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While the King Offered No Easter Message, an Astronaut 250,000 Miles Away Preached the Gospel to the World
Source: The Daily Declaration |
An Easter Message From the Moon – Astronaut Orion Pilot Victor GloverFour astronauts aboard Artemis II carried more than equipment into space — they carried faith, love, and a message that transcended belief systems across the globe.
The King’s disregard for Easter was a stark contrast to the crew of Artemis II. NASA’s first post-Apollo reach for the moon preached the Gospel and took the Word of God global. Cramped, without a crown, Commonwealth or throne, Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Jeremy Hansen, and Victor Glover still managed to remind the world that faith and science are not diametrically opposed.
An Easter Message From the Moon
Unexpectedly, Orion Pilot Victor Glover marked Easter Sunday with a loud Christian message that quickly went viral. Asked by CBS News whether he wanted to follow the Apollo tradition and share some Bible basics, Glover said he didn’t have anything prepped.
“I’m glad you brought that up, though,” he replied.
“I think these observances are important, and as we are so far from Earth and looking back at, you know, the beauty of creation.”
“For me, one of the really important personal perspectives that I have up here is I can really see Earth as one thing.”
“When I read the Bible and I look at all of the amazing things that were done for us, who are created. You have this amazing place. This spaceship.”
“You guys are talking to us because we’re in a spaceship really far from Earth, but you’re on a spaceship called Earth that was created.”
This place, Glover explained, was created to “give us a place to live in the universe, in the cosmos.”
“You Are Special”: Glover’s Viral Call to Humanity
“Maybe the distance we are from you makes you think what we’re doing is special, but we’re the same distance from you, and I’m trying to tell you, you are special.”
Trust me, Glover added.
“In all of this emptiness, this is a whole bunch of nothing, this thing we call the universe, you have an oasis,” in space.
Earth is, he said, a “beautiful place [where] we get to exist together.”
“I think as we go into Easter Sunday thinking about all the cultures all around the world, whether you celebrate it or not – whether you believe in God or not – this is an opportunity for us to remember.”
To remember, Glover said, “where we are, who we are, and that we are the same thing, and that we’ve got to get through this together.”
Before passing by the dark side of the moon, Glover spoke again. He wrapped up the crew’s final words for 40 minutes with Matthew 22:34-40:
“As we get close to the nearest point to the moon, and continue to unlock the mysteries of the Cosmos,” Glover said, “I would like to remind you of one of the most important mysteries there on earth, and that’s love.”
“Christ said in response to what was the greatest command that it was to love God with all that you are.”
“And He, also being a great teacher, said the second is equal to it. And that is to love your neighbour as yourself.”
Glover signed off, saying, “We still feel your love from Earth,” adding, “We love you from the moon.”
In 2023, when responding to NASA’s pick for pilot of Artemis II’s Orion spacecraft, Glover said he “wanted to thank God for the amazing opportunity.”
He added thanks to the four astronauts’ families, crediting them for making the “journey possible,” adding that this was “the next step that gets humanity to Mars.”
“We’re going to do our best to run that race and make you proud,” Glover promised.
He then prayed over the Artemis II crew, saying, “I pray that God will bless this mission.”
To this, Glover added, “I also pray that we can continue to serve as a source of inspiration for cooperation and peace, not just between nations, in our own nation.”
“God bless us all.”
Faith at 40,000 Miles: The Man Behind the Message
Glover, who has a degree in science engineering, is also an “outspoken Christian who says his faith has a profound impact on his career in space exploration.”
“He prays before every mission, brought his Bible and communion cups to the International Space Station, and says he views himself as a ‘messenger of His (Christ’s) Kingdom.'”
An accomplished naval aviator, callsign “Ike” and father of four, doesn’t talk about his faith “for clicks or to divide people, but simply because he believes that Jesus is the Son of God.”
A viral meme quoting Glover’s statements during a sermon from back in 2022 reads, “We need Jesus. Whether on Earth or circling the moon.”
The Atheist Commander Who Saw the Cross
Notably, the Artemis II mission surprises didn’t end there. Commander Reid Wiseman, an atheist, dropped a comment about the cross, saying he saw it, broke down and cried.
He told a 16 April press conference hosted by the Johnson Centre:
“When I got back on the ship (I’m not really a religious person), but there was just no other avenue for me to explain anything or to experience anything.”
“So, I asked for the chaplain on the Navy ship to just come visit us for a minute, and when that man walked in, I’d never met him before in my life. But I saw the cross on his collar, and I just broke down in tears.”
“It’s very hard to fully grasp what we just went through.”
“I’m basing this on what we saw… it was otherworldly.”
COMMENTARY
Introduction: The Gospel from Outer Space
While kings and world leaders offered no Easter message, four astronauts orbiting 250,000 miles above the earth used their platform to preach the Gospel to the entire world. In a cramped spacecraft, without pomp or ceremony, Victor Glover reminded humanity of the most important truths: we are created, we are loved, and we are called to love God and love our neighbours.
This is not a story about NASA. It is a story about the power of faith, the courage to speak, and the unexpected places where God’s message breaks through.
