Utumishi Blog

The following is from current iServe apprentice Bonface Munanga. This article first appeared in the iServe Africa Newsletter in March this year. I read it and it blew me away. Absolutely brilliant stuff…

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Growing up as a little boy in Sunday school there is a song my Sunday school teacher would lead us to sing, “Behold what manner of love the Father has given unto us, that we should be called the sons of God.” God’s love for mankind is one of the greatest mysteries that man can comprehend. Out of his glory and sovereignty he chooses to have a relationship with man, not out of need but deep and unfathomable love. He gives himself through his Son as the ultimate sacrifice for man to be reconciled back to Him. Through Jesus we have become sons and heirs, God indeed is our father.

A story is told by Mark the apostle of that darkest noon when love conquered death and light overshadowed darkness as writhing pain, anger and disappointment filled the air. I can imagine the headline on Golgotha Daily that afternoon, “Jesus the Nazarene Crucified”, it could have been breaking news that the whole of Jerusalem would have heard. It was total gloom and doom that fateful day. The disciples couldn’t stand it, Mary Magdalene and the other women were left in shock and despair as they watched their Lord being humiliated and led to die on the cross.

The Death of Jesus : Mark 15:33-38

At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. Then, at that time Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?”

Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought He was calling for the prophet Elijah. One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to Him on a stick so he could drink. “Leave Him alone. Let’s see whether Elijah will come and take Him down!” he said.

Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed His last. And the curtain in the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. When the Roman officer who stood facing Him saw how He had died, he ex-claimed, “Truly, this was the Son of God!”

Naturally speaking, death is the greatest human catastrophe, as a matter of fact it is a taboo in our African context to speak about it lest we annoy the spirits of death. But Jesus the Son of God, God himself, accepts to die for us and to become a sacrifice of sin that gives us salvation and eternal life. He comes to us in human flesh and blood. When he faces pain and death Jesus’ body is gripped by the power of death. God allows himself to step into time and save his creation, humbling himself to death. It is amazing that, he who had authority, power and magnificence, chose such a death. He became a curse in our place, as the bible records “Cursed is he who is hanged on a tree.”

Golgotha means the place of skull. The son of God takes my curse and yours as he is crucified at the place of skull. What is the driving force again? Sheer love, a love that can not equal any other. The ultimate sacrifice, for a permanent transaction was being offered. For a moment, nothing could steal the show but death, death had the joy of having a grip on God. It seemed like our fate was sealed then. But wait a minute, not even death or any powers would hinder this.

The Resurrection – Jesus Is Risen! : Mark 16:1-6

The next evening, when the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene, Salome and Mary the mother of James went out and purchased burial spices to put on Jesus’ body. Very early on Sunday morning, just at sun-rise, they came to the tomb. On the way they were discussing who would roll the stone away from the entrance to the tomb. But when they arrived, they looked up and saw that the stone – a very large one – had already been rolled aside. So they entered the tomb, and there on the right sat a young man clothed in a white robe. The women were startled, but the angel said, “Do not be so surprised. You are looking for Jesus, the Nazarene, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He has been raised from the dead! Look, this is where they laid His body.

Glory to God for our savior and humble King has overcome death that we might have life and have it in abundance. The power to salvation lies in the knowledge that Jesus Christ the holy and only son of God is sacrificed at the cross where he dies before resurrecting on the third day. If resurrection never happened then there would be no salvation. This is life in itself, in that before we were dead in our sins, objects of destruction. God in his love and grace gives us a new lease of life. He extends his hand to us hoping that we will grab the opportunity not while it lasts but because it does last. This was the point where death lost its power over us. Death’s momentous joy could not hold anymore.

This is Easter, the ultimate sacrifice offered at the altar of sin, shame and condemnation, to reverse total curse and corruption. And not only to reverse but to change our destiny once and for all. Once we were not a people but now we have become the people of God. Behold the manner of love, selfless, ego free and having a fragrance of humility- that is our God, our Savior. He loved us to death. The ultimate sacrifice, then resurrection.

(If you’re interested in partnering with Bonface for his final two months of ministry contact the iServe office.)