What Easter Means For You In 2018

This world needs a solution. 

Everyone knows it.  But no one agrees on what that solution is.

One week ago (Saturday, 03/25/18), thousands across New Jersey and millions across the nation rallied together for the end of gun violence this past Saturday.  Inspired by the tragic events that happened in Florida just weeks ago, they pushed for our state to make NJ gun laws, which are among the toughest in the country, even tougher in an effort to end school gun violence once and for all.  Two days later, hundreds of gun rights activists held a demonstration of their own in NJ’s capital.  They argued that it’s not guns, but there are other things that contribute to gun violence. 

This world needs a solution, but we can’t agree on what that solution is.  The thing is, this isn’t a new idea.  People have gathered together for change because they recognized that our world is broken all throughout history.

Take the Civil Rights Movement.  Martin Luther King Jr. was one of many who facilitated a movement that acknowledged that racism is objectively wrong, not just distasteful, but objectively wrong.  Segregation and discrimination should never be acceptable.  And while we've made tremendous progress in this area legally, of course racism and discrimination still exist today.

Take Women's Suffrage.  Before 1920, the best chance a woman had to vote was in some states, for certain elections, if you owned property.  Yet people realized that we need a solution.  It’s an wrong to treat women like they aren’t equal to men.  It’s an injustice to treat someone differently based off the color of his or her skin.

In fact, this idea is what America was founded on.  The American Revolution came out of an idea called, “taxation without representation.”  English colonists living in the Americas were legally exempt from any laws that the British Parliament passed if they didn’t have representation, but Parliament taxed them anyway.  Events escalated in a way that led to the American Revolution where the United States of America was eventually founded.  It began with an injustice.

This world needs a solution.  Everyone knows it, but no one agrees on what that solution is. 

Easter matters because Jesus proves that he is the solution that this world needs.

Without Jesus, this world will remain broken.  It doesn’t matter how many guns we do or don’t have; it doesn’t matter how many rallies we do or don’t have; without Jesus, we will remain broken.  Humanity at its core is flawed, broken, and incapable of fixing itself.  “No one is righteous—not even one.  No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God.  All have turned away; all have become useless.  No one does good, not a single one.” (Romans 3:10-12).  Humanity is broken and needs a solution.

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

Romans 5:8

And this is why Easter is amazing.

If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved…For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Romans 10:9-10, 13

Easter matters because Jesus proves that he is the answer to this world’s problems.  But I want to break this down.  What does it mean that Jesus is the answer?

Jesus came to free us from our sins.

“Christ Jesus came to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15).  If everybody followed Jesus and was saved from our sins, we would have no evil.  The reason there is injustice and evil is because humanity carries sin at its core.  If we allow sin to be removed from our lives, we won’t be committing evil against God and one another anymore.

 
I’m not just saying that we should all simply adopt the same mindset; that isn’t enough.  It’s not about everyone converting to the same religion.  There is injustice and oppression in religion, things we’ve already talked about above as objectively wrong (Hinduism = caste system, Islam = men and women aren’t equal, etc.).  

If everyone in the world became a Mets fan, it wouldn’t just make the Mets magically win all their games now (sorry Mets fans).  It’s more than just converting to the same mindset, religion or team.  I’m saying that if everyone followed Jesus specifically, and we allowed him to cleanse of our sins, this world would be a better place.

Jesus’ teachings make humanity better.

From a practical standpoint, Jesus' teachings just make humanity better.  Jesus taught that we should:

            -Love our neighbor (Mark 12:30-31)

            -Treat others how we want to be treated (Matthew 7:12)

            -Forgive instead of seeking revenge (Matthew 5:39; 18:21-22)

            -Pray for our enemies (Matthew 5:44)

If everyone did these things, the world would be a better place.  And what makes Jesus great is that he actually lived this out.

Jesus’ teaching included the equality of all people.  Women were part of his ministry staff in a time and place when men and women weren’t equal.  He hung out with society’s marginalized.  His twelve disciples constituted twelve people from completely different life stages who would have never worked together under any circumstances (fishermen, tax collectors and zealots).  The Old Testament scriptures teach that all people are created by God and to treat others unequally is to dishonor God (Malachi 2:10).

Martin Luther King Jr. was and is an amazing example for us to follow, but his progress during the Civil Rights Movement was inspired by his Christian beliefs.  Humanity is simply catching up to what Jesus already taught and lived out.

Jesus defeated death.

One of my favorite quotes is by Martin Luther King Jr.  “I have decided to stick with love.  Hate is too great a burden to bear.”  It’s an amazing quote we should live by.

One of Martin Luther King Jr.’s inspirations was Gandhi.  Gandhi said, “Where there is love, there is life.”  It’s a great quote.

Barack Obama has words to live by.  “If you're walking down the right path and you're willing to keep walking, eventually you'll make progress.”  These are wonderful words to live by.

Jesus, however, isn’t just a moral teacher with good ideas to follow.  There are plenty of those, but he’s more than that.  At Easter, Jesus proved that he’s greater than all.

An excerpt from the Easter story:

Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.”

(Matthew 28:5-7, emphasis added)

“He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen.”  Jesus’ words have power.  After saying that he would, Jesus defeated death!  When Jesus says something it’s more than just a good idea.  At Easter Jesus proved that he’s the one with the power and authority. 

Easter matters because Jesus proves that he's the answer to this world's problems.

Make Easter Personal.

Something that’s amazing about my generation and the upcoming generation is that people are willing to stand up and be part of the solution.  That’s amazing.  That’s admirable.

So if you truly want to be part of the solution, this is how: make Easter personal this year.  Ask Jesus to fill your personal brokenness.  Jesus is the solution this world needs.  Not more or less guns, not more or less rallies.  Those may play some small part in it, but until this world receives Jesus, humanity will remain broken and in need of a solution.

In the Name of Jesus…

I’m not just saying, “Everyone should adopt my viewpoint.”  I’m talking about Jesus.  If you’ve ever been to church, you’ve heard someone say, “In Jesus’ name, amen.”  We pray “In the name of Jesus” because Jesus is the one with the power and authority.  And he proved it at Easter!

So make your LIFE part of the solution. 

Where do you need Jesus personally right now?  In light of Easter, what parts of your life do you need to let die in order for Jesus to bring new life? 

Maybe it’s in your habits.  There’s something that you find yourself continually doing or a way you behave that you can’t stop doing in your own strength.  You need to ask Jesus to become Lord of your life in that area.

Maybe it’s in your relationships.  There’s someone you have bad blood with that you’ve become hurt or angry over what they’ve done, and you’ve developed hatred in your heart towards that person.  You need to ask Jesus to become Lord of your life in that specific area. 

Maybe it’s in your fears and anxieties.  You’re so afraid of what could happen at work, at school or at home that you’ve lost the ability to have joy in any situation.  You need to let Jesus become Lord over your fear, and trust him instead of trusting what you feel could happen.

Maybe it’s something I won’t list here, but you need to make Jesus lord of that area.

Easter Is The Answer.

This world needs a solution.  Everyone knows it, but no one agrees on what that solution is.

Easter matters because Jesus proves that he’s the solution this world needs.

To be part of this world’s solution, make Easter personal this year.  Ask Jesus to come fill your personal brokenness.  Where do you need Jesus personally right now?