Victor Glover: A Messenger of the Kingdom
Victor Glover is not a pastor. He is not a theologian. He is a naval aviator, an engineer, a father of four, and a pilot of the Orion spacecraft. But he sees himself as something else: “a messenger of His (Christ’s) Kingdom.”
He prays before every mission. He brought his Bible and communion cups to the International Space Station. He doesn’t talk about his faith for clicks or to divide people. He talks about it because he believes.
From 250,000 miles away, he told the world: “You are special.” Not because of what you have accomplished, but because you were created. The earth is not an accident. The universe is not random. There is an oasis in the emptiness, and we get to exist together.
The Two Great Commandments
Glover did not preach a complicated sermon. He quoted Jesus: love God with all that you are, and love your neighbour as yourself.
These two commands capture the entire Gospel. Love for God is the first and greatest. Love for neighbour is the second, equal to it. Together, they are the summary of everything Jesus taught.
In a world divided by politics, race, nationality, and ideology, this message is desperately needed. We are the same thing. We have to get through this together.
The Atheist Commander Who Cried
Perhaps the most unexpected moment of the mission was not Glover’s sermon, but Commander Reid Wiseman’s confession. An atheist, according to the article, Wiseman had no explanation for what he experienced. He could not process it through his worldview. So he asked for a chaplain.
When the chaplain walked in, Wiseman saw the cross on his collar. And he broke down in tears.
There is something about the cross. It is not just a symbol. It is the meeting point of heaven and earth, the place where justice and mercy kiss, the reminder that God loved us enough to die for us. Even for an atheist, the cross can break through.
Faith and Science Are Not Enemies
The article makes an important point: “faith and science are not diametrically opposed.” Glover is a man of science—an engineer, a pilot, an astronaut. He understands physics, astronomy, and technology. And he is also a man of faith.
The two are not in conflict. Science answers “how?” Faith answers “why?” Science describes the mechanisms; faith gives meaning. Glover looked at the beauty of creation and saw a Creator. He understood that the spaceship he was in was built by humans, but the spaceship called Earth was created by God.
The Contrast with Earthly Power
The article draws a contrast between the astronauts and “the King” who offered no Easter message. While earthly powers ignore or dismiss the resurrection, ordinary men and women in a spacecraft used their fleeting moment in the spotlight to declare the Gospel.
This is not new. God has always used the humble to confound the mighty. Shepherds heard the angels before the religious leaders. Fishermen became apostles before the scholars. Astronauts 250,000 miles away preached the Gospel while kings remained silent.
The Power of One Faithful Witness
Victor Glover did not have a pulpit. He did not have a congregation. He had a microphone and a camera, and the whole world was watching. He could have talked about science. He could have talked about technology. He could have just described the view.
Instead, he talked about Jesus.
One faithful witness can reach millions. One bold declaration can echo around the world. Glover’s message went viral because it was authentic, because it was unexpected, and because it was true.
What This Means for Us
If astronauts can preach the Gospel from the moon, we can preach it in our neighbourhoods. If Victor Glover can speak of Jesus in a spacecraft, we can speak of Him in our workplaces, our homes, our communities.
We don’t need a platform. We don’t need a microphone. We just need the same thing Glover had: a conviction that Jesus is the Son of God, a love for God and neighbour, and the courage to say so.
The Cross Still Speaks
Commander Wiseman wept at the sight of the cross. Victor Glover quoted Jesus from the moon. The cross still speaks. The Gospel still spreads. And God still uses the most unexpected people in the most unexpected places to declare His love.
This Easter season, as we remember the resurrection, let us be encouraged by the witness of four astronauts who reminded the world that we are created, we are loved, and we are called to love.
DECLARATIONS BASED ON THE ARTICLE
I DECLARE that the Gospel can be preached anywhere—even from 250,000 miles away!
I DECLARE that faith and science are not enemies; they both point to the Creator!
I DECLARE that I am special because I am created by God!
I DECLARE that the cross still speaks, even to those who do not believe!
I DECLARE that I will not be silent about my faith; I will speak as I have opportunity!
I DECLARE that love for God and love for neighbour are the greatest commandments!
I DECLARE that God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things!
I DECLARE that the resurrection is worth proclaiming, whether on earth or circling the moon!
I DECLARE that I will be a faithful witness in my own sphere of influence!
I DECLARE that the message of Jesus is the most important mystery in the cosmos!
PRAYER
Father, we thank You for the witness of Victor Glover and the crew of Artemis II. Thank You for their courage to speak of You from 250,000 miles away. Thank You for reminding the world that we are created, that we are loved, and that we are called to love.
We pray for Commander Reid Wiseman. Continue to draw him to Yourself. Let the cross he wept at become the source of his salvation.
We pray for all who heard the Gospel from the moon. Let the seed that was planted take root. Let many come to faith because of this bold declaration.
Give us the same courage to speak of You in our own circles. Let us not be silent when we have opportunity. Let us be faithful witnesses, whether in a spacecraft or in our own homes.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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