December 20, 2019

God's Christmas Tree

By Skip Heitzig

One of the most cherished, iconic traditions of the season is a Christmas tree. Growing up, we used to have a white plastic Christmas tree that we would put together every single year in our house.

But what does a Christmas tree have to do with a baby who was born 2,000 years ago? I think believers ought to let the Christmas tree point us to God's Christmas tree: the cross of Jesus Christ (see Acts 5:30; 13:29; 1 Peter 2:24).

On God's Christmas tree, there's only one color: red from the blood that His Son shed for our sins to redeem us back to Him.God's Christmas tree doesn't have many branches, just two: one extending to the right and one extending to the left, where the Savior hung and embraced the whole world. This tree isn't flocked with snow, but it is flocked with a Savior whose sacrifice can make our souls whiter than snow. And the best Christmas gift isn't found under the tree—it's found on the tree, and that is the Savior who was given for us so that we can live forever.

The little baby in the manger was born for one purpose: to live the perfect life we never could and die on the cross to save us from our sin.As Romans 5:8 says, "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." That's the heart of the gospel, and that's the heart of Christmas. I pray the Lord would remind you of that truth and His great love for you today.

Merry Christmas to you and yours.

For more from Skip Heitzig, visit ConnectwithSkip.com, and listen to today's broadcast of Connect with Skip Heitzig at OnePlace.com.