The Curious Case of The Christmas Cross

 The Curious Case of The Christmas Cross

Opening Illustration:

Good morning Eastern Shore Baptist Church and Merry Christmas. We are now just days away from celebrating with Christians around the world the momentous occasion of Jesus Christ’s birth. Momentous may not even be the right word to use when you stop to think that the Creator of the Universe became a human being, born in a stable, some two thousand years ago. Miraculous. Marvelous maybe. There has to be a better word am I right? Amazing? Astonishing? Astounding? It seems that no matter what word you choose to define that event, the event that splits human time in half, just doesn’t seem to be enough does it?

Point:

Well, Merry Christmas anyway! Jesus is born and the world has never been the same. Isn’t funny that people around the world, people who do not even claim Christianity as their faith, still celebrate Christmas. Did you know that nearly 96% of all Americans celebrate Christmas? 

76% of Buddhists celebrate Christmas. 

73% of Hindus celebrate Christmas. 

Here is a crazy fact. Did you know that about 32% of Jews celebrate the Christmas holiday. That’s right, 32% of Jews have a Christmas tree in their home. 

Even atheists, agnostics, and people who just classify themselves as religiously unaffiliated get in on the act. 87% of this non Christian slash atheist group still celebrate Christmas. 

Why is Christmas so appealing to people who do not even believe in the story of Christ coming to earth? 

Point:

The answer to that question varies depending on who you are talking to. Some will say that Christmas brings people together. Family and friends gather to eat and fellowship. We get together and trade gifts. 

Some will say that it encourages charity, generosity, and the spirit of giving. 

Others will say that Christmas symbolizes the ideal of hopefulness, treating others with dignity, and encourages people to be more hospitable. 

But why? Boil Christmas down to its center, its core, and do you know what you find? You find a story of a God who interrupts human history by way of a spiritual angelic assault. God speaks to the lowest of lows, overshadowing sin and creating perfection in human form. God, no longer distant, becomes one of us. He wraps Himself in flesh so that He can understand mankind and walk in our shoes. You can try to make Christmas about presents, elf, a jolly fat man, but no matter how you slice it, Christmas is and will forever be about Jesus Christ, born of a virgin in a cold solitary cave in the Middle East. The world has never been the same. 

Today’s Thought:

I want you to fill in today’s thought for me this morning. After all, there cannot be a cross without the manger’s cave. Fill this in for me this morning. The cave of Christmas calls us to remember the cross of Calvery. 

Today’s Quote:

Dr. John MacAuthur is one of my most favorite pastors and preachers. He said it well when referring to the cross and Christmas when he said the following, “The shadow of the cross looms over the manger. When you understand that, you understand Christmas.”

Background and Context:

This morning we are going to be reading from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Colossians. The church in Colossae was under attack by false teachers. Interestingly enough, Paul had never been to the city before he had written this letter to them. The letter was written some 60 years after the death and resurrection of Christ. So the church was still very new and there was still a great deal of confusion among these new believers on what they were to belief and how they were to act and behave. The main issue of the book is dealing with these false teachers who were continually teaching that Jesus was not actually God. They were denigrating the deity of Jesus. So Paul wrote to them hoping to help them understand, with greater detail, who Jesus was, is, and who He will forever be. He wanted them to know that Jesus is preeminent over everything, that it is Jesus who created all things, and it is Jesus that holds all things together. This morning we are reading from Colossians 1:19-21. I am reading from the New Living Version of God’s Word. 

Statement of Belief In God’s Word:

As members of Eastern Shore Baptist Church, We believe the Bible to be inspired, God breathed, infallible, and the authoritative Word of God. We believe that the Bible is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and for training believer’s in righteousness. God’s Word has the power to give life. It provides peace in times of trouble and protection in days of tribulation. It is alive, active, and cuts to the very core of the human soul. Since there is no other book like it, let us stand to show our reverence and respect. 

Today’s Thought:

The Cave of Christmas Calls Us To Remember the Cross of Calvery!

Today’s Quote:

“The shadow of the cross looms over the manger. 

When you understand that, you understand Christmas.”

-Dr. John MacArthur

Today’s Scripture:

Colossians 1:19-21 NLT

“For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross. This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.”

From The Cave To The Cross, What Can We Learn?

I. Christmas Announces…The Fullness of God In Christ vs. 19

Colossians 1:19 NLT

“For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ,”

Point:

The first thing that we need to learn this morning is that the fullness of God exists in Jesus Christ. What does Paul mean when he makes that statement? What he is actually saying is that Jesus Christ is the personification, the living breathing embodiment of God on planet earth. All the power that God has, all the knowledge that God possesses, exists in Jesus. Jesus is fully God and God is fully Jesus. When you think about Jesus you think about God. When you pray to God you pray to Jesus. Jesus and God are one and the same. 

Let’s look this morning at the fullness of God. What is the “fullness of God” and how does that relate to Christ Jesus? The fullness of God is all of His nature and character. It is the totality of everything that He is, all of His works, and everything that He has accomplished. The fullness of God encompasses His attributes, character, perfection, holiness, power, and all of His limitless love and grace. The Greek word for “fullness” is play'-ro-mah and it means abundance, completeness and full. 

