I collect nativities. These range from the cloth stuffed one under the tree (made when my children were young so they could play with them and act out the story) to the smooth olive wood made in Israel to the vintage plastic with glitter applied liberally. There’s a large set of pottery figures that glow with candles inside, a larger ceramic one, even an African one—straight tall figures made of dark wood.
I have many nativities I treasure, but the one that I value most is a homemade one. My children and I made it from clothespins and scraps of fabric and paper and pipe cleaners. When Stephen was eight or nine years old he made a crude stable to house the figures. It is a typical nativity in that it has Mary, Joseph, the baby, shepherds, wise men, an angel choir. The children contributed animals from the toy chest to finish the tableau. The best part is that each of the children made a figure of themselves standing in front of the stable. (The fact that they made their own figures explains why Sarah suddenly became a blond and also why she carries a small pipe cleaner doll.) Every year this nativity holds the place of prominence in the center of the buffet directly in front of the door.
This year as I placed the nativity a new thought grabbed me. Each of us is standing at the nativity scene in the same way the children’s figures are and for the same reason we are all figuratively standing at the foot of the cross. You see, the reason He came was to deal with our sin. He was born because God loved us enough to deal with that sin. He was born to die.
In Matthew 1:21 and 22, the Lord spoke to Joseph and told him not to be afraid, but to take Mary as his wife for “She shall bring forth a son, and you shall call His name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sin.” Jesus was born to die, born to be crucified for our sins. Christmas does not make sense without the crucifixion and ultimately, the resurrection, for without the resurrection, the crucifixion would have been in vain.
This theme is repeated again in Luke 2:10. Speaking to the shepherds, the angel said, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” That first public announcement said He would be a Savior. We would need a Savior.
Other confirmation:
Luke 19:10, For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
John 3:17, For God sent not His son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
I Timothy 1:15, This is a faithful saying, and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
I Peter 2:24, He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed.
Christmas is incomplete if we focus simply on the manger. Jesus was born to die.
As we hear and sing the carols this year, as we view the blow up nativities and the light nativities and the plywood nativities and every variety in between, may we remember this thought. Jesus was born to die.
My grandfather, Dr. John R. Rice, wrote a song years ago called Jesus, Baby Jesus. The chorus says,
Jesus, Baby Jesus, there’s a cross along the way.
Born to die for sinners, born for crucifixion day.
The fourth verse continues,
Jesus, Baby Jesus, Son of God and Son of Man,
Tempted, poor and suffering, no one knows us as He can!
Holy, righteous, blameless, fitting sacrifice complete.
Jesus, Baby Jesus, There’s a cross along the way.
Born to die for sinners, born for crucifixion day!
~~Faith Himes Lamb
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