Legend tells us that the first Christmas trees originated with the
famous reformer, Martin Luther back in the early 1500s. He was strolling
through a forest in northern Germany one evening. Struck by the beauty
of the moonlight shining on the fir trees, he went home determined to
recreate the moment for his children. He brought a fir tree into the
house and decorated it with candles. And so, the legend of the first
decorated Christmas tree was born.
In the 7th century, the English monk St. Boniface went to teach the
pagan Germans of Thuringia about Christianity. He used the fir tree's
triangular shape to explain the concept of the Trinity. The people came
to revere the fir tree and by the 12th century would hang a tree upside
down from their ceilings as a symbol of their faith. Reports of
Christmas tree decorating traditions increased in the ensuing centuries.
The first known decorated fir tree in England was set up in the year
1840 in Windsor Castle , occasioned by the wedding of the young Queen
Victoria to her husband, the German Prince Albert.
Its hard to verify the accuracy of some of these legends, but make no
mistake about it, Christmas trees are beautiful- at least until they
want to take the word Christ out of it and make it a holiday tree. But I
submit to you that the very first Christmas tree was set up two thousand
years ago. It was decorated by our Savior. Instead of candles and
lights, it was spattered by His blood. Instead of ornaments it was
adorned by His body on the tree. The tree I'm talking about was the Old
Rugged Cross that we sing about which so few will ever associate with
Christmas time. Yes, the true Christmas tree is a cross. First Peter
2:24, "He who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree."
I. THE TREE IS THE CROSS
The tree specified here used to described the cross. It was also
mentioned in the Book of Acts. "The God of our fathers raised Jesus from
the dead –whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree."(Acts 5:30) You
say, "Pastor, this is not how I pictured Christmas at all. Why talk
about gruesome, gory stuff like what we saw on the Passion? Save that
for Easter! I want to come to enjoy Christmas, see the church all
decorated up with poinsettias and red bows. I want to come to see
children dressed up like shepherds, wise men, and angels. I've come to
see the baby Jesus, not to see Him on a cross.
"We are witnesses of everything he did…They killed him by hanging him on
a tree." (Acts 10:39)
Jesus died for our sins like the sacrificial lamb in the Old Testament
time. Although innocent, he died for us sinners. He shed His blood on
this tree which we now know as the cross. As a result, we are considered
dead to sin that we may live a new life walking in God's righteousness.
II. JESUS CARRIES THIS CROSS
This cross-beam which is called "Patibulum" weigh about 50 kilos bore
down upon the Lord's shoulders with face running with blood. He was
racked with pain. Indeed He was "the man of sorrows" as foretold by the
prophet Isaiah. He was a victim of the worst human cruelty and hatred
just to save us. Jesus carries this cross and walked up a hill to His
death. An open wound with bloody flesh was exposed to his left and right
shoulders because of the rubbing pressure of the Patibulum. He carried
with this cross the full weight and burden of mans sins, past, present
and future to
complete the redemption of humanity.
III. JESUS IS NAILED TO THIS CROSS
Spikes were pounded through both of hands of the Lord. His Body,
stripped of clothing was raised as the cross was already standing
upright pegged to the ground. His feet was nailed as well. The most
painful of all pains endured by the Lord for our sake is so hard to imagine.
IV. JESUS DIED ON THIS CROSS
The Lord as hung on the cross suffered the most excruciating pain man
could ever imagine. There is no denying that He suffered repeated
moments as compare with those whose death resulted from suicide,
electrocution, lethal injection etc, etc. Death here of Christ should
have been only a matter of 5 to 10 minutes considering His
circumstances. But indeed, He has to drink His cup. He has to bear the
most anguishing pain this world is suppose to suffer. Most of all, He
still has to convey His message to this world – the seven last words.
Hence, inspite of the excruciating pain Christ has to bear it longer,
feel it longer.
In so doing as He struggled from time to time and move his body, the
flesh would scrape against the nails that pierced through His hands and
feet. This aggravates the more His wounds, it would open some more and
bleed more profusely. Christ has given His breath, poured out His blood
for all of the humanity. He has drunk His cup of suffering. His loud cry
manifested that His heart finally gave way to the tremendous pains and
sufferings. His heart finally ruptured because of God's love to this world.
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