Why Jesus’ Outrageous Statements Will Make Your Easter Wonderful
8 Ways That Can Completely Change Your Life
“It’s not about the bunny; it’s about the lamb.” — Unknown
A pastor once asked his congregation, “Why do we do Easter bunnies?” Wearing a smile, he said, “Because when they arrested Jesus, His disciples got so afraid that they fled like the Runaway Bunny.”
Jesus’ story is impressive — to say the least. He lived 33 years, stayed single His entire life, never wrote a book, and did not run for political office.
His relationship status gives hope to an increasing population of singles all around the world.
Jesus is the most remarkable ‘singleinfluencer’ who has ever lived on Earth.
Jesus maximized his single season. Unlike many of us singles, He was not frustrated about his relationship status. Instead, He was thriving and showed His followers how to live a fulfilled life.
As we peel off the layers of the Easter we think we know, we discover that the ‘Easter bunny’ has to yield its place to the ‘Easter lamb.’
In just three years, Jesus — also called the ‘Lamb of God’, launched a still growing, worldwide movement.
- How did He do it?
- What can we learn from Him?
- How can we follow His example and make our world a better place?
Let’s look at eight of His statements that have the potential to transform your life for the better.
1. “I am the light of the world.”
One day, as Jesus would often do, He addressed the crowd, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Jesus is walking before us, showing us the way. I invite you to follow His footsteps and let Him transform you.
- In Him, we get clarity.
- In Him, we find peace.
- In Him, we find our purpose.
- And, in Him, we understand what truly matters in life.
How do you choose to be ‘the light of your world’ today?
2. “I came to proclaim good news to the poor, liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind.”
The Jews expected a mighty Savior who would free them from the Roman occupants.
Instead, Jesus came to proclaim good news to the poor.
Luke tells us the story:
And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
The guys at the synagogue that Saturday were filled with doubt. How can anyone from their insignificant village make such a bold statement? How can the carpenter’s son change the world?
And yet, Jesus brought a new standard. He overturned their belief and value system. He said, “The last will be first, and the first will be last.”
Who’s considered ‘last’ in your surrounding? What can you do today to show them God’s love?
3. “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
Jesus’ statement was revolutionary. It is still a remarkable attitude for us today.
I imagine people telling Him, “You have gone too far! Are you out of your mind?”
Jesus was serious. This commandment raised the bar to such a high standard so that many of us are still struggling to do so today.
If we truly loved our foes, our world would be a different place.
I invite you to pray for someone who has done or is still doing harm to you.
4. “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
Once again, Jesus turned the world’s value system upside down.
It’s all about getting more likes in our society, earning more money, buying a bigger house, being more intelligent than your neighbor, receiving more accolades to boost your ego, and getting this new gadget to be the cool guy.
In sum, the World values the me-myself-and-I trip.
Jesus made a one-eighty degree turn: it’s way much better to give — to let go — than to get more.
Isn’t that a slap in our face? For many of us, it is.
We constantly hear the message around us that we should get more. And over time, we begin to believe it.
Jesus’ worldview is so revolutionary. He wants us to let go. We only are His stewards of the things He freely gave us. Hence, doing His will means becoming more generous.
Here’s the killer, whenever I do give, I get something in return that more stuff cannot buy. I feel a deep sense of peace and happiness in my heart.
Being blessed is so much better than running the pointless rat race. Jesus came so that we have a life to the full.
It’s within your reach.
What will you give today?
5. “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Jesus closed the gap between God and humanity. Due to an act of disobedience, Adam and Eve lost their privileged access to the Creator of the universe.
In other words, sin opened an insurmountable canyon. But God so loved us human beings that He sent His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
Because Jesus paid the price of sin — death — in our place, He paved the way back to God.
We now have unlimited access to God Almighty through Jesus.
To quote the Nigerian gospel singer Sinach who wrote the song The Waymaker:
“Waymaker, miracle worker, promise keeper, light in the darkness. My God, that is who You are.
You are here, touching every heart, healing every heart, turning lives around, mending every heart. I worship You.”
Take a moment to worship the Greatest #Singleinfluencer of all times, telling Him who He is for you.
6. “Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”
Jesus told his followers, “Don’t get too attached to this temporary and short life here on Earth.”
Our physical life is short. And yet, I have found myself getting so preoccupied with living life. I have lost an eternal perspective.
Are there things in life your running after that will have no importance in Eternity? Have you desperately tried living the best life, and you realized that you’re losing it? You’re burning out, getting unsatisfied and frustrated.
When you adopt a long-term view, your values change. You begin to invest in things that will last over generations and will change the destiny forever.
Living to the full — the life Jesus promises us — includes living for a purpose greater than ourselves.
What legacy do you want to leave?
7. “I came not to be served but to serve.”
A few hours before His death, Jesus did yet another shocking thing. This time Peter had enough. He rebuked his Master: “You shall never wash my feet!”
Nobody saw Jesus’ foot-washing event coming. Just a few hours before his crucifixion, He did the unimaginable.
Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
Soak that in for a minute! His father had just given Him all authority. I would hence expect a powerful act: a crazy miracle, independence for the Jews, fire from heaven.
But, Jesus made a statement that evening. The act of serving is the most powerful. That’s the very reason He came: to save humanity. That’s the greatest act of service anyone can make.
Where do you tie your towel around your waist to serve others?
8. “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.”
The Lord has risen indeed!
The disciples were perplexed on Easter Sunday when they found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty.
While they were still scratching their head, two angels appeared. They said to the disciples, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?”
Jesus said, “I have come to give you everything in abundance, more than you expect — life in its fullness until you overflow!”
Abundant life is possible because He died at the cross for our sins and rose again. God’s one and only son overcame death and solved the biggest problem of humanity once for all.
To quote the prophet Isaiah:
“He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.
Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.”
To live genuinely means surrender our lives to Jesus. That’s why Jesus told His followers, “If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.”
How are you responding to God’s invitation, “Follow Me!”?
Takeaway
The statements Jesus made, talking to the many people gathering whenever He would pass through their town, seem outrageous at first glance.
And yet, thousands of people followed His call and changed their world for the better.
- They gave generously.
- They prayed for their enemies.
- They began to serve.
- They stood up for the poor.
- They gave a voice to the oppressed.
- They maximized their singlehood.
It may seem overwhelming. It may seem to big of a step.
But all it takes is a decision and a small step. To quote Mother Teresa, “I’m a little pencil in the hand of a writing God, who is sending a love letter to the world.”
He extends the same invitation to you this Easter, saying, “Do you let me transform your life for the better too?”
When you do so, you will find the life that overflows. And through you the world will become better place, one step at a time.
Happy Easter!
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David Brühlmann is Swiss. He authored Single for a Season: How to Be Single and Happy. He is an experienced biotech industry leader, and dedicates his life to the development of high-quality education for children and young adults in Cambodia.