Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!
What is more important for your quality of life, happiness or freedom? Many of you know I pursue happiness because I lost my happiness due to some unpleasant childhood events. However, some philosophers and thought leaders argue that freedom is more important than happiness.
Immanuel Kant emphasizes the importance of freedom as a prerequisite for moral action. He believed happiness without freedom might be desirable but lacks moral significance. In other words, for him, happiness without freedom is shallow.
Jean-Paul Sartre emphasizes the importance of freedom and choice as the very essence of human existence. For him, freedom is not just important; it is what defines us as human beings.
I agree with our founding fathers that all these three are important—life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These are the unalienable rights given to us by our Creator. Therefore, we must create a society that allows all these rights to thrive.
Freedom has three levels—physical, mental, and spiritual. Some people may be physically free but not mentally free. Influencers, the media, or the government could infuse them with false information to enslave their minds. Communism is an example of a mind control machine.
Some people are physically and mentally free but not spiritually free. Spiritual freedom is the ability to bear the fruit of the spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
The opposite of it is spiritual enslavement, such as being unable to love, unable to rejoice, unable to forgive, etc. Just reverse the fruit of the spirit, and you get the condition of spiritual enslavement.
I think spiritual freedom is more important than mental and physical freedom because if you are spiritually free, no one can control your mind. People may control you physically, but if you are spiritually free, you will find the way out sooner because you don’t have the fear of death.
Easter sets us free from the fear of death because the resurrection of Jesus Christ reveals to us there’s more to life than this physical body. Jesus said that he came so that we would have life and have it abundantly. His resurrection takes away our fear of death so that we are free to live.
Some might say, “Wait, how do you know the resurrection of Jesus Christ is true? How do you prove that?” I am a rational man, so I have asked this question myself in the past.
I have mentioned it before, so here’s my brief logic. The resurrection of Jesus Christ shattered human history into two parts: AD and BC or BCE and CE. Each time I look at the calendar, I see the miracle of resurrection.
I know the calendar was created to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, but who cares about Christmas if there is no Easter?
Each time you put down your signature, you must put the date next to it, referencing Jesus Christ. Even an atheist communist must reference Jesus. They can deny him, but they can’t hide from him. The calendar is ubiquitous. Jesus is on their wall, their watch, and their phones.
So, each time I look at the calendar, I say in my heart, “He is risen indeed!”
According to a survey, two-thirds of Americans believe in the resurrection but don’t understand its significance. Jesus is risen, so what?
So, today, we will answer the “So what?” question. What Easter means to us and how Easter sets us free to live, love, lead, and leave a legacy. Let’s begin!
The Scripture lesson for today, Easter Sunday, is from the Gospel According to Mark 16:1-8. [Listen to the Word of the Lord!]
When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3 They had been saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?”
4 When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.
6 But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.”
8 So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
[[And all that had been commanded them they told briefly to those around Peter. And afterward Jesus himself sent out through them, from east to west, the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation.]] (Mk 16:1–8).
[Blessed are those who delight in God’s word. Thanks be to God!]
Mark’s account of Jesus’ resurrection differs from the other gospels, ending abruptly and barely mentioning Jesus’ appearance. Mark likes to let his story develop gradually, sometimes like a seed germinating and propagating, as in his Palm Sunday account we mentioned last week.
Understandably, the disciples were in fear when they witnessed the resurrection. Jesus had told them many times about his resurrection, but it’s one thing to hear about it and another to see it with their own eyes.
Mark mentioned previously that the disciples didn’t understand Jesus’ teachings until after the resurrection, hinting that we should reread his gospel through the lens of the resurrection and regurgitate the meaning and impact of it.
I’ll talk about six impacts of Jesus’ resurrection using the word EASTER as an acrostic. These six impacts set us free to live, love, lead, and leave a legacy. They are the gifts of Easter for every believer.
Eternity
The resurrection of Jesus Christ gives us a glimpse of the eternal life Jesus promised us. If you know you have eternal life, you live this life differently.
Jesus said we must become like children to enter the kingdom of heaven. Children live heavenly because they don’t have a sense of death. They think a hundred years on earth is like eternity. So they look forward to the future with great expectations.
Do you look forward to the future? I remember when I hit forty or fifty, I stopped looking forward to the future. I wanted to hit the brake, “Oh, no, my hair is turning grey. My eyes are getting dim. Oh, life, please go slowly. I haven’t achieved all my dreams yet.” That’s when we lose the child-likeness.
Jesus gives us eternal life to take our foot off the brake and put it on the accelerator. Jesus said
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” (Jn 3:16).
How do you know you have eternal life? You look forward to the future like children. You remove your foot from the brake and hit the pedal to the metal. That’s freedom of eternal life. It also means we will reunite with our loved ones for eternity. So, claim it!
Advantage
According to Mencius, you need three things to succeed in life: Spiritual Advantage, Local Advantage, and Social Advantage (天时, 地利, 人和). Interestingly, he put Spiritual Advantage at the top, yet he said it is the hardest to obtain. Let me explain from the bottom up.
