Christmas Fortnight Day 8

We’ve looked at ornaments and lights and even the manger.  Let’s look today at ‘trees’.  Not Christmas trees particularly, just trees—let’s stack some “wood”.

 Galatians 3:13 says, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree”. 

Jesus took our curse—“For the wages of sin is death”!!  (Ro 6:23a)

 Deut 21:23b, “(for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.”

Jesus became our curse, by hanging on a tree.

Born to die on a tree, for you and for me.

 “.…He humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”  Philippians 2:8b.

 “…., There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.”  Romans 15:12.

 “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:” Isaiah 11:1.

He came to die for me.

What a gift.

Remember from day 5, that Jesus not only gives light, but that He IS light.  Similarly,

He is the ‘root of Jesse’,

also ‘a rod out of the stem of Jesse’,

and yet He is also a ‘Branch” growing out of the root.

An oxymoron of sorts, Jesus—

creator of trees—

is our tree, our curse.

Yet He gives us life when we trust in what HE did on that tree called Calvary.

He purchased my salvation there.

My ‘Christ’mas tree?

So?  Jesus calls— ‘take up your cross’ and follow ME!!!

The manger is humbling but the cross saves.

Yes worship the ‘newborn king’,

but don’t stay in the barn—

take up your cross and FOLLOW HIM.

YOUR cross???

YOUR calling???

Will YOU follow HIM?

It’s YOUR choice!!