The story of the Bible is the slow unfolding of God’s true purpose for His rebel planet earth, which scripture calls “the kingdom of this world.” That purpose reached its climax in the coming of the promised Savior, the Messiah, Jesus. He clearly saw His mission as one of directly combating evil which held God’s creatures in its power. He saw the cross as the place in time when the forces of darkness would have their final moment of triumph - a temporary triumph - because the resurrection of Jesus would change the picture decisively. What had looked like defeat was truly God’s victory through Jesus, instead.

When I think of Easter Resurrection Sunday, I begin to hum a very familiar melody that I learned as an 8th grader, singing with the Boone First UMC adult choir. It’s the soaring tune of the “Hallelujah Chorus,” probably the best known piece in Handel’s oratorio, “Messiah,” that we sang at three worship services each Easter morning of my teenage years. Its first word is Hebrew - “hallelujah” - which means “praise the Lord.” It is a call to worship, certainly, but it is also an exclamation of personal gratitude and thanks to God.

The other wonderful expression of the piece is contained in the phrase that quotes Revelation, “the kingdom of this world” (society that is organized as though God does not exist, literally, the secular kingdom) IS BECOME “the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.” Through the victory of Jesus, we become a redeemed world and a redeemed people. Jesus is “King of kings and Lord of lords,” and all earthly powers and rulers come under His sovereignty.

The text goes on - “And He shall reign for ever and ever.” This is a permanent change, for the good. That is why we Christians should be optimists! We are not the minority survivors of a desperate rescue attempt, as some seem to have believed, but we are the first fruits of a marvelous and vast harvest of salvation.

The victory of Jesus on the cross has both cosmic and personal ramifications. Because of what He did, we each can be forgiven and restored to a right relationship with our Holy God. Through this event, the whole history of the world has been transformed. In each of our lives and in the life of the human race, of which we are a tiny part, “the Lord reigns.”

May He continue to reign in our lives, in our homes, in our schools, in our workplaces, in our church family, in our community, in our nation, and in our world, “for ever and ever. Amen.”

Resurrection blessings and love to you in the name of our Savior, Jesus. Hallelujah!

~Rev. Linda