Dedicated To The Men of God Who Preach the Word of God As It Is To Men As They Are

"Preach The Word"

Text: 1 Peter 2:21-25

21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

See especially verse 24, "Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree."

Here at Christmas time we place a great deal of emphasis upon the tree or the trees that we place in our homes, as we celebrate the union of deity with humanity, in the virgin birth of our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ.

There are some people who think the Christmas tree is pagan and do not want to have one. I think that is going quite a bit further than the Bible does about the matter.

There is a spiritual message in the Christmas tree. The traditional colors of the tree is green and red.

"Green" represents the continuance of life through the winter. That is why we use an "evergreen." Some trees like the oak or the poplar, lose their leaves and have the appearance of death in the winter. We use the evergreen to symbolize eternal life in the Lord Jesus Christ.

"Red" (which we always decorate the tree with in some way)--

speaks of the blood that Christ shed for sinners at His crucifixion. We also use holly, wreaths, and mistletoe and decorate them in red to help give the same message.

It is said the first Christmas trees in America were placed by German settlers in the early 1800's in Pennsylvania. By the mid 1800's people were putting them up at Christmas all around the world.

I know you ladies take a great deal of pride in your Christmas tree. You might invite some loved one or friend over and say, "I want you to take a look at my tree this year." The matter is seasonal with us, but God has the same tree all year long to bring the sinner to Himself–that tree being Calvary.

The Apostle Peter said, that Jesus "bare our sins in his own body on the tree."

For a few minutes this morning, let’s take a look at God’s tree. If we can get a glimpse of His tree, then our own trees this year will mean more to us if we consider His.

Before I get into the heart of the messages there are three things by way of introduction I feel I should say about God’s tree:

1. It is a tree of death- God created the trees in Genesis 1, knowing that one day His only begotten Son would be nailed to a tree. Because Jesus died and rose, I can live forever.

2. It is a tree of desire- It was the only way that God could bring a stubborn, rebellious mankind to Himself. I think of that verse which says, "It pleased the Lord to bruise Him" (Isa.53:10). It was God’s desire that man be cleansed of sin through faith in Jesus and what He did for us at Calvary.

The Bible says, "By His stripes we are healed" (Isa. 53:5). Through God’s tree and His Son, we are delivered from the worst blight that mankind has ever known and that is sin.

Note:

Years ago there was a disease that spread through Europe, Asia and Africa, called the Bubonic Plague. It was highly infectious and had a high death rate among those it touched. It destroyed a fourth of the population of Europe, being called "black death."

It was called so because it caused spots of blood to turn black under the skin. It came to human beings through fleas and through infected rats.

However, it is not the worst think mankind has known. "Sin" is the worst thing that has ever faced man. If man does not do something to have his sin removed, then hell will be his or her portion forever and ever.

Not all were delivered who contracted the Bubonic Plague, but all who come to Christ in repentance and faith, they are all delivered from the penalty and wages of sin.

Let’s think for a few minutes about God’s tree that Peter has reference to in the Epistle of 1 Peter.

I. What I See At The Tree

II. What I Sense At The Tree

III. What I Share At The Tree

There is always something so see when we get around a Christmas tree. There may be ornaments of all colors, candy canes, silver and gold icicles and tinsel, tiny artificial angels and a host of other eye-catching, attractive things.

Let’s think about what we see at God’s tree.

All of Jesus’ life pointed to one eventful day, when He would be nailed to Calvary’s cross in the place of every sinner born of Adam’s race.

Though Jesus could have called ten-thousand angels, He did not do so. He went all the way to the top of Mt. Calvary and was nailed to a Roman cross. Thank God He did not turn back or change His mind about providing redemption for sinners.

He did pray, "If it be possible, let this cup pass from me" (Matt. 26:39a). But in the same breath Jesus said, "Nevertheless, not as I will but as thou wilt" (Matt. 26:39b).

You have to understand that "being made sin for us" was not a very pleasant thing to a holy Christ, who knew no sin and did no sin (1 Pet. 2:22).

Christ set his face "like a flint" toward Calvary and did what He came to do–die for sinners.

There was a thief on one side of Jesus who said to Him, "Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom" (Luke 22:42). Jesus turned and said to him, "Today thou shalt be with me in paradise (Lk. 22:43).

That sinner man did not want to miss heaven. That is why He asked the Lord Jesus to "remember" him.

Christ told the man he would be with Him in "paradise." If you recalled at time the Garden of Eden before the fall has been referred to as "paradise." When the child of God dies, he or she has a paradise waiting for him.

Whatever paradise is--- it is a place of extreme beauty, delight or happiness. It is a place of supreme happiness or bliss. The final home of the righteous can be referred to as paradise for Paul spoke of being caught up into it ( 2 Cor. 12:4).

The repentant thief wanted to make sure when he died that He did not miss heaven–God’s paradise for His saints.

Mark 15:39 says the centurion that was standing near Jesus when Christ cried out with a loud voice just before He gave up the ghost—said–"Truly this man was the Son of God." That statement could have gotten the centurion into trouble with both the Romans and the Jews, but he had a case of the "can’t help its." He made a bold statement about the deity of Jesus.

So many were deceived about the identity of Jesus.

1- Some thought Him to be a deceiver

2- Some thought Him to be a blasphemer

3- Some thought Him to be a disillusioned child of a blond headed Roman soldier.

This particular soldier was not going to be deceived and blinded like the rest of the soldiers.

