The Christmas Tree and Three Rusty Nails
Throughout the years that I was privileged to pastor a church, we always started the Christmas season with a special evening service. The Sunday afternoon following Thanksgiving, we would take the children of the church to a tree farm and let them choose a Christmas tree for the church sanctuary. When we returned to the church, we would spend the rest of the afternoon putting the tree in the sanctuary and hanging lights on it. We would usually finish just as the rest of the congregation arrived for the evening service.
Decorating the Christmas Tree
We would begin worship that night by singing Christmas hymns and reading the story of Jesus’ birth. Each member had been asked to bring an ornament from home that had a special meaning. As an act of worship, we would then take time for everyone to hang their ornaments on the Christmas tree. Then, I would read a special story about the journey of the Christ Child from the stable to the cross.
The Cross and the Christmas Tree
As we ended our time of worship, I, as the pastor, would hang my special ornament on the tree. My ornament was three spike nails fashioned in the shape of a cross. I would not hang this cross on the outer branches of the tree. Instead, I would hide the cross out of sight on an inner branch. As I hid the cross in the tree, I reminded the congregation about the Christ Child. We celebrated His birth with a Christmas tree. However, He had another tree in His future. One day, the Son of Man would purchase the Gift of eternal life for us. He would do this by sacrificing His life on that tree shaped like a cross.
So, this Christmas season, as we navigate the hubris of flying reindeer, jolly old elves, and a little drummer boy, let’s not forget the true meaning of Christmas. Let the beautiful lights remind us that Jesus is the Light of the world. The evergreen Christmas tree symbolizes our hope of eternal life. Underneath the trees will be beautifully wrapped gifts. However, the greatest gift of all was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger.
“For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” The Angels in Heaven sing: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
“Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.
Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, 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, goodwill toward men!”
So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.”
Luke 2:8-16 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/luk.2.8-16.NKJV
Douglas & Deborah Huff
From Down Where the Pavement Ends
email-pavementendsminitry@gmail.com
