There are two life changing events in every person’s life.
The first is birth.
The second is death.
Birth always leads to death. Estimates of how many people who have ever lived on planet earth range from 56 billion to 108 billion. Only two people of the billions who have ever lived have not died.
According to Genesis 5:24 Enoch walked with God, then he was no more because God took him.
And according to 2 Kings 2:11 Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.
So whether it is 56 billion or 108 billion, our chances of not dying are not very good.
Birth is how we enter the world. It is usually against our will.
Death is how we leave the world. It is usually against our will.
Birth is someone else’s choice - mom and dad.
When and how we die can impact others greatly.
Do you remember from your study of American history Nathan Hale? He was an American soldier who was executed as a spy during the Revolutionary War. He is known for the last words he spoke before his death. He said, “I regret that I have only one life to give for my country.”
What we remember about him was how and why he died.
Do we know who his parents were?
Do we know what colony he was born and raised in?
Do we know how old he was when he died?
Do we know what his occupation was?
Most people don’t, but we know why he died - serving his country - and how he died heroically.
Luke 2:1-20 records Jesus’ birth. It is a wonderful story. If the story were to end there, then Christianity would be:
Nice
Sweet
A Great Story
Even Heroic
But it would not be life changing.
In the movie Talladega Nights the main character Ricky Bobby is sitting down with his family for a meal. He prays before the meal to baby Jesus. His wife reminds him that Jesus grew up. But Ricky Bobby says that he likes the baby Jesus best.
Many people like to keep Jesus a baby because:
Baby Jesus isn’t dangerous.
Baby Jesus isn’t challenging.
Baby Jesus is controllable.
People, have you noticed the cradle is EMPTY!
Jesus’ death is recorded in all four gospels (his birth in only two).
The description of Jesus’ death is:
Painful
Bloody
Disturbing
But Jesus’ death gives meaning and purpose to His birth.
The cradle has to lead to the cross.
The cradle has to lead to the cross because we need to be forgiven of our sins.
We all have sinned.
Romans 3:23
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
If there is no shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin.
Hebrews 9:22
Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.
For our sins to be eternally forgiven there had to be perfect blood, innocent blood shed. The only perfect innocent blood that would do was Jesus’ blood.
1 Peter 1:18-19
Live in this way, knowing that you were not liberated by perishable things like silver or gold from the empty lifestyle you inherited from your ancestors. Instead you were liberated by the precious blood of Christ, like that of a flawless, spotless lamb.
The cradle has to lead to the cross because we need to be made righteous.
None of us is righteous on our own.
Romans 3:10-12
As the Scriptures say: “There is no one who is righteous, no one who is wise or who worships God. All have turned away from God; they have all gone wrong; no one does what is right, not even one.”
We can only be made righteous by Jesus’ blood.
Romans 3:25-26
God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood - to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished - he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
We are declared righteous through our faith in Jesus so we can live out that righteousness daily.
The cradle has to lead to the cross because we need to be transformed from enemy to friend.
We are naturally enemies of God.
Colossians 1:21
Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.
Jesus desires that we become His friends.
John 15:13
There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
Jesus lay down His life for us so we could become His friends.
The cross is what reconciles us (makes us friends with God).
2 Corinthians 5:17-18
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.
Jesus was born to be your Savior.
Matthew 1:21
She will give birth to a son, and you will call him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.
Jesus died to be your Savior.
1 John 2:2
Christ is the sacrifice that takes away our sins and the sins of the world’s people.
1 John 4:10
Real love isn’t our love for God, but his love for us. God sent his Son to be the sacrifice by which our sins are forgiven.
Jesus is returning as The King.
Revelation 19:13-16
He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven, dressed in fine linen, white and clean, were following him on white horses. Out of the rider’s mouth comes a sharp sword that he will use to defeat the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will crush out the wine in the winepress of the terrible anger of God Almighty. On his robe and on his upper leg was written the name: King of kings and Lord of lords.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about celebrating Christmas not as the coming of a cute lovable baby into the world. It is about celebrating the coming of our Savior and King into the world.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about acknowledging Jesus as our Savior and submitting to Him as our King.
With the Cradle Leading to The Cross Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
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