“Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1: 20, 21).
At Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, and Resurrection Day (labeled as Easter), we celebrate His death, burial, and resurrection. The birth and death of no other person in all of human history will have the significance that the birth and death of Jesus Christ has and will forever have. Jesus Christ changed history and is still shaping history and impacting individual lives today, some 2000 years after His crucifixion.
Jesus came as a babe in a manger, in a body that was prepared for Him of flesh and blood so that He could one day bear our sins in His body on the cross and shed His blood for the sins of man.
Jesus was born to Mary, that He might die for the salvation of sinners. Jesus, who is God, could not without taking on flesh and blood die and be the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. He became flesh and blood for the specific purpose of experiencing humanity and death that those who believe in Him might experience eternal life.
Though a person’s birth and death seem insignificant, through their faith in Jesus Christ and obedience to His word, their life has great significance, purpose, and meaning.
Christmas is a celebration about Jesus coming to earth and being born of a virgin named Mary. Resurrection Day (Easter) is a celebration about Jesus dying on the cross, His burial in Joseph’s tomb and His resurrection on the first day of the week.
We do not worship the babe in the manger, for Jesus Christ is not there. We do not worship Christ on the cross, for He is not there either. We worship a risen and reigning Savior Jesus Christ the Lord who has conquered death, Hell, and the grave and is now sitting at the right hand of the Father making intercession for His own and waiting until all His enemies are made His footstool.
Jesus Christ came as The Word of God to show to us God the Father. He went to the cross to finish His work of redemption so that through our faith in Him, we could be saved and brought into fellowship with God.
From The Cradle To The Cross
The star shone bright over Bethlehem,
Above the cradle of the King;
From where His path led to Calvary,
His gift of salvation to bring.
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The wise men came to honor this Child,
With gold, frankincense, and myrrh,
This Sovereign of the universe,
The Incarnate, Living Word.
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He astonished all the lawyers,
By the wisdom He had of God’s will.
Which guided His life, even though He knew
It would lead Him to die on yon hill.
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He preached to the people repentance,
Not far from the place of the cross;
Offering forgiveness through His blood
He would freely shed there for the lost.
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He healed the leper and the blind,
And raised Lazarus from the dead.
He taught His disciples along the way,
That He’d die but come back from the dead.
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He walked on the Sea of Galilee,
And He turned the water into wine.
Raised the widow’s dead son back to life,
And expounded on the lily and the vine.
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He performed so many miracles,
And explained the Truth in parables.
He rebuked religious hypocrites,
For their covetousness and misrule.
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He left us with a godly example,
Showed us how to live and how to die.
Was obedient to God unto death,
And on the Spirit He did rely.
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He grew in favor with God and man;
In flesh, He was the Great I Am.
He was born to die, to save mankind,
God’s spotless redemptive Lamb.
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His life was brief, His work was soon done,
Golgotha loomed now just ahead;
The Babe that was born in Bethlehem
Would now die as the prophets had said.
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Nails were driven through His hands and feet,
And with a spear his side was torn;
Life was now over for Jesus the man,
Who was the baby that to Mary was born.
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There was no light on Calvary those hours,
When deep darkness covered the earth;
As the Son of God was sacrificed,
Who once lay in a manger at birth.
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From the cradle to the old rugged Cross,
From Bethlehem to dark Calvary;
We celebrate Christ’ birth at Christmas,
Who was born to die for you and me.
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But He’s no longer in the manger,
Nor on the cross of Calvary.
But on the right hand of the Father,
Making intercession for you and me.
James H. Cagle ©
