I recently heard a story of a church pastor who found that the baby Jesus was missing from the church's manger scene. I would like to tell you that story at another time.

For now I just wanted to share this contrast that came to mind. The empty cradle in the manger is really bad news, whereas, the empty tomb is really good news.

Lest I'm being too vague, here is what I am really saying. An empty cradle would mean that somehow the plan of redemption for lost mankind that God had held in His heart from eternity past had been changed. We do not know how this could have happened, we cannot understand. The truth of the matter is that if Jesus Christ had not taken on the form of a man following His birth from the Virgin Mary, then there would be no hope of salvation, no hope of heaven for anyone. All who will be saved must know that their salvation rests on the life of that Baby Jesus.

Just as we cannot bear the thought of the empty cradle, likewise we must see the tomb empty on Easter morning. What did that mean? That meant Jesus Christ had successfuly completed his work on earth. God's wrath against sinful man had been appeased and salvation of man was now possible. Jesus Christ now sits at the right hand of God the Father, victorious over even death.

This Christmas, do celebrate the real meaning of Christmas, and also remember that Jesus lived a sinless life here on earth and completed the work of His Father on the cross.

djbtol