Can't have one without the other

Can't Have One With Out The Other

I know it's not Christmas or Easter yet but I woke up this morning with something on my mind. These are very popular holidays. Christmas has presents and carols. There's also a lot of talk about Santa Clause and his reindeer. Easter has egg hunts and egg coloring. We can't forget about the Easter Bunny. Looking at these two one wouldn't think they have anything in common. Nevertheless we can't have one without the other. Easter would never had to take place if there was never a first Christmas. The first Christmas would not have been necessary if the First Easter wouldn't take place.
I'm going to tell you a little bit about the first Christmas. It started I think about nine months or so prior when an angel visited a young lady who was engaged. The angel had a message for her from none other than God Himself. Gabriel, the angel, told the lady, Mary she was to have a baby. Now Mary was confused. Since she wasn't married yet she was still a virgin. Gabriel told her she was to have a little boy. She was to call Him Jesus, (Luke 1:31). He is going to be the Son of God, (Luke 1:35). This did end up happening I think because I don't know about nine months or so later.
Now there was something different about Jesus. He was perfect, as a child and adult. He didn't throw tantrums or pick on his brothers and sisters. He never had attitude. He never talked back to His mom and step-father (and I say that because the man who raised Jesus wasn't his true father). When He became a teenager, He never fought or rebelled. At this time there were only a select few who knew who Jesus' Dad was during His youth.
When he was about thirty he started telling people about His father, His true Father, God Almighty. At this time He also started performing miracles. Leprosy was no match for him, (Luke 5:11-13). He also cast out demon, fallen angels, ( Luke 8:30-33). Jesus raised people from the dead as well, (John 11:43-44). Sickness and disability didn't stand a chance against Him. He even taught people about unconditional love as well as other great truths, (Matthew 5:43-47 & 22:37-39). Even though what He did throughout his ministry, was great, what took place in His last days brings everything to full circle.
Let me give you a small history lesson. While Jesus was helping people there was a group of who hated Him, the religious crowd, (Pharisees and Scribes.) The plotted to have him killed, (John 11:46-51). One of his own friends turned against Him. Judas helped these individuals arrest him, (Matthew 26:21-24 & Luke 22:21-22). When they arrested him, they took him to Caiaphas, the High Priest, (John 18:13). Throughout the night people made false accusations against him. They spit in His face and beat Him, (Matthew 26:57-67).
In the morning He was brought before the governor, (Matthew 27:2). Pilate , the governor, didn't want anything to do with it. When he learned that Jesus was a Galilean He was sent to Herod. Herod had jurisdiction over Him. Because Jesus wouldn't perform any miracles He was just sent back to Pilate, (Luke 23:8-11). Since Pilate could find no reason for Him to die all he wanted was to have Jesus beaten, then released,
(Luke 23:14-15). The people wouldn't hear of it. They wanted Pilate to release Barabbas, a know murderer and have Jesus crucified, who did no wrong. So to please the people that's what happened, (Luke 23:15-25).
What those people failed to understand though is Jesus allowed them to do this. Being the Son of God He could have stopped any part of it but He chose not to. He allowed them to ridicule Him, spit in His face, beat Him, then ultimately nail him to the cross. He allowed this because it is one of the reasons He was born. He had to shed His blood upon the earth.
Even though Jesus died that dreadful day, then buried in a tomb, He didn't stay there, (Luke24:7). Now for any regular person death would have been the end, but not for Jesus. All this took place so He could raise from the dead three days later. Now I know what your thinking, this is impossible. But if you stop and think about it Jesus' whole life was impossible. A virgin birth, perfect child then adult, His death and resurrection was able to happen because Jesus in the one and only Son of God.
Now why did God allow His only Son to go through all that? Not so we can celebrate Christmas (His virgin birth) or Easter (his resurrection) but because He loves us. He wanted to be able to adopt us into His family. But because of sin there needed to be a bridge between God the Father and us, sinners. Without that bridge we are condemned to a life of eternal hell. God loves us so much that He let His only Son die such a horrific death so He can become that holy and precious bridge. We also have to do our part.
God made a way for us to be part of His family but we have to make the choice to be in his family. First we need to admit that we're sinners, people who always mess up, which we do. Then something called faith comes in to play. We are to live by faith, believe in something that you can't see or understand. Once we admit we're sinners, we have a few things that need to take place. We are to believe in His virgin birth, His life and death, then his resurrection. We have to believe even if it doesn't make sense. If you believe that and I don't me with your mind, but deep down to your most inner being, then you become part of God's family.
Now I know there are some who think that once you believe then you can live any way you want and your sins will be forgiven. That's not true. We're to set an example for others. We are to tell others of Jesus love. We're to strive to be like Jesus. We're to try to live a life without sin, which will never totally happen because we are people and people sin. But when you become part of Jesus' family, well I'll just put it like my pastor does, we won't be sinless but you should want to sin less.
By having faith in Jesus, you are born again, born into the family of God through adoption. And what a wonderful family to belong to. To know I'm not going to hell, where I deserve to be, but will be in heaven with Jesus for all eternity.