This document is an Easter message given by Ian Ellis-Jones at the Sydney Unitarian Church in 2007. It discusses the meaning of Easter from a Unitarian perspective. [1] It focuses on Jesus as an example of selfless sacrifice and living to help others. [2] It then discusses Easter as a symbol of life's eternal cycle of sacrifice and rebirth that we are all part of. [3] The message conveys that while Unitarians may reject the literal resurrection of Jesus, the spiritual meaning of new life and constant self-improvement is important.

1. EASTER SUNDAY
An Easter Message
by
Ian Ellis-Jones
Honorary Minister, Sydney Unitarian Church
8 April 2007
For Christians, Easter is a time when attention is paid to the sacrifice of the
Master Jesus on the Cross. Unitarian Christians, and even Unitarians who do not
identify themselves as Christian, tend to remember and commemorate, not just
his death, but also his sacrificial life, for Jesus did indeed leave us a wonderful
example of how to live. He constantly gave of himself selflessly to others, so that
others might live. Indeed, it is written that Jesus came that we might have life,
and have it more abundantly. The Easter story is one of courage, love and
sacrifice. It is an account of goodness and truth confronted by evil and duplicity.
Much has been written about the so-called Way of the Cross. That Way, the Way
of Jesus, requires that we give of ourselves to others. Jesus is the Way-Shower,
who says, “Follow me.” He shows us the way by awakening us to the possibilities
of our own nature. Only those actions through which shines the light of the Cross
are worthy of the disciple. We must lay aside the old self, that is, we must repent
of our self-centredness, pride and wilfullness, for the way of Jesus involves
constant self-sacrifice and love. His selflessness sits in quiet judgment upon our
selfishness. His living personality and spirit, lying hidden in his words, is a
powerful motivating force for individual transformation as well as a source of
inward power. As we contemplate his suffering love we are moved to moral and
spiritual transformation and become set free from ourselves. Self is nailed to the
Cross, which is the answer to self-centredness and selfishness.
The story of Jesus’ self-giving, that is, his incarnation, passion, death and
resurrection, is also an acted parable or dramatization of the ongoing cosmic
sacrifice - the self-limitation of life itself - in which the Spirit of Life ever descends
into matter, ever offers Itself, pours Itself out into the created world, is crucified,

2. and ever gives of Itself to Itself in manifestation, so that life, in all of its multiplicity
of form, is perpetuated. In this sacrificial outgiving - the putting forth of the
Eternal Principle of Life as the Logos who freely offers Itself as the ensouling life
of matter - the one life manifests Itself in all things as all things but ever remains.
Said the great avatar, Sri Krishna: "I established this universe with a portion of
myself; and I remain." Ultimately, this tremendous Energy, having poured Itself
out into the created world, draws that world back into Itself – the so-called
inbreath and outbreath of Brahman.
This is the enduring, eternal sacrifice by which the world is nourished and
sustained, the sublimest myth known to humanity, the “Man Crucified in Space”
of Hindu mythology, the “Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” of
Christianity - the Self-Givingness of life. In this cosmic sacrifice - in which the
Life-giver is, as it were, crucified upon the Cross of matter and imprisoned in
form - the indwelling life is poured out. This is a continuing process in which
each of us has a part. Let us not forget the common life in ourselves, for we are
all one, all life is one and indivisible, and every form that exists is a symbol of the
supreme oblation, the Spirit of Life giving Itself to Its world that it might have life.
Yes, the Spirit of Life, which breathes into existence all that is, is both
transcendent and immanent in our universe, suffering, evolving, acting with and
through all life.
Whilst most Unitarians, including myself, would reject the whole assertion that
Jesus Christ literally rose from the dead – for me, that is nothing more than the
carnalization of the ancient myth of the dying and rising god - the spiritual
meaning of the Easter story is of profound and lasting importance, for we are all
resurrected into newness of life, not just once, but every day, indeed, every
second of every minute of every day. However, the great challenge for each of us
is to be consciously resurrected into newness of thinking and acting.
Easter is about endings and beginnings. It’s about love overcoming hate, hope
prevailing over despair, and life triumphing over death. Easter celebrates the fact
that life has no beginning and has no end. Life is indestructible, and as part of

3. life's self-expression, we can never cease to be. There is only life. We are life.
Life is energy. Life is expression. It cannot cease because it is ceaselessness.
We may change form and vanish from view, but we cannot cease to be. We
never cease to be, not for a moment. We cannot be separated from life. We
cannot be less than life.
May you all have a happy and holy Easter.
-oo0oo-