04/03/2026
To the End by Rev. Daniel Topalski, Conference Superintendent, Bulgaria Annual Conference
"When Jesus had received the wine, he said, ‘It is finished.’ Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit." (John 19:30, NRSV)
Jesus became like us in every way, even to the point of death. We say these words often, but do we truly pause to let them sink in? They remind us that God is, above all, Emmanuel - God with us. Not a God who remains far away, not a God hidden somewhere beyond our reach, but the God who has drawn near. The God who loved us “to the end” (John 13:1), to His very last breath.
Because of this, we do not need to explain to Him how hard it is to be human. We do not need to fear that He cannot understand our weakness, our grief, or even our fear of death. The One seated at the right hand of the Father is the God-Man, Jesus Christ. He did not leave His humanity behind in the tomb as something spent and forgotten. He rose again and became the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep, the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And so, we may bring even our deepest fears to Him, knowing that He Himself entered death and embraced it for our sake. Such is the God in whom we believe - the only God truly worthy of our trust.
🙏 Lord Jesus, You died that we might have eternal life. You bore the judgment and reproach that belonged to us. Help us to live each day in grateful remembrance of Your death for our sake. Amen.
