The Cradle To The Cross and Beyond

Luke 2:6-7

Once upon a mountain top, three little trees stood and dreamed of what they wanted to become when they grew up. The first little tree looked up at the stars and said: " I want to hold treasure. I want to be covered with gold and filled with precious stones. I'll be the most beautiful treasure chest in the world!" The second little tree looked out at the small stream trickling by on it's way to the ocean. " I want to be traveling mighty waters and carrying powerful kings. I'll be the strongest ship in the world! The third little tree looked down into the valley below where busy men and women worked in a busy town. I don't want to leave the mountain top at all. I want to grow so tall that when people stop to look at me they'll raise their eyes to heaven and think of God. I will be the tallest tree in the world.

God's Word tells us of one who gave up His throne and crown in heaven, exchanged the radiant robe of the universal King for the garment of a servant. Traded life eternal and descended to death, went from wanting for nothing to experiencing human want and woe and wickedness first hand. He could have been born in a palace, but instead lay in a lowly cradle in a cattle stall at Bethlehem, and some 33 years later hung upon a cross of shame on Calvary.

Why would He do this? So that all, even those who crucified Him might be forgiven. Can you span the chasm between the throne of a universe and that cross? Between a crown of stars and a crown of thorns? Between the worship of the host of heaven and the mockery of an insulting mob? No, you can't and that is why Christ came.

Here was a man with human infirmities, yet without human sin or sinfulness; poor, yet having at His disposal universal riches; weak and weary, yet having the exhaustless energy of God; unable to resist the violence and insults of His foes, yet able to summon legions of angels at a word or wish; suffering, yet incapable of anything but perfect bliss; dying, yet Himself having neither beginning of days or end of years? - A. T. Pierson, Bible teacher

Benjamin P. Browne in his writings suggests that the millions who have no concept of its spiritual significance are “Christmas Christians.” He writes: “Christmas Christians are limited Christians. It might seem safe to try to keep Christ wrapped as a baby and limited to a manger, a cradle, but too much is lost. It is in the context of His life and ministry—and, we should add, His death—that Bethlehem has meaning.”

Those who properly celebrate this season want to shout with Paul, “Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift” (2 Cor. 9:15). God’s gift is the gift of Himself in His Son. Here is the source of all His grace, blessings, and love. The gift of God’s Son reveals God’s plan, purpose, passion, presence, and provision. He knew what was best for us, and at the precise moment He interjected His Son into the world. When we look around and see the apparent collapse of what is right, we are tempted to doubt. But faith has always had to rise above the tangled fears that seek to drag it down. God’s gift of His Son is His constant reminder that there is hope. He doesn’t forget His promises, for He works His will as surely as day follows night. The traditional Christmas scene is just one part of the total Christmas story.

1. His Virgin Birth. But one night, golden starlight poured over the first tree as a young woman placed her newborn baby in the feed box. The mother squeezed his hand and smiled as the starlight shone on the smooth and sturdy wood. " This manger is beautiful." She said. And suddenly the first tree knew he was holding the greatest treasure in the world.

1. Isaiah predicted the Virgin Birth 700 years before the event startled the world and divided time (Is. 7:14).

1. Matthew 1:22–23 declared the fulfillment of Isaiah’s sparkling prophecy. When Jesus was born, He had a human mother but no human father (Matt. 1:20).
2. He was the God-Man, the Virgin Birth being the essential vehicle to the mysterious, unexplainable union of the divine and the human which took place when Jesus was conceived by the Holy Ghost in the womb of Mary.
3. The Lord needed a human body and a sinless nature, thus He was “made of woman” (Gal. 4:4), born of a virgin.

2. His Virtuous Life. The 2nd little tree shuddered. She new she did not have the strength to carry so many passengers safely through the wind and the rain. The tired man awoke. He stood up, stretched out his hand, and said, "Peace." The storm stopped as quickly as it had begun. And suddenly the second tree knew he was carrying the king of heaven and earth.

1. Jesus lived a perfect life while here on earth, a record never once flawed by sin.

1. That sinless life was one of the qualifications for Him to be the Redeemer for mankind. 
    
2. This Christmas season may you be keenly conscious of the price He paid to live that virtuous life.

            3. His Vicarious Death. The 3^rd little tree shuddered when   
       soldiers nailed a man's hand to her. She felt ugly and 
       harsh and cruel.

1. Christ Jesus, God’s Gift, became a vicarious offering and died in the place of sinners. In place of you and me.

1. The heart of the gospel is the truth that “Christ gave Himself” for our sins. He died as our substitute, bearing God’s wrath for our sins, the Sinless One in the place of sinful ones.

1. Those who would see Christ’s death as a horrible accident of history are in error. Christ Jesus' death was not some design of man, but had it's origins in God, and has been carried out in accordance with His divine will.

1. If then it is in accordance with His will, it is good, and is worthy of universal acceptance.

4. His Victorious Resurrection. But on Sunday morning, when the sun rose and the earth  trembled with joy beneath her, the third tree knew that God's love had changed everything.

1. Christ’s death and Resurrection are bedrock doctrines of Christianity. Paul declares that Jesus Christ was delivered for our offenses and raised for our justification (Rom. 4:25). 
    
2. He response to any hesitant believer the truth, that “if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain (1 Cor. 15:17).

1. The gospel Paul and the other Apostles preached consisted of the death, burial and Resurrection of Christ Jesus, according to the Scriptures (1 Cor. 15:3, 4). And that is what I preach this morning.

Conclusion: What does Christmas mean to you? Are you a Christmas Christian? Does your celebration start and end with the baby in the manger? Why not let Christ Jesus become your year long, and life long Saviour?