Social Advantage is your social network. You have that advantage if you were born into a well-connected family. Otherwise, you can develop your Social Advantage by learning people and networking skills. Then, you have a 33% chance to succeed in life.
Local Advantage is your location. As realtors say, “Location, location, location.” If you are born in the United States, you are in the land of opportunity. Thousands of people are trying to cross the border here for the Local Advantage. So, if you have your Social Advantage and Local Advantage, you have a 66% chance to succeed.
Now, you only need the Spiritual Advantage to have a 99% chance to succeed. Spiritual Advantage is hard to get because it’s a gift from God. But Jesus promised to give us. He said in his farewell speech,
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive.” (Jn 14:16-17a).
As Christians, we have this unfair advantage. The Spiritual Advantage can overwrite other disadvantages. You have seen people with all kinds of disadvantages succeed by having only the Spiritual Advantage. It sets you free from the obstacles in life.
What are the conditions for receiving the Spiritual Advantage? Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” His commandments are simple: love God and love people, nothing more and nothing less. So claim the Spiritual Advantage the risen Christ offers you.
Serenity
Serenity is peace beyond description. Jesus said,
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” (Jn 14:27).
The first word Jesus said to the disciples after his resurrection was, “Peace be with you!” Everything Jesus did for us is to keep our hearts from trouble and fear. A troubled heart is like rough water, a wavy pond, or a stormy sea. King David said,
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters. (Ps 23:1-2).
That’s a picture of serenity. Jesus said after the resurrection, “I will be with you always, to the end of the age.” Serenity is being mindful of Jesus’ presence and experiencing freedom from stress, anxiety, worries, or a troubled heart. Claim the gift of serenity the risen Christ offers you.
Truth
When Jesus was on trial, Pontius Pilate asked, “What is the truth?” without realizing the truth was standing in front of him. Philosophers all over the world throughout history have been searching for the universal truth. Jesus reveals that the truth is not a “what” but a “who.”
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (Jn 14:6).
Jesus embodies the way, the truth, and the life. His resurrection proves his words were the truth. As Mark expects, we must learn and live Jesus’ truth through the lens of his resurrection.
The truth Jesus embodies is not merely factual knowledge or philosophical argument but rather spiritual truth, which encompasses understanding God’s love, grace, and salvation through Jesus Christ. Embracing this truth brings freedom from the guilt, shame, and power of sin. Jesus said,
“If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” (Jn 8:31–32).
Pontius Pilate wanted to know the truth but was uninterested in his word. That’s why he missed it. Knowing Him and living his word will lead us to the truth that sets us free. He is our freedom. So claim it.
Enlightenment
Jesus said,
“You are the light of the world. … let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” (Mt 5:14–16).
Christian enlightenment is through shining the light, meaning teaching. The word “enlightenment” has a double meaning: getting enlightened and enlightening others.
Jesus said you are already a light. You must enlighten others, or your light will be wasted. On the other hand, when you enlighten others, you get enlightened. Teaching is the best way of learning.
After King Solomon received wisdom and discernment from God, he didn’t keep it for himself. The Bible says,
He composed three thousand proverbs, and his songs numbered a thousand and five. 34 People came from all the nations to hear the wisdom of Solomon; they came from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom. (1 Ki 4:32, 34).
Can you believe that? That’s 3,000 Instagram posts and 1,005 podcasts, Facebook, or YouTube posts. Can you imagine how King Solomon did it in those days without social media?
The point is he didn’t hide his light for himself. You must not. If you don’t know what to post on social media, just post a few Bible verses daily or share someone’s teaching that touches your heart. Who knows how many lives you will influence?
After the resurrection, Jesus commissioned the disciples to be social media influencers. He said,
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, … teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.” (Mt 28:19a–20a).
It’s not a compulsion but a commission to teach. As you enlighten others, you will be enlightened. Starting this Easter, claim your freedom to teach.
Reconciliation
Last but not least! Jesus’ death and resurrection is all about reconciliation. The symptom of this fallen world is broken relationships among people, nations, and religions. Most importantly, between God and humans.
Jesus redeemed and reconciled all relationships through his death and resurrection. It sets us free from guilt and fear of future judgments. Jesus said,
“On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.” (Jn 14:20).
That day is the day of resurrection. God and humans become one—no more fear of God for any punishments we deserve because Jesus has paid for it with his grace on the cross. With his resurrection, Jesus also gave us a mission to reconcile the world by sharing the good news of freedom.
There we have it, the six gifts of Jesus’ resurrection in the acrostic of EASTER:
Eternity
Advantage
Serenity
Truth
Enlightenment
Reconciliation
Let’s claim these gifts of freedom to live, love, lead, and leave a legacy!
That’s it for today. I hope you find this message illuminating as much as I enjoy receiving it from the Head Office. Until we meet again, keep your light shining brighter and broader, and harvest the fruit of profound freedom, purpose, and happiness.
Amen! Christ is risen indeed! Happy Easter!
