I used to think Easter was about bunnies, baskets, and Peeps—but not the Savior who knew everything about me and still went to the Cross.
And I did sometimes go to church—but mostly just to check a box. It wasn’t a priority.
If I’m being honest, I probably put more emphasis on the brunch or the get-together than the true reason behind it all. But when I became a Christian, it hit me—hard. The real meaning of Easter. The weight of it. And the sacrifice that was made not just for me, but because of me.
It’s about a Cross—rugged, stained, and undeserved.
It’s about a Savior who didn’t run from the brokenness of the world…
but stepped into it—fully and willingly.
For you.
For me.
He Wasn’t Dragged to Calvary—He Walked There
Jesus didn’t deserve the Cross. But He took my place.
He took your place.
He endured every moment of betrayal, mockery, the whip, the thorns, the nails, and the public humiliation—not as a victim, but as the sinless Son of God, who chose it.
“God sent him to die in our place to take away our sins.”
—Romans 3:25 (NCV)
Why Did He Do It?
Was it for the religious elites?
For the perfect, polished, sinless people?
Not even close.
The religious leaders of Jesus’ day feared Him—not because of what He did, but because of who was listening. He threatened their image, their power, and their carefully managed control.
They were terrified the crowds would follow a man who healed on the Sabbath, sat with sinners, and called out their hypocrisy.
But Jesus didn’t come to push religion.
He came to change hearts.
He wasn’t ashamed of the people we read about in the Bible.
- David, who committed adultery with Bathsheba and orchestrated her husband’s death—yet God still called him a man after His own heart.
- Matthew, a tax collector hated by his own people—yet Jesus didn’t avoid him, He invited him.
- The Prodigal Son, who squandered everything and came crawling back in shame—yet the Father ran to him and threw a celebration.
- The Samaritan woman at the well, married five times and currently with a man who wasn’t her husband—yet Jesus offered her living water.
- The woman caught in adultery, dragged into public shame—yet Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.”
- The tax collector in the temple, who couldn’t even lift his eyes—yet he was the one Jesus said went home justified, not the proud religious man beside him.
- Peter, who denied even knowing Jesus three times—yet he became the rock upon which Jesus would build His church.
These weren’t cleaned-up churchgoers with spiritual résumés.
These were real people with real sin, real shame, and real baggage.
And Jesus wasn’t ashamed of a single one of them.
“Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.”
—Hebrews 2:11
Let that sink in.
Jesus—perfect and holy—isn’t ashamed to call you family.
You Don’t Have to Get It All Together First
I thought I had to be better first.
I thought I had to earn it.
The truth is, you’ll never be “good enough.”
But the good news? You don’t have to be.
“This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
—1 John 4:10
He knows your past.
He knows your failures.
He knows what you’ve done, what you regret, and what still haunts you.
And He still loves you.
That’s what Easter is about.
That’s what the Cross was about.
So, Now What?
Maybe this is the first time it truly hit you…
That this isn’t just a Sunday story or a religious holiday.
This is personal.
Jesus isn’t ashamed of you.
He’s not waiting for you to “clean up.”
He’s just waiting for you to say yes.
When I understood this for the first time, I said a prayer that changed my life.
And if your heart’s ready, maybe this is your moment.
This is the exact prayer I talk about in my book YOUR HOUSE IS ON FIRE: Christianity… From a Firefighter’s Perspective:
“Lord Jesus, I know I’m a sinner, but I believe You died on the cross for me. I now turn from my sin and receive You as my Savior and my Lord. I choose to follow You from this day forward. Thank You for calling me and accepting me. In Jesus’ name, I pray.”
If you’re ready to see how Jesus’ final days began, take a moment to read this Palm Sunday reflection—a story of prophecy, humility, and the crowd that cheered before they turned.
Final Thought: He Knew Everything About You—and Still Went to the Cross
Jesus doesn’t regret going to the Cross for you.
He knew the cost—and He paid it in full.
This Easter, let that truth settle deep:
- He isn’t ashamed of you.
- He calls you brother.
- He calls you sister.
- He calls you His.