One of the great traditions of Easter is an Easter egg hunt. It’s so much fun to watch kids race around looking for the colorful plastic eggs hidden in every outdoor corner and crevice imaginable.
You may wonder: Why are we talking about Easter in December? As I read through week three of Come, Follow Me, I noticed an Easter theme. On several days, the author makes connections between Christmas and Easter. One reading even refers to an “Easter egg hidden in Christmas.” (Page 24) In other words, Jesus’ birth points us ahead to His resurrection – His rebirth from the dead.
Here are some quotes from the readings, which are based on Matthew 1:18-25.
“Jesus would again receive life by the power of the Holy Spirit and the will of God the Father – immortal, resurrected life (see Romans 1:4) as God’s ‘firstborn from the dead’ (Revelation 1:5).” (Page 20)
What a thought! God’s only begotten Son was born into this world as Mary’s firstborn. As the first to rise from death in a glorified state, Jesus is the firstborn of the dead. An Easter egg hidden in Christmas!
“Jesus began His natural life with no help from the flesh and the will of man, and Jesus would begin His immortal life in just the same way: no heroic decision of man, but the gracious providence of God.” (Page 21)
In His incarnation, Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit in accordance with the Father’s plan. In His resurrection, Jesus was vindicated through “the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead” (Romans 8:11). In bringing about our salvation, the Holy Trinity was at work. We’re saved by God’s grace alone.
“The names Immanuel and Jesus pointed not to Israel’s mere survival but to its rebirth as the church.” (Page 25)
Because of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem, His death on the cross, and His “rebirth” from the dead, we are welcomed into the community of the born-again, the Church.
These deep mysteries of the faith give us much to ponder as we prepare for the celebration of our Savior’s birth!
If you’re in the San Antonio area, you can purchase your copy of Come, Follow Me in the church office at Shepherd of the Hills. Otherwise, it’s available online at cph.org or amazon.com.
Pastor Chris Kennedy 