Manger to the Cross

Good evening everyone…tonight has been a really special night so far. We have spent worshiping and laughing together. We have enjoyed some special music as well. I truly pray this has been a blessing of a night for you and your family. I hope that it has been a blessing, because the reason we are here is because of a blessing. Around 2000 years ago there was a baby born that blessed the entire world for all time. There was a baby born that changed the trajectory of humanity…there was a baby born that brought an end to the idea of being eternally separated from from God. A baby was born that brings life to everyone...

Welcome again, we are at the end of our series called...

The Journey (title slide)

We have looked at various aspects of the journey to the manger over the last few weeks. If you remember we started at the very beginning and saw how God created man and then how man sinned and broke that relationship with God. We saw that sin has consequences. Then what was amazing is that in the very beginning, God already had a plan for redemption. God sacrificed in order to bring Adam and Eve back into relationship with him, becuase the consequence for sin…is death. We are reminded of that in

Romans 6:23 (ESV)

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Then we looked at various prophecies throughout the Old Testament that led to the angelic encounters with Mary and Joseph last week. We saw that there would be a virgin that would give birth to a son and call his name Immanuel, which means…God with us

We saw all of that over the last few weeks…When we see all of this, then we know...Hope is coming through a

Journey to the Manger

That’s not a small thing. I mean, here we have the Israelites that are under Roman rule where they do not have the freedoms that they would prefer. They are taxed and they are ruled according to Roman law instead of Jewish law and customs. However, even in the midst of this, God has sent hope down into this world at the most perfect time in history, showing us that his timing is better than our timing. Well, let’s take a look at the story of when hope came down.

Luke 2:1–7 (ESV)

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Mary gave birth…just like the angel had said. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, which wasn’t known for its bustling economy. Actually, Bethlehem is on the outskirts of Jerusalem away from the well to do crowds. Jesus was born in what was essentially a barn, and used a feeding trough as a baby bed. Jesus could have come into this world as a king…instead he came as a baby in a manger. Jesus has been born in the most humble of ways. That’s not all though, and this is pretty cool.

You see, something that is really cool is that the swaddling cloths that Jesus was wrapped in were not some rags left in the laundry. These cloths were the swaddling cloths that the shepherds would use to wrap new born lambs in tightly as they were laid in a manger and inspected for blemishes. You see, the temple lamb, the lamb that was to be sacrificed for your sin had to be perfect, and without blemish. Well those flocks were kept nearby to Jerusalem, which is nearby to Bethlehem. Well, that night something special happened to those that were watching over those flocks. Let’s continue reading about this story...

Luke 2:8–20 (ESV)

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Isn’t that cool....Did you catch that the shepherds who were watching over the flocks that would be sacrificed for sin, welcomed into the world the ultimate sacrifice for the sin of the world! The cloths used to wrap lambs, would be used to wrap the lamb…The manger that they saw Jesus in would be a manger like the ones they used to inspect the baby lambs...The journey to the manger is now complete, but that isn’t the end of the story. Jesus didn’t stay in the manger. Jesus’ journey was far from over. You see, after coming in a manger, Jesus took a

Journey to the Cross

This was a long journey that took 33 years to accomplish. During this time Jesus was tempted by Satan, just like Eve was…and just like you are. However, when Jesus was tempted he did not sin. We read that in...

Hebrews 4:15 (ESV)

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Jesus walked through ridicule, just like you and I do

Luke 8:53 (ESV)

And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead.

They plotted to have him killed, becuase he was a threat to their way of life. There were political reasons that the religious leaders wanted Jesus dead. The relationship between the Jews and the Romans was an unstable situation at best...The thought of a Messiah who may lead an uprising against Rome was frightening to them. And...Jesus challanged them

Mark 3:4 (ESV)

The result of these challenges is that they wanted him dead.

Mark 3:6 (ESV)

The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.

Then after they heard his teaching, and these challenges, they acted…they had him arrested, beaten, and ultimately crucified and killed. Not only having him killed, but convincing others to have him killed also...

Luke 23:21 (ESV)

but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!”

Luke 23:46 (ESV)

Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last.

The thing is that Jesus didn’t stay in the grave, look at this in Matthew...

Matthew 28:6 (ESV)

He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.

You see this is not an easy journey that Jesus took from the manger to the cross. But even this was not the end of the story…Becuase what started in the garden as a story of paradise with Adam and Eve, then traveled to the manger, the cross, an empty tomb…and now continues with those who believe.

1 John 5:13 (ESV)

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.

This evening as we reflect on the birth of Jesus, who sacrificed himself for you and me, I want to ask you to have a conversation with Jesus tonight. You know so often we will go on about our lives and pray when we need something, or cry out when we are hurting, but many times we neglect to thank the Lord for his sacrifice.

Maybe you are here this evening and you would say that you speak to the Lord every day…well that is fantastic, to you I will ask that you thank him this evening for his sacrifice. His sacrificing in coming to a manger, and his sacrifice on that cross…in other words, his sacrifice for you.

Maybe you are here this evening and you would say that you have not spoken to the Lord in a really long time, or maybe you have never spoken to the Lord. To you I will ask that you start, or re-start, that conversation right now. Take a moment and reflect on the sacrifice that Jesus gave for you. Think about his humble birth in a manger, and his criminal death on a cross…Then think about the hope that we have for a future becuase of him. Tonight we are going to end by singing a song together and then we will go out to enjoy some hot chocolate. Don’t let that be the end of your conversation....go home, spend time with family, and the whole time continue that conversation with the Lord reflecting on his glory and thanking him for his sacrifice…

Let’s pray