The Christmas Tree God Decorated

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