While on the surface…a message on the power of forgiveness…may seem better suited for another day…this may just be the perfect day. The majority of the unforgiveness, bitterness, and deepest offenses in our lives come from relationships within our families and those closest to us.
With that mind…please understand…the application of this message isn’t just for mom’s or even those struggling with honoring their moms. This is a challenge to all of us…in every area of our lives…and I believe our response to this message will determine whether we find freedom or remain in a prison of bitterness and unforgiveness.
Traditionally the church has taught the Christmas and Easter stories as if they are two distinct and separate stories. We compartmentalize them. The Christmas story is the story of Jesus robing himself in human flesh. We call it the Incarnation; which simply means “to put on flesh”. In the Incarnation, God took on human skin. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, became Jesus Christ the Son of Man - He became one of us.
On the other hand, Easter is the story of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. And while our celebrations of these events are only separated by a few months, they seem to be miles apart in our minds. But the story of God is one congruent story and when you disconnect the parts from each other, you end up missing something. So, let’s think about them as one complete story. Let’s look at Easter through the lenses of Christmas.