But the Roman soldier was exactly right- "Truly this man was the Son of God." Before a person is ever saved, they must acknowledge and affirm that fact in their minds about who Jesus really is.

Heb 9:28 says, " So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation."

Calvary will never have to be repeated again. Why? It was done right the first time. You do not have to "repeat" something if it is done right in the beginning.

Note:

So many things are done in this life that have to be repeated because we are human and fail at times with what we try to do.

I not only see some things around the cross but as I gather around God’s tree, I sense some things as well.

It has to be love when Almighty God gives His only-begotten Son to die for sinners.

What is so great is that God’s love is an unconditional love.

Illustration:

One Sunday a little boy looked up at his dad and asked, "Daddy, how does God love us?"

The dad answered, "He loves us with an unconditional love."

The boy thought a minute and asked, "Daddy, what is unconditional love?"

After a few minutes the dad said, "Do you remember the boy who used to live next door to us and the cute puppy he got last Christmas?

The boy said, "Yes dad, I remember."

The dad said: "Do you remember how they used to tease the dog, throw sticks and even rocks at it? Do you remember how the puppy would always greet them with a wagging tail and would try to lick their faces? That puppy had an unconditional love for those two boys. They certainly didn’t deserve his love for them because they were mean to him, but He loved them anyhow."

God sees sin as loathsome, detestible, horrible, and abominable but He was willing to give His Son to take care of the problem.

B. I Sense The Lack Of Man

If man were not in need of a Savior, it would not have been necessary for Jesus to die.

1. Mankind who 1acks righteous

Isa. 64:6 says our righteousness is like filthy rags.

2. Man who lacks satisfaction.

Sin will never completely and fully satisfy.

3. Mankind who lacks spiritual knowledge.

If they had known who Jesus actually was, they would never have crucified him. The human heart apart from the Lord Jesus Christ is like a blind man walking in darkness.

"When Jesus said, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do"—he was longing for them to be forgiven.

He did not long for those who had done him wrong to die and go to hell. He wanted the Father to forgive them for what they were doing to him.

The human nature is—"Well, I will get him or get her back." That was not the attitude of the Savior. Forgiveness was on His mind.

Though it hurt Mary to see Jesus being crucified, mock and cruelly abused, still there was hope in her heart.

Don’t forget:

1- She knew Jesus, her Son, was supernaturally conceived in her womb, by the Holy Ghost, without the aid of a human father. That is something she would never get over.

2- She saw him work miracles. Remember at Cana of Galilee when they ran out of the fruit of the vine, she knew Christ could perform a miracle and she said to the men, "Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it." They followed the orders of Jesus. The water in the pots blushed in the face of its Creator and turned into the fruit of the vine.

I do not believe Mary had lost hope. She knew too much and had seen too much. I believe she knew what appeared to be the end would only bring forth something that would be better.

What We See At God’s Tree

What We Sense At God’s Tree

III. What We Share At God’s Tree

Folks today need to spend more time around God’s tree called Calvary, by faith throughout the year.

Around most of our trees there are presents that we will open a little later, as we celebrate God’s gift of His Son to us. God has some presents around His very special tree. You will like what you see under God’s tree.

Rev 1:5-6

"Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."

I am cleansed because of the application of the blood of Jesus Christ to my sins. Human blood stains garments, but the blood of Jesus Christ makes one white (righteous) as the driven snow.

Isa 1:18 says, " Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."

All of God’s people experience "salvation washing." There are two Greek N.T. words for wash. One means to partially wash while the other one means a bath (a complete cleansing). I have had the latter done unto me. Completely washed and cleaned.

Ps 4:7-8

7 Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.

8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.

Since our sins and iniquities are no longer between us and our God, then our hearts should be full of heavenly, holy cheer.

Have you ever been in a traffic jam because of a wreck and sit for a long period of time, not being able to get past the barrier of cars that the wreck brought about? We are so glad when the cars are removed and the traffic can begin to flow again. I remember when they had the bad wrecks in the fog on Black Mountain. One car smashed into the back of another in the thick fog. I was caught in that traffic. What a blessing it was to have the barrier removed!

C. Compulsion

I think all of God’s genuine people, who are truly born again, share a desire for people around the world to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

1- Died

2- Buried

3- Rose From Dead

God’s loved revealed through the cross gives God’s people a compulsion to spread the Gospel at home and abroad.

We ought to tell it on the mountain, over the hill and everywhere.

The supreme task of the church in this world is to tell people what the Lord Jesus has done for them.

Because Christ has taken care of my sins through God’s tree at Calvary, then I can pillow my head and rest at night, knowing that whether I live or die, I am the Lords.

Christ through His sacrificial death, has opened up the way to God through the One who died on the tree for you and for me.

The cross tells us how we ought to be able to forgive others, through the help of the Lord Jesus Christ.

If he could forgive His enemies, and He is in us, controlling us, then we can forgive ours.

In Matt 6:14-15- Jesus said:

14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Jesus cried, "Father forgive them."

Mark 11:25-26

25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

God’s people should share a desire to be forgiving when others personally wrong them- that is God’s way and Christ’s way. Those who are mean and cruel do not have the spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Enjoy your Christmas tree during Christmas and think about what it can mean symbolically, but make sure you get around God’s tree.

Ask God for a fresh and renewed glimpse of He who shed His life’s blood for your salvation and redemption.

If you are not saved, you need to come to God’s tree. Flee to the cross from your sins and God will forgive you and make you His child. Will you do it today if you are not saved?

A Sermon By Dr. Tom Walker

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