Easter Celebration
April 11, 2004
On 11 April, our brothers, sisters and friends enjoyed a wonderful Easter Sunday Service at the Hong Kong Convention Centre. The service was filled with well-designed programs such as a special opening, powerful praise and worship, life-changing testimonies and extraordinary drama performance. Last but not least was a powerful sermon from Pastor Gavin.
At 10:00a.m., the lights were dimmed. Our service started with a slide show of a brief story of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. With the help of pictures, narration and background music, we thought about how Jesus demonstrated God’s love on the cross.
In the service, six brothers and sisters shared their testimonies in a pre-recorded video clip. They were Carol (G2), Adrian (G4), Edmund (G5), Lolita (G6), Lovely Grace (G7) and Nancy (G8). They testified how God changed their lives and shared God’s blessings upon them. From their life testimonies, we can see God’s miraculous work and His love.
“The Passion of the Christ” has become one of the hottest movie in Hong Kong during the Easter holiday period. This film reminded every one of us, Christians and non-Christians alike, why Jesus has to suffer so much to save our souls. The audience may be astonished by the brutality projected in the film, but what is the real message behind these persecutions on Jesus? Our brothers and sisters had performed a drama in the service to explain the message in a humorous way. Two soldiers, Galilee and Beethoven, were ordered to guard Jesus’ tomb. They didn’t know why Jesus was crucified and why Jesus prayed for those who crucified Him. Then, they witnessed the resurrection of Jesus. Although they have doubts at the beginning, they finally understood that Jesus had died for the salvation of mankind. They followed Jesus and their lives were changed.
The topic of the sermon was “Don’t remain empty-hearted anymore”. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, our lives will no longer be empty but filled with hope and joy. Praise God there were 16 new converts in this service. “”Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”” (2 Corinthians 5:17) Let’s continue to pray and care for the growth of these new creations in the Lord.