Are you getting the picture? 

You might be thinking, “well preacher I knew that already”. Maybe you have known for a very long time that Jesus is God and that Jesus is fully God. No arguments on this point. 

So what? How does the knowledge of Jesus being filled with God impact you today? Let me explain. 

As Jesus is filled with God, Jesus wants to fill you. He wants to fill you with His peace, His power, His love, His patience, His obedient nature, and the list goes on and on. 

This matters because in life we often times feel empty, not full. We feel separated, not secure. We feel alone, not together. Jesus wants to take all of those feelings of emptiness and abandonment and He wants to fill your life and provide for you a home. 

For some of us this morning, Christmas’ happiness has been substituted with hurt. Christmas’ beauty has felt like a bust. Have you ever noticed that Christmas seems to amplify whatever feeling you possess at the moment. If you are happy and joyful this season, Christmas can take those emotions to new heights. If you are sad, lonely or depressed this season, Christmas amplifies those feelings. You lost your job recently. He broke your heart. She abandoned you. The addiction won’t shake loose. You never lost that weight, got that degree, or got rid of your debt. You are feeling lower than low. You are about as empty as empty can feel. 

Jesus wants to fill you this morning. He wants to take all of Himself and install it in you. All you have to do is become available to Him and ask Him to come in. Remember, Jesus will never go where He is not invited. 

Brothers and sisters, Jesus is God. He is fully God and Christmas is the testimony of that truth. Remember what the author of Hebrews states in chapter one, verses three and four. 

Hebrews 1:3-4 ESV

“He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.”

From The Cave To The Cross, What Can We Learn?

I. Christmas Announces…The Fullness of God In Christ vs. 19

II. Christmas Announces…The Forgiveness of God In Christ vs. 20

Colossians 1:20 NLT

“and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.”

Point:

So we have learned this morning that Christmas announces the fullness of God is found or discovered in Jesus Christ. Next we discover that the very fogginess of God is met in Christ. We see this in verse 20 of Colossians 1. 

“and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.”

Illustration:

Let me ask you a question this morning. Do you know where the Christmas tree came from? Seriously, do you know what we put Christmas trees in our homes? By the way, how many of you have a real Christmas tree in your home? Ok, that’s a bunch of you. How many of you have an artificial tree in your home? Ok, that’s another good size group. Have you ever stopped to think why we do this every single year? Every year, some of us, go out to a tree farm with our axes and saws. We chop down a dirty sappy fir tree and stick it in our dens. Some of you won’t let your kids sit on the furniture but you will stick a tree in the middle of your den. Why?

Believe it or not, the symbolic use of evergreen trees can be traced back to ancient Egypt and Rome and that the German tradition of candle lit trees was first introduced to America in the 19th century. Before Christianity, evergreen trees were thought to keep witches, ghosts and evil spirits away. Long ago in ancient times evergreen trees were often attached to the winter solstice and celebrated in pagan worship. 

Fast forward a few thousand years and we encounter German Christians who decorated trees. Many people believer that it was Martin Luther who added candles to the trees to celebrate Christmas.  

Christmas trees today are rich with symbolism pointing people to the birth of Christ. Many people put a star on the top of the tree symbolizing the star of Bethlehem. Some place an angel at the top of the tree pointing to the involvement of angels in the Christmas story. The Christmas tree is filled with lights. The lights in the tree remind us of the dark starry sky that was illuminated by the angelic hosts who cried out with joy to the shepherds. The presents under the tree remind us of the gifts that were brought to Christ by the Magi. 

For many, the Christmas tree is a beautiful representation of God stepping into human history. 

Point:

Brothers and sisters, there is another tree in the Bible that Paul refers to in Colossians 1:20. In it’s time, this tree was neither joyous or beautiful. In fact this tree was an instrument of death and human destruction. No one would have put this tree in their home. No presents would have gone underneath this tree. There would not be lights fixed to this tree. No. Instead, blood would stain these beams. 

“He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.”

Paul talks about the cross. If the Christmas tree is man made symbol of Christ’s arrival, then the cross is God’s plan for saving all of humanity. 

The reason we celebrate Christmas, the reason it is so important, is because we cannot have the cross of Calvery without the cave of Christmas. Jesus has to be born so that He can die. 

Paul uses a very curious word in Colossians 1:20. The word is “reconcile”. In fact, in just about every translation of this passage that I read, the word “reconcile” is used. I spoke to Alan Bell who possesses a PHD in accounting and he helped me find a greater understanding of this word. The word “reconcile” is actually a banking term. It is a term used in finance. All of us who are adults and maybe some of our teenagers who have money have to reconcile our accounts. Again, what does that mean? It means that we have to match up our accounts with what the bank possesses. If they do not match up, our finances bounce and a penalty must be paid. We call this an overdraft fee and none of us like to get an overdraft fee. I think it is somewhat humorous when a bank tells a person with no money that they owe them more money, that they do not posses, to pay the penalty for not have any money in the first place. 

