Advent24 - Day 20
Friday – December 20
Read: And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”
One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 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. (Luke 23:33–46)
Reflect
The Cradle and the Cross
This is a passage directly related to and essential for a deeper understanding of the Christmas story. You see, the cradle was for the cross and the cross makes possible a genuine celebration of the cradle and Christmas.
We can only celebrate the Cross of Calvary because of the cradle at Christmas and we can only celebrate Christmas because of the Cross of Calvary.
When the angel appeared to the shepherds in the field he announced, “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.” (Luke 2:10–11)
A Savior is born, one who would “save his people from their sins.” (Matt 1:21), as the angel proclaimed to Joseph.
This is what the child came to do and to be… a Savior who would save his people from their sins. People needed to be saved from their sins. That is, everyone has sinned against God. We’ve all broken his law and despised his glory. Since God is infinitely holy and perfectly just, that sin must be paid for. God’s holiness must be vindicated, and His justice must be upheld.
This could happen in one of two ways… through either an appropriate punishment (infinite torment in hell for all eternity) OR by an in-kind payment by someone else, a substitute, a sufficient sacrifice given to both satisfy the justice of God as well as to release, to save the person from the penalty, the sentence of their sin: a Savior.
You’ll notice that I said that this Savior must be, “a sufficient sacrifice”. There are a few things that must be true of this Savior in order for him to be sufficient to satisfy the holiness and justice of God and save his people from their sin. Among them…
1) He must be human. Only someone truly human can represent human beings.
2) He must be sinless. Only someone truly without sin can satisfy the righteous requirements of God. If this sacrifice were sinful, then he could not pay for his own sins let alone someone else’s.
3) He must be infinite. Since sin is infinitely heinous (as it was perpetrated against the infinitely glorious God), the payment itself must be infinite. There is only one infinite being… God himself. He alone can be the Savior. He is the only one who is worthy enough to pay the price for the sins of the many.
4) He must pay the penalty for our sin. This Savior must willingly sacrifice himself, dying in our place for our sins, which is what this passage is describing.
Do you see the connection? The Savior had to be simultaneously truly divine and human, born of a virgin (the Cradle)… in order to die as a sufficient sacrifice for our sin (the Cross).
And this is what we celebrate at Christmas… the Word was God… and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:1, 14)
For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, making peace by the blood of his cross. (Col 1:19-20)
This is what the angels mean when they say that a Savior is born who would “save his people from their sins.” He was born to be our sacrifice. This child is “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (Jn 1:29)
The cradle at Bethlehem was for the cross at Golgatha. We can only celebrate the Cross of Calvary because of the cradle at Christmas. Only because God became man and was born on Bethlehem’s plain to be the infinitely worthy sacrifice on Jerusalem’s hill.
This is why Jesus came…
“The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mt 20:28)
“When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” (Gal 4:4-5)
Jesus was born to die. This is good news of great joy, because through his extraordinary birth and sacrificial death Jesus…
· Saved Us from Our Sins
· Became a Ransom for Many
· Purchased Our Forgiveness
· Absorbed the Wrath of God
· Rescued Us from Final Judgment
· Canceled the Legal Demands of the Law Against Us
· Provided the Basis for Our Justification
· Reconciled Us to God and Brought Us to Him
· And Took Away Our Condemnation
This is why we celebrate Christmas… because of the Cross of Calvary.
As John Donne says, “The whole of Christ’s life was a continual passion; others die martyrs, but Christ was born a martyr... His birth and his death were but one continual act, and his Christmas day and his Good Friday are but the morning and the evening of one and the same day. From the creche to the cross is an inseparable line. Christmas only points forward to Good Friday and Easter. It can have no meaning apart from that, where the Son of God displayed his glory by his death.”
Respond
How are the Cradle at Bethlehem and the Cross at Calvary connected to one another? Look at “the amazing self-emptying, sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross with your family and then ponder the cradle and its implications. Then respond by giving Jesus the gift of your adoration. Oh, come let us adore him!
Rejoice: What Child Is This
What Child is this who, laid to rest
On Mary's lap, is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet
While the good shepherds watch are keeping?
Chorus:
This, this is Christ the King
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing
Haste, haste, to bring Him laud
The Babe, the Son of Mary
So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh
Come peasant, king to own Him
The King of kings salvation brings
Let loving hearts enthrone Him
Raise, raise, the song on high
His mother sings her lullaby
Joy, joy, for Christ is born
The Babe, the Son of Mary
Read: And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”
One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 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. (Luke 23:33–46)
Reflect
The Cradle and the Cross
This is a passage directly related to and essential for a deeper understanding of the Christmas story. You see, the cradle was for the cross and the cross makes possible a genuine celebration of the cradle and Christmas.
