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Dear Friends,
EASTER GREETINGS!
Therefore my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labour is not in vain. (1 Cor.15:58)
 No Christian suffering or labour of love is ever in vain. The suffering of Jesus that led to his death on the cross and his sacrifice which was accepted by God has now become the full atonement for the sins of the whole world. The benefits of this include a life of peace, of love, of joy and of contentment. Because of what Jesus did this life now has a meaning, and those who accept and believe in Jesus Christ have a purpose in life. This is a purpose not just to be fulfilled in a career, in the achievement of successes, or in the attainment of status or power, but rather grace from God enables a person to live with a purpose, to contribute to the building of society, to help the community, to develop the environment and to contribute meaningfully in being a blessing to the people.
Because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ we have hope, hope which is in our faith that:
1. The whole of our life is a dress rehearsal for eternity. Jesus has opened the door so that all who believe in him may end up in heaven with God for ever.
2. This life can be well lived through the power of the Holy Spirit, enabling every believer to love, to forgive, to serve, to care, to heal, and to build - not only within our local communities but going out to the larger society and moving on to the ends of the earth. A practical example of this was laid down for us by Bishop Ajayi Crowther and the other missions who followed after him.
3. The mission of Jesus Christ becomes our mission to save lives and to make sure that people live a full and abundant life here on earth and after this life attain life everlasting. This is why our labour as Christians will never be in vain. However, if Christians suffer for cheating in any form, either in exam malpractice or in poor workmanship and the like, or in criminal activities, murder, fighting, corruption, stealing – and, by the way there is no “big” stealing or “small” stealing, it is all the same whether you steal a goat, a chicken, a cow, money or clothes or anything else – or if you suffer for rumour mongering, meddling in other peoples’ business that does not concern you, for gossip, back-biting, fornication, adultery and so on – if you suffer for any of these you are only receiving your reward, and rightly so! Since, however, Jesus died for sin and has been raised victorious over sin, we, through Jesus, can live holy and righteous lives, at peace with ourselves and with others.
This is the reason why we celebrate Easter: we have victory over sin, over hell, over death and over Satan. We may suffer for a while, but remember that Jesus suffered for a while and he sacrificed his life for others. This is our hope: that our sacrifice in our suffering for the moment should not be because we are caught in evil, but should be for Christ’s sake. Our labour should be like Jesus’ labour: a labour in love for others, knowing that our good works and our labour of love will not be in vain.
The Lord be with you,
+The Most Rev. Dr Benjamin A. Kwashi
Archbishop of Jos
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