stresses that can occur between those of different religions are generated by a very few people. The far more common story is the good relationships that are being nurtured by the vast majority of people of faith.

In the Indian city of Machilipatnam, thousands of Hindus and Muslims come to the city cathedral every Christmas Eve to pray, in respect for the Christian faith. Their offerings that day make up more than 10% of the cathedral’s annual budget.

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