The Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Barr. Onofiok Luke has tasked Christians to reflect the true image of Jesus Christ as the Light with truth and holiness as represented in the Bible.
Barr Luke in his Easter message tasked Christians to act honorably and morally towards upholding the glory of God, becoming more Christ-like in character, "while uniting our will with Christ’s will for us, and allowing Him direct our thoughts, motives and actions.
While emphasizing that there is more to the celebration of Easter than just the day of Christ's resurrection, the Speaker who is also the member-elect for Etinan Federal Constituency stated that the day represents the day where laws providing for the redemption of mankind were signed and sealed. "It was the day that the salvation of mankind was fully paid for by the Lord and Saviour, Redeemer of the world, Jesus Christ, who made this possible with His blood".
"It is therefore expected of us as those called after Him (Jesus) not just to celebrate this resurrection that effected our redemption, but to reflect the true image of Christ as the Light. Light in the Bible represents both truth and holiness. As God’s children, we are called to act honorably and morally towards upholding the glory of God. By reflecting this Light of Christ, we become more Christ-like in character, while uniting our will with Christ’s will for us, and allowing Him direct our thoughts, motives and actions. Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:14, “You are the light of the world.” His light in us will enable us to heal creation, expose sin, and devote ourselves to serving Him. Knowing that we are Children of the Light empowers us to lead meaningful lives because through Him all needs are satisfied".
"As beneficiaries of His death and resurrection, it behoves on us to reflect, beyond mere fanfare, on the real significance of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is the irreversible defeat it served on sin and its shackles, as well as Satan and his kingdom of darkness".
"It is important for us to understand two very important messages that Christ passed to us, His followers. One being the message of selfless love and sacrifice which He did by laying down his life; and the other being that of humility which he did by accepting to die a humiliating death on the cross, all for the redemption of mankind".
According to John 15:13, "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends". And there could be no deeper way to show humility than accepting to be humiliated and condemned to death on the cross by the same people He came to die for, and who He had the power to command and have them bow to Him.
While we enjoy the unhindered access to God and salvation through Christ, we must be reminded of the fact that we can only access this salvation by allowing Christ dwell in us, and His exemplary act of love reflect in our daily lives, actions and attitudes towards one another. We are privileged to be counted among the living today not because we are worthy, but by the grace of God, having been made sufficient through the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ.
His expectations from us in reciprocation of this love is simply allowing our hearts grow in love for mankind. This, we can do by lending supportive hands to the underprivileged ones around us; empathizing with the lowly and helping them have a taste of meaningful life; contributing our quotas towards making the society accommodating for all.
While celebrating this resurrection and the benefits it brings, I urge us to take time to reflect on our Christian lives. This is a time to assess our attitudes to our neighbours, our environment and humanity at large, and make amends where we are not living right. On this day, I urge us, dear brethren to reflect on the great lesson of love that Christ taught us through that practical act of sacrifice on the cross.
To this end, my family and I bring to you very warm greetings and all imaginable good wishes on this morning of resurrection, as we pray that you continually live the life of love which God demands from us as Christians through the sacrificial death and the victorious resurrection of His Son.
For my family and I, we are using this year's event of Easter celebration to renew and review our commitment to that which will allow us give out more selfless love, same as Christ exemplified and commanded us; to stretch out farther more with the little of God's blessings at our disposal; to mentor and inspire into greatness, more people from the younger generation; to commit more time and energy to the actualization of the Akwa Ibom dream, and to make our words, works and prayers count towards the growth and sustenance of peace, as well as the development of our primary constituency, Akwa Ibom state and Nigeria at large. And we urge you, dear brethren and fellow compatroits, to make similar and even greater resolutions as God has laid in your respective hearts.
I wish you a happy, blissful and spiritually rewarding Easter celebrations.
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