Turn this back to Colossians 1:20. Because of our sin, our account with God could not be balanced. No amount of good works would do. No amount of begging or sacrifice would fix our problem. The only satisfactory answer is for you and I to pay the penalty. Scripture even tells us this in Romans 623, “for the wages of sin is death”. God, in all of His goodness, however paid the penalty for our over drafting sin with the blood of His Son Jesus Christ on the tree of Calvery. This act, this remarkable act of sacrifice reconciled our account with God. It would be the same as the bank coming to you if you have overdrawn your account, and the bank paying your fee and putting enough money in your account that you could never overdraw it ever again. 

Again, if you take the word “reconcile” back to the original Greek, it actually means to “bring something or someone back to a former state of harmony”. Because of Christ’s death on that tree, the tree of Golgotha, the tree of Calvery, we can now have a perfect relationship with God the Father. 

Praise Jesus! 

Remember again what Paul wrote in the same chapter of Colossians, verses 13-14, 

Colossians 1:13-14 ESV

“He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

From The Cave To The Cross, What Can We Learn?

I. Christmas Announces…The Fullness of God In Christ vs. 19

II. Christmas Announces…The Forgiveness of God In Christ vs. 20

III. Christmas Announces…The Freedom of God in Christ vs. 21

Colossians 1:21 NLT

This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions.

Point:

So, when you begin to remember the story of Christmas, remember that Christmas reminds us that all the fullness of God is found in Jesus. Remember that Christmas means that the forgiveness of God is seen in the birth of Jesus Christ. Lastly, Christmas announces the freedom of God in Christ. 

Illustration:

Years ago I heard a story about an old retired preacher who was called to preach one Christmas Eve. The pastor of the church had taken ill and there was no one to fill the pulpit for the annual Christmas Eve service. The retired preacher was actually in his 90’s. He walked with a cane, was losing vision and had to have hearing aids to hear. He couldn’t even walk the steps to get speak behind the pulpit. So he stood on the floor, Bible in hand, and began to preach. He read from Luke chapter 2. His voice carried thru the entire sanctuary. He spoke with clarity, with great volume and with incredible passion. The congregation was blown away with the energy and enthusiasm of his preaching. When he was done, he held an invitation and more than 15 people responded, accepting Christ. 

When the service was over, a young first year seminary student approached the old retired pastor. He asked him how he found the energy to preach so passionately the Christmas story. The old pastor, with tears in his eyes replied, “Son, the reason I can preach the story of Christmas with such joy, with such passion, is because Ive never lost the wonder of it all.”

Point:

Have you lost the wonder of the birth of Christ? Have you lost your passion for the grace that is seen in the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross of Calvery? 

Can you remember what it was like to be lost, without Christ, far apart and removed from Jesus Christ?

Closing Illustration:

Last week our church had a very special service. It was Christmas on the Eastern Shore. It was a very special service for me personally because my entire family took part. Jay and Jack sang with the youth choir. Angela and Jett shared a song together. Following the service several of you came to me and told me how proud you were of my wife and boys. Indeed, I am proud of them as well. 

Still, the moment when Angela and Jett sang together brought back several memories. It reminded me of what it means to be lost and what it means to be found. Their song reminded me of the freedom that we discover in Jesus Christ. 

Do you know what this is? (Show Crib Picture)

This is a crib of course. This is not just any crib, this is Jett’s crib. This is the crib that he slept in when he was in China. This is where he slept before my wife and I were called to adopt him. Jett didnt know it, but there was a family across the world that loved him, that would sacrifice for him, and that would eventually take him home. 

This is the moment when his life changed. (Show Angela hold Jett Picture). This was just moments after we met Jett for the first time. This was the moment that his life was radically reoriented. He went from orphan to adopted. He went from Gao Win Jian to Jett Ryan Davidson. He past and present was traded for a new future with a new home, a new name, and a new family. 

This is one of my favorite pictures from our meeting with Jett in China (Show Angela hold Jett’s hand). 

From this moment on, Jett would never be along. He would always have someone to love him, support him, and provide for him. Someone would always be there to hold his hand. 

This is Jett today (Show family photo). 

When I look at my children, all of them, I am reminded of my love for my sons. I would not trade any of them to save someone else. But thankfully God does not think like me. God sent His Son to earth and Jesus died for us while we were still sinners. God sent Jesus to be born in a manger so that He would die on a cross. 

Because of the curious case of the Christmas cross, we have all been adopted, just like Jett, into God’s family. Because of Jesus, we now have a new home, a new family, a new name, and a new identity. 

Jesus is truly our Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6 ESV

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Go And Tell The Story of The Christmas Cross Today!

Bibliography:

Internet Sites:

https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/

https://www.gotquestions.org/fullness-of-God.html

www.biblegateway.com

www.blueletterbible.com

www.sermoncentral.com

www.preachingtoday.com 

Books:

The Case For Christmas by Lee Strobel

Because of Bethlehem: Love is Born, Hope is Here by Max Lucado

Hidden Christmas by Timothy Keller

God’s Blessings of Christmas by Billy Graham

A Love Worth Giving to You at Christmas by Max Lucado