We can only celebrate the Cross of Calvary because of the cradle at Christmas and we can only celebrate Christmas because of the Cross of Calvary.
When the angel appeared to the shepherds in the field he announced, “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.” (Luke 2:10–11)
A Savior is born, one who would “save his people from their sins.” (Matt 1:21), as the angel proclaimed to Joseph.
This is what the child came to do and to be… a Savior who would save his people from their sins. People needed to be saved from their sins. That is, everyone has sinned against God. We’ve all broken his law and despised his glory. Since God is infinitely holy and perfectly just, that sin must be paid for. God’s holiness must be vindicated, and His justice must be upheld.
This could happen in one of two ways… through either an appropriate punishment (infinite torment in hell for all eternity) OR by an in-kind payment by someone else, a substitute, a sufficient sacrifice given to both satisfy the justice of God as well as to release, to save the person from the penalty, the sentence of their sin: a Savior.
You’ll notice that I said that this Savior must be, “a sufficient sacrifice”. There are a few things that must be true of this Savior in order for him to be sufficient to satisfy the holiness and justice of God and save his people from their sin. Among them…
1) He must be human. Only someone truly human can represent human beings.
2) He must be sinless. Only someone truly without sin can satisfy the righteous requirements of God. If this sacrifice were sinful, then he could not pay for his own sins let alone someone else’s.
3) He must be infinite. Since sin is infinitely heinous (as it was perpetrated against the infinitely glorious God), the payment itself must be infinite. There is only one infinite being… God himself. He alone can be the Savior. He is the only one who is worthy enough to pay the price for the sins of the many.
4) He must pay the penalty for our sin. This Savior must willingly sacrifice himself, dying in our place for our sins, which is what this passage is describing.
Do you see the connection? The Savior had to be simultaneously truly divine and human, born of a virgin (the Cradle)… in order to die as a sufficient sacrifice for our sin (the Cross).
And this is what we celebrate at Christmas… the Word was God… and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:1, 14)
For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, making peace by the blood of his cross. (Col 1:19-20)
This is what the angels mean when they say that a Savior is born who would “save his people from their sins.” He was born to be our sacrifice. This child is “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (Jn 1:29)
The cradle at Bethlehem was for the cross at Golgatha. We can only celebrate the Cross of Calvary because of the cradle at Christmas. Only because God became man and was born on Bethlehem’s plain to be the infinitely worthy sacrifice on Jerusalem’s hill.
This is why Jesus came…
“The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mt 20:28)
“When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” (Gal 4:4-5)
Jesus was born to die. This is good news of great joy, because through his extraordinary birth and sacrificial death Jesus…
· Saved Us from Our Sins
· Became a Ransom for Many
· Purchased Our Forgiveness
· Absorbed the Wrath of God
· Rescued Us from Final Judgment
· Canceled the Legal Demands of the Law Against Us
· Provided the Basis for Our Justification
· Reconciled Us to God and Brought Us to Him
· And Took Away Our Condemnation
This is why we celebrate Christmas… because of the Cross of Calvary.
As John Donne says, “The whole of Christ’s life was a continual passion; others die martyrs, but Christ was born a martyr... His birth and his death were but one continual act, and his Christmas day and his Good Friday are but the morning and the evening of one and the same day. From the creche to the cross is an inseparable line. Christmas only points forward to Good Friday and Easter. It can have no meaning apart from that, where the Son of God displayed his glory by his death.”
Respond
How are the Cradle at Bethlehem and the Cross at Calvary connected to one another? Look at “the amazing self-emptying, sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross with your family and then ponder the cradle and its implications. Then respond by giving Jesus the gift of your adoration. Oh, come let us adore him!
Rejoice: What Child Is This
What Child is this who, laid to rest
On Mary's lap, is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet
While the good shepherds watch are keeping?
Chorus:
This, this is Christ the King
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing
Haste, haste, to bring Him laud
The Babe, the Son of Mary
So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh
Come peasant, king to own Him
The King of kings salvation brings
Let loving hearts enthrone Him
Raise, raise, the song on high
His mother sings her lullaby
Joy, joy, for Christ is born
The Babe, the Son of Mary
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