Rev. Dr. Derrick Elliott, Pastor, Sun Lakes United Church of Christ
April is a month of contrasts. For many, it reflects Easter, Passover, and, in some years, Ramadan while also welcoming the full bloom of spring. It’s a time when the earth shakes off winter’s gray and leans toward something new—growth, change, even disruption. That same sense of disruption is at the heart of one of the most influential figures: Jesus of Nazareth. Whether you consider him the Christ, a religious leader, a moral teacher, or a historical figure, one thing is clear—the Roman Empire didn’t execute Jesus because he was gentle or inoffensive. He was seen as a threat.
But not in the way we often imagine threats today. He didn’t wield power in the conventional sense. He didn’t organize an army. Instead, he challenged the norms—religiously, politically, and socially. Jesus often found himself in conflict with the religious leaders of his day. He healed on the Sabbath, called out hypocrisy among the elite, and redefined what it meant to be righteous. He emphasized inner sincerity over outward appearances and compassion over legalism. To the religious authorities, this was not just theological disagreement—it was a threat to their role and their power.
Roman officials perceived Jesus as a political problem when people began calling him the “King of the Jews,” a title that deeply alarmed them. He spoke of a new kind of kingdom—one not based on control or conquest but on love, justice, and service. At a time when empires ruled through fear and hierarchy, Jesus’ message of a different way of being in the world sounded revolutionary. And revolution, even peaceful, makes those in power uneasy.
Perhaps most unsettling was how Jesus related to people. He intentionally welcomed what society pushed aside: the sick, the poor, the foreigner, and the outcast—you know, “those people.” He broke social boundaries—not to be rebellious for its own sake but to remind people of their shared dignity and worth. In doing so, he threatened the unspoken social order—who belonged and who didn’t.
So, why does it matter this April? Many people see April as a time of renewal and awakening. It’s a good month to ask more profound questions about the systems we live in and the kind of world we want to build.
Jesus was crucified not because he was safe but because he was bold. He spoke hard truths and called for change—not with violence but with vision.
Whether you find yourself in a pew on Sunday or not, his story asks all of us: What are we willing to question? Who are we willing to include? And how might our world change if we led more with courage than comfort?
In a season that celebrates life blooming from the ground up, it’s worth remembering that, sometimes, the most significant threats are also the greatest invitations—to see differently, live differently, and love more deeply.