12-26-07 The Christmas Tree that God Decorated
What does it requie to be a Christmas tree?
1. A tree.
2. An ornament
3. Lights
4. one or more gifts at the bottom (most USA standards)
Fact #1: Christ was crucified on a tree
Fact # 2: Christ was born in a manger as our gift for salvation.
- our gift of grace.
Fact #3: God decorated a manger (feeding trough) with a baby (His only son).
- He decorated Calvry’s cross with a man (His son)
- He was strung out on the cross
- which was a tree
- Exposed beaten, for what he did not do
- for the world to see
- His Word says "cursed is any man who is hung on a tree".
- The cross was a tree
- It had been cut down and re-located
- in a hole on mt. Calvary.
- He became cursed for us in our place.
- He paid the price for us, for our own sins.
we still need light to become a tree.
- He had more than enough light!
- "the light of the whole world"
- "the light of the Gentiles"
- Jn 1:5 "A light that shines in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not".
- Jn 8:12 "I am the light of the world, he that followeth me, shall have light."
- Jn 12:46 "I am come, a light unto the world."
- 1 Peter 2:9 "Into His marvelous light".
Illustration:
I recently spoke to a group of addicted teens and this Christmas tree thought came to my mind.
- I told them that I would go home and work it up into a sermon.
- One of them spoke up and said "Chaplain Beavers, I know what the gift was underneath the tree".
- Reacting, I asked him what it was.
- this was his excited reply:
- "it was his blood, shed for us, as he hang there on the tree. It collected on the ground."
After that meeting: more thoughts came to my mind
- about God’s decorated tree
- such as:
- "and from his side came forth both blood and water".
- from his crown of thorns "came forth blood".
- from his back which "was furrowed"
- came forth blood (like cutting up a chicken)
- When ones back is "furrowed", it means:
- to us, it is a garden term.
- the plow runs deep into the ground
- the earth is lifted up
- and is completely turned over by the plow
- if this task isn’t done just right
- and deep enough
- the garden will fail to produce bountifully
- REmember: "by his stripes ye are healed"
Psalms 129:3 (David’s song is prophesying) of
- future events on Mount calvary
- "The plowers plowed upon my back: they made long their furrows."
Remember, we proved that he was light
- the birth at the manger
- the death on the cross
- the power of His resurrection
- all three are the switches
- that turned on this amazing light
- unto the whole earth
- no body has ever been able to
- turn out this marvelous light
- this light burns to all generations
- even after the tree came down
- this light will burn for an eternity
Satanic forces are still trying to put it out.
- to an absolute NO AVAIL.
- the harder he tries
- the more Christians pop us! (more lights)
David said, in this song about calvary
- Psalms 119:3 "Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth: yet they have not prevailed against me".
Wicked spirits could not turn him out.
- "the light of the whole earth".
- even as a tiny babe
- while wrapped in swaddling clothes
- lying helpless defenseless in a manger
- Herod had every male child killed
- the age of 2 and under
- still he failed to turn "the light" out
When Christ was a man, preaching
- they tried throwing "the light"
- over a cliff, and he disappeared from among them.
Later: they betrayed that light in the garden
- they pulled ot his beard
- they cuffed him, with their fists and hands
- they mocked him with a mock robe of a King
- "a scarlet purple robe"
- was placed around the light
- his mock crown, nothing but thorns
- they spat on him
- they whipped his back all the way to the cross
- They "plowed with furrows".
- a cat of 9 tails,
- with meat or flesh hooks woven into it".
- thus producing: a gift of his blood
- shed just for us
- three nails took more blood
- the spear in hs side
- took life’s remaining blood
"Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin".
- God’s Christmas tree was finished.
- furnished by His love.
