From the Manger to the Cross

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=50 BGCOLOR="#333366" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>From the Manger to the Cross</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=165 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="132" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 35 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id138.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="How Jesus Faced His Trials"><U><B><IMG SRC="007151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id141.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Good News"><U><B><IMG SRC="008151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="20"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="35" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="20" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="13"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="27"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <div> Previous/Next Sermon</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="www.stanbaker.org"><U><B>Home</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Biblical and Theological Studies"><U><B>Biblical and Theological Studies</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Church Ministry"><U><B>Ministry Studies</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id15.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sermon Notes"><U>Sermon Notes</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><B>Links</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Personal"><U><B>Personal</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> </td> <td valign="top" height=430 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Mark 15.1-41, etc. “From the Manger to the Cross,” Berean Bible Church, Dec 24, 2000</B></div> <div>      Many people get something different than what they expect. Maybe you didn’t get that gift you had your heart set on; or the peace and joy you expected to experience with your family fell apart in bickering and arguments; or what you were hoping in during a tough time didn’t come through. Have you ever gotten a gift in a big wrapped box, but it contained several smaller boxes, each inside a bigger box, and inside, in the smallest box, was something small and very valuable.</div> <div>      Sometimes what we are expecting we don’t get, but what we <U>do</U> get turns out far better. Those who were waiting for the Messiah to come had different expectations than the way it actually turned out in their lifetimes. But the Messiah, Jesus, came to give the greatest gift of all.</div> <bR> <div> <B>I.  Luke 2.1-20: Christ’s birth was received with rejoicing</B>.</div> <div>      There was great rejoicing because of their expectations. Luke 1.30-33, The Coming King has come! They were expecting a political deliverer and ruler. Israel was under oppression from Rome. Israel was once the greatest people on earth, in the glory of David’s and Solomon’s kingdoms, but now they were not even a free people. Mark 10.35-37, James and John asked to sit beside Jesus in his (expected soon-coming) kingdom; Mark 11.9-10, at the Triumphal Entry the people said, “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David” (vs. 10)</div> <div>      What are your conceptions of the coming of Jesus as a baby to this earth? Is he merely a good inspiration? A good teacher? A prophet who says what we need to hear? A helpful guide for the problems of life? Many people worship the baby in the manger, in those ways, but they overlook the cross, his death, and how important that event was.</div> <bR> <div> <B>II. No one expected the Cross.</B></div> <div>      Matt 1.21-23: He was to be the Savior (“Jesus”) but how he would save people, through his own death, wasn’t understood until the very end.</div> <div>      Mark 15.1-41: His death was the only way of salvation for all people. Verse 38 is key! The thick curtain behind which was the Holy of Holies (Most Holy Place), was torn from top to bottom. The way has been opened to know God and to receive forgiveness and cleansing directly from him. We dare not minimize Jesus by focusing solely on his birth and forgetting the incredible reason why he came to this earth – to die in our place, and allow us to come directly to God through his sacrifice.</div> <bR> <div> <B>III. When we consider Jesus, both the manger and the cross, there are </B><B><U>three responses</U></B><B>:</B></div> <div> A. Trust in him for salvation (Mk 15, Matt 1.21). He wants to save you.</div> <div> B. Be in relationship with God (Immanuel: “God with us,” Matt 1.23). He wants to share your life and experiences with you.</div> <div> C. Humbly submit to Jesus as King (Lk 1.31-33). He wants to lead you and guide you.</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>