When the Easter long weekend rolls around, it’s more than just a break from routine—it’s a moment for us to pause, reflect on, and celebrate the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. This Easter, it’s also worth considering just how deeply Jesus has shaped not only individual lives, but the course of nations and the story of our entire world.

Whether you're working, studying, or simply navigating the chaos of the weekly grocery shop, you’ve probably noticed the disruption that Jesus brings. Our country still marks Good Friday as a public holiday and shifts Easter Sunday to Monday in recognition of the resurrection of Christ.

What would you say if a friend asked you “why do you go to church?”

Is it because it makes you feel better? A spiritual pick-me-up? To grow in your personal faith? Perhaps you like the free food? Or the community to belong to? Maybe you're hoping to find a life partner?

Perhaps a better question to ask ourselves is - “why does God want me to go to church?”

I’m sure a developmental psychologist would have a field day analysing how my upbringing shaped me into a ‘people-pleaser’ as an adult.

Though I’m often not fully aware of it, when I pause and reflect on my actions, I realise they are frequently driven by a desire to make others happy—or to ensure they think well of me. And I have a feeling I’m not alone in this!

The desire to please or impress others is a powerful force.

Where would you place yourself on a scale from "sinner" to "righteous"?

Sinner __________ Not too bad __________ Good __________ Righteous

Maybe it depends—some days we might feel more sinful, while others, perhaps, we feel closer to righteous. But the reality is, as Christians, we are both sinners and righteous at the same time. This can be a challenging reality to keep in view.

Over these last few weeks I’ve been reading a book called “Both / And” by Gary Millar, which dives into the great paradoxical truths of the bible. One that intrigued me is that we are both righteous and sinners at the same time.