Lloyd: Thank you, Madison, Choir, and Orchestra. Today, I’m here with Conlon and Rachel Bonner. Recently, their beautiful 9-month-old son, Joshua, died unexpectedly. Rachel, Conlon, thank you for being with us on this Easter Sunday. How has your faith in Jesus Christ helped you over these past several months?
Conlon: You know.. When we had realized that he had passed away, that he was gone that morning, we knew immediately that we needed to have as much of the Lord as we could get, and trying to seek as much access the Lord’s healing could give us.
Rachel: Because of Him we know that our Joshua is in a good place, and we don’t have to worry about him. We just have to get through these years of losing him and then we’ll get to be with him again. But it will be a bittersweet celebration every Easter of missing Joshua, but so grateful, so grateful that missing is not eternal. That we will all be together again because of Jesus.
Conlon: There are sad moments, but at the same time I look at pictures of Joshua and I smile, I laugh, I remember those moments. I close my eyes and I picture his face right close to mine and that gets me excited about the resurrection, about what Jesus Christ has done. Because we’ll embrace, we’ll embrace our little boy again; and then turn to Jesus Christ and embrace him for providing that opportunity for us.
Rachel: We trust Him. We trust what He has said to us, and we cling to Him. We cling to those promises. And through that we can take another step, another step, and one more day, until finally we’re all together again.
Conlon: This Easter morning, because of Him, everything is made right. Though I cry in the nighttime, joy comes in the morning.
Lloyd: Conlon and Rachel, thank you for joining us on this Easter morning. We’ve been uplifted by your faith. Thank you.
Lloyd: You may know the story of Job, a great man who also suffered terrible loss and tragedy; he asked this question long ago: “If a man die, shall he live again?”
Easter is a time to remember that three days after Jesus died, His followers discovered that His body was gone and His tomb was empty. An angel asked them:
“Why seek ye the living among the dead?” and then explained:
“He is not here, but is risen.”
Because of Jesus Christ, there is a resurrection. Because of Him, life is not a dead end. Every tomb is temporary. We have a purpose that will not end, and the beauty and meaning of our lives will go on forever.
This day, may you be filled with the hope found in Christ, and find “the peace of God, which surpasses understanding.”
All because of Him.
__________________________________
April 09, 2023 – Because of Him
Broadcast Number 4,882
The Tabernacle Choir
Orchestra at Temple Square
Conductor
Mack Wilberg
Organist
Richard Elliot
Host
Lloyd Newell
Christ the Lord Is Risen Today
traditional hymn tune; Arr. Mack Wilberg
Lord, through Changing Days, Unchanging
Henry Smart; Arr. Mack Wilberg
Fanfare-Toccata on “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today”
Richard Elliott
That Easter Day with Joy Was Bright
German hymn tune; Arr. Mack Wilberg
Softly and Tenderly
Will L. Thompson; Arr. Mack Wilberg
Because of Him
traditional hymn tune; Arr. Mack Wilberg
He Is Risen
Joachim Neander; Arr. Mack Wilberg