Epiphany: Following the Star Toward Forgiveness and Unity

Gold was fit for a king. Frankincense was fit for a priest because frankincense is a connection between earth and heaven, and it represents prayer. So as the scent rises into heaven, it's like, you know, rising into the very heart of God. So it reminds us of this beautiful connection. Well, myrrh is always an interesting thing because people will say, well, it's because they knew he was gonna die, so they gave him myrrh. [00:30:45] (34 seconds)  #GiftsWithMeaning

And so, you know, this this group of people, these gentiles weren't connected to the Israelites by blood, but it says instead that we were adopted because of the blood of Christ. So it's Christ's blood that makes us all family, and that blood runs through all of us. Every single person on earth is gathered into this adoption plan. [00:35:36] (24 seconds)  #AdoptedInChrist

And it talks about the fact that, you know, we then, because of Christ's love for us, we're forgiven and we're redeemed, and I love this word because god lavishes grace on us. Isn't that a beautiful image? God lavishes love and grace on us. And so, you know, there's not a shortage. In fact, there's a huge abundance of grace that God is more than ready to pour out on all of us. So it talks about the redemption and the forgiveness and and the lavishness of God's grace. [00:36:00] (36 seconds)  #LavishGrace

Because it's really about god's desire for how the whole universe is unfolding and the direction we're moving in. And the way we discover that is by looking at Jesus who became a baby, very vulnerable, and then was willing to heal people, to forgive people, to eat with the outcasts and the sinners, and, you know, to teach people about god's amazing love. [00:38:25] (26 seconds)  #JesusWithOutcasts

``And then ultimately, to say, I'm not gonna fight back. When you beat me, when you hang me on a cross, I'm not gonna seek revenge. Instead, I'm only gonna offer love and show that that love is stronger even than death itself. So his resurrection reminds us of all that God's desire is pointing to. It's this desire that we will be family. It's this desire that that we will forgive one another. [00:38:51] (28 seconds)  #LoveNotRevenge

but he says, you know, you've heard what this has done to our family, so I'm not gonna repeat it for the one hundredth time. And then he takes a deep breath and he says, but I wanna tell you that god will forgive you. I know I've been forgiven for some things I've done wrong, and I know god will forgive you. I also wanna tell you, and he said, I'm speaking on my own behalf, not on behalf of my family, that I forgive you. [00:45:06] (32 seconds)  #IChooseForgiveness

And then he pauses and he looks over at the judge and he says, can I give her a hug? And the judge thinks about it for a second, looks at Amber, the the police officer, who nods her head. She's okay with it. And and then they get up, and they embrace for about, I don't know, thirty seconds. And during that embrace, Amber is weeping and saying, I am so, so sorry. I am so, so sorry. And Brandt is hugging her and saying, you're forgiven. You are forgiven. [00:46:06] (41 seconds)  #ForgivingEmbrace

And so I believe the scripture, this Sunday, and this story invites us all to follow the light of God's love, to look around, and even at the people with whom we disagree with vehemently, to see in them a sibling because of the blood of Jesus and to forgive them for any of their beliefs that hurt you, Yes. To hold them accountable and to talk about how some of these policies hurt people, and yet, to love them as a human being. [00:48:46] (34 seconds)  #LoveAcrossDifference