Life and Death Announcement

Yesterday was the yearly celebration of Good Friday - the day our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ willingly went to the cross to pay the price for our sins.  This year Good Friday coincided with another important day in the church year celebrated every March 25th, the Annunciation - the announcement of the Incarnation by the angel Gabriel to Mary (Luke 1:26-38).  Having the Annunciation fall on the same day as Good Friday shows us that it truly as a life and death announcement.

First, it was an announcement of life.  The Lord of all creation would become a part of it.  Mary would give birth to the Savior of the world.  Gabriel said to Mary, "You will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High."  The promise of the Messiah would be fulfilled through this announcement of life.

The Annunciation was also an announcement of death, and that is where Good Friday comes in.  Good Friday is the reason Jesus was born.  It was the culmination of His life and ministry.  Jesus said in Luke 19:10, "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost".  Jesus was born to die - born to be our Savior.

Of course this life and death announcement ends with the victorious announcement of life - Easter!  Christ lives - and because He lives we live, now and for all eternity.  That's what the Christian life is all about.  We are baptized into Christ - baptized into His life, death, and resurrection.  Death has been swallowed up in His victory! 

Take joy and comfort in knowing that through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus - you have received an announcement - forgiveness and eternal life!