A couple of weeks ago, on the first Sunday night in December, we were privileged to have the Jeff Easter family in concert at our church. Not a few people noted in jest that we were having an Easter concert at Christmas. A few even teasingly inquired if we were going to have a Christmas concert next Easter. Of course, this was all done in fun. The Easters did a wonderful job leading us as we worshipped God together.
At the same time, there really is a connection between Christmas and Easter. In fact, the two are inextricably linked together. And that is a most serious matter, as eternity itself hangs in the balance.
Earl Allen, a gifted pastor of yesterday, explored this fundamental connection between Christmas and Easter in his book, Sign of the Star. In it, he related the Suffering Servant passages of the Old Testament, especially those of Isaiah, to the Christmas story.
Allen wrote: “Near the cradle of Bethlehem stands the cross, God’s Christmas tree—you can’t make anything else out of it. The blood of Jesus Christ has been the red ribbon strung from that first coat of skins in the Garden of Eden down through the ... four hundred silent years, through the genealogies of the first chapter of Matthew. Crimson blossoms bright in the holy moment of the cross.”
Holy indeed! Dr. Allen was quite right. Jesus, as the Sacrificial Lamb of God, was born to die. And one can almost see the reflection of the star of Bethlehem glistening in the crimson blood of Calvary. Amen! Praise God for all that Christmas set in motion, and for all that Easter brought to completion!
At the same time, there really is a connection between Christmas and Easter. In fact, the two are inextricably linked together. And that is a most serious matter, as eternity itself hangs in the balance.
Earl Allen, a gifted pastor of yesterday, explored this fundamental connection between Christmas and Easter in his book, Sign of the Star. In it, he related the Suffering Servant passages of the Old Testament, especially those of Isaiah, to the Christmas story.
Allen wrote: “Near the cradle of Bethlehem stands the cross, God’s Christmas tree—you can’t make anything else out of it. The blood of Jesus Christ has been the red ribbon strung from that first coat of skins in the Garden of Eden down through the ... four hundred silent years, through the genealogies of the first chapter of Matthew. Crimson blossoms bright in the holy moment of the cross.”
Holy indeed! Dr. Allen was quite right. Jesus, as the Sacrificial Lamb of God, was born to die. And one can almost see the reflection of the star of Bethlehem glistening in the crimson blood of Calvary. Amen! Praise God for all that Christmas set in motion, and for all that Easter brought to completion!