19TH APRIL 2020
IT’S THE FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EASTER
St. Luke’s Chapel, Mulago invites you to raise your voices and praise the holy name of God for his love endures forever (use Ps.136 to guide you)

Scriptures: Exodus 12:1-17and 1Peter 1:3-9
According to Exodus 12, The Israelites were still in Egypt suffering and without peace. In His faithful love, the LORD declared a new season for them; a season of deliverance (Vs1). He instructed them to sacrifice/martyr/ransom a lamb each family; smear some of its blood on the top and on the sides of the door-frames of their houses (Vs7).He gave them instructions concerning how to eat the sacrificed lamb: “eat with urgency for this this the LORD’s Passover “(v11). Vs12. The blood of the lamb acts as a sign showing God the houses of his children, and He will not kill them. On the contrary, the houses without the blood of the lamb (those of the Egyptians) will have their firstborn executed including for their animals.
Consequently, the New Testament; specifically in (John 1:29), John testifies that Jesus is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of men. And in (1Timothy 2:5-6) “…He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone.”
It is further demonstrated in (Matthew 26:17-28), at the Last Supper of our Lord Jesus Christ, that Christ is the Passover lamb. In Vs.28 Jesus said: “this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many.”
And in (John 19) we read about his suffering, crucifixion, death and burial. His disciples were troubled, worried and they lost peace. However, according to (John 20), Jesus resurrected from the dead after three days. Hallelujah JESUS is ALIVE!
Vs 19: says: “That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you”, he said. Jesus Christ overcame death, He was dead, but He is alive. Hallelujah
And to doubting Thomas He said: “put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe” (John 20:27) and this is our message today.
Friends Jesus is a live. While our doors are locked, and in all our sufferings, Jesus is alive and he now says: “Peace be with you!”
His words are so timely, because we have lost peace worldwide. No one is spared. COVID 19 pandemic has robbed us of our peace.
The rate at which people die, and the way they die are both a shock to the world. Even the world’s economy is shutting down.
Money has failed to solve the problem, and human wisdom has also failed. Witchdoctors have soaked their mouths in the sand. The world is tired of deaths, quarantine, and lockdown. We are suffering!
However, friends, it was at such a time, that our Lord Jesus Christ came with the Good News, saying: “Peace be with you”
The call to us therefore, is that:
We may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing we may have life in his name (John 20:31). IF you have never believed, let this be first month and first year for you to believe Jesus as the Christ and Son of God. He is the lamp that takes away the sins of the world.(John 1:29, Cf. Exodus 12:1-17)
We may give praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for his mercy. By resurrecting Jesus Christ from the dead, He has given us a living hope and there is an inheritance kept for us in heaven that can never perish, spoil or fade(1Peter 1:3-5)
Our faith of greater worth than gold, may be proved genuine through our temporal sufferings, and may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed.
We may follow all the guidelines of the government and participate actively in the fight against the spread of COVID 19.

Conclusion: “Peace be with you!” “Peace be with you!” “Peace be with you!”
COVID-19 cases worldwide as of April 16, 2020, by country
Published by John Elflein, Apr 16, 2020

Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Congo, Africa…. “Peace be with you.”
IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT-AMEN

REV FELIX MUHANGYE