Christ’s birth is tied to His death

him from prison. Another friend of mine spent Christmas in the hospital having at least two surgeries on his knees. Another member of our church has been in the hospital, and now rehab, trying to recover from suffering two strokes.

Perhaps the most hurtful thing I witnessed this year was that there seemed to be so many deaths this year at Christmas. I preached the funeral of two close friend’s mother just a couple of days before Christmas. Then I received word that the dad of another one of my classmates passed away the Friday night before Christmas. Apart from these deaths that happened during the holidays, there are so many people who struggle throughout the season missing loved ones who have passed in prior years. I can’t start to imagine the painful degree of suffering that these people affected by death experience this time of the year.

Early this morning, long before sunrise, I went out to take one of my students to work. On the way home, I was driving through town and passed by the beautiful Nativity set that is on display by the old Ford building downtown. There was a light shining on it, which shed a large shadow on the brick wall behind it. Immediately I thought about the words “Shadow of Death” that David wrote in the 23rd Psalm.

In reality, it was not far from the manger to the cross. We must not forget the cross at this time of the year! Repeatedly in the New Testament, Christ’s BIRTH is tied to His DEATH. He was born to die upon Calvary! He was born to be the sacrificial Lamb of God to take away sin and to provide the way to God and heaven. It’s not through Jesus’ LIFE that we’re saved; it’s through His DEATH! In Galatians 4:4-5 Paul wrote, “But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” Why did Jesus come in “the fullness of time?” To redeem us, to buy us from the slave market of sin, so we could become the children of God. You see, too many people have the wrong picture of Jesus at Christmas. They see Him as a helpless little child lying in a stable, with sheep and oxen and a donkey standing around in wonder and amazement. The real picture we ought to see is Jesus as the Lamb of God who would be sacrificed on Calvary’s cross. Jesus came to earth to die as the Lamb of God—for your sins and for mine.

The only way that death can be a satisfying thing is when we die knowing that we have trusted Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection as our eternal hope of Heaven. So while you’re cleaning up from this weekend, consider this most important question… Have you received His Christmas gift of forgiveness for all your sin? If you’re reading this, it’s not too late. Be Blessed.