10 March 2024
Dear KKMC members and friends,
HOLY WEEK & EASTER LETTER 2024
Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’
Mark 16:6-7
When Dad was warded in the hospital due to stroke and colon cancer, we were worried for him. One day, I arrived at his ward and noticed he was not there but the bed was freshly made. I was alarmed. Many things ran through my mind and I almost teared. I found a nurse and asked, “Where is my father?” The head nurse checked the system and told me Dad had been transferred to another ward. I rushed there and saw Dad was lying on the bed. I felt relieved.
But the ladies in this bible passage were devastated because they couldn’t find the body of Jesus in the tomb. They were alarmed, and their minds ran wild thinking – “How can a dead person move by himself? After all, he had died; why can’t the authorities or religious leaders leave him alone?” The ladies were angry and helpless.
Just when they were hopeless and desperate, the Angel revealed that Jesus, who was crucified, had risen. He told them that Jesus was not in the tomb but that they would see Him. The Angel told them to go and tell the disciples that Jesus was alive. In other words, you don’t have to look for Jesus in the tomb because He has risen.
The ladies would have walked out of the tomb in disbelief. They could have kept quiet, too embarrassed to tell anyone what had happened. They might have raised funds to build a monument on the tomb to commemorate the dead Jesus so that year after year, generation after generation, the devotees would come to the monument on this day to commemorate the death of Jesus. Sadly, this is the response of many devoted but faithless churches that don’t believe Jesus has risen. Worship has become a religious act for the hero of the past.
But the parallel gospel passage tells us that the ladies ran back and told the disciples what they had heard. The resurrected Jesus walked into the upper room, greeting them, “Peace be with you.” Since then, Christ’s disciples have not stopped telling people about the resurrected Christ. The gospel has spread to most parts of the earth. This is the sign of an obedient and faith-filled church that tells the world that Jesus is alive, and they live a life that rejoices in this fact.
Though I found my Dad in the ward, I was more concerned about his eternal life. One evening, I took up the courage and told him the good news of the Risen Christ. Surprisingly, Dad accepted Jesus as his Lord and Saviour this time. I had an opportunity to baptise him with two other pastors. The Risen Lord graciously gave him another five years before taking him home. Nevertheless, Dad had met the Risen Christ.
As a church with 130 years of history, we pray that KKMC won’t end up as a monument of the dead Jesus just like many dying churches in the West. We pray that KKMC will continue to be a faith-filled church that never stops testifying the Risen Christ in our home, workplace, and Little India.
Therefore, in the season of Lent, from Palm Sunday till Easter Sunday, we shall expound on the gospel of Mark to enhance our belief of the Risen Lord. The Holy Week series will help us to experience the resurrected power of Jesus Christ as we “Band Together to Grow + Serve”.
For more information on the Holy Week Worship Services and Programmes, please go to www.kkmc.org.sg/holyweek2024
Finally, the Pastors, Staff, Leaders and our families wish all a Blessed Holy Week and Easter 2024. Thank you and God Bless you all!
Rev Tay Kay Leong
Pastor-in-charge
Rev Anthony Phua
Pastor
