There’s No Christmas without the Cross

CURRENT TEACHING SERIES Christmas is For All People

There's No Christmas without the Cross By Rick Warren — Dec 25, 2015 “For there is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity — the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.” (1 Timothy 2:5-6 NLT, second edition) Christmas without the cross is irrelevant. If Jesus had just stayed a baby in a manger, you could stop reading this right now — it’s pointless. Without the cross, there’s no reason to spend an entire month getting ready for the celebration of his birth. There’s no reason to put up Christmas lights, play music, send cards, or buy gifts. The whole world shuts down one day a year to celebrate a day that split history into A.D. and B.C. God came to Earth and invaded human history. And because he did, the world will never be the same. But it wouldn’t have mattered a lick without the cross. God sent his Son as the Savior for the whole world so that all people can know him. The Bible says, “For there is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity — the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time” (1 Timothy 2:5-6 NLT, second edition). In the Bible the symbol of Jesus’ sacrifice of himself is called the “Sacrificial Lamb.” The Bible uses this metaphor because lambs are harmless. They’re not predators. They’re innocent. Jesus didn’t hurt anyone, and he did not deserve to die. He was the Son of God, but God allowed him to be sacrificed for us — all of us. God knows the pain of losing a child, because he sent his Son to die in your place. And he did that for every person who has ever walked the planet. No person is beyond the love and reach of God. Not even you. PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >> Talk It Over Why is the cross so important to Christmas? What can you do this Christmas to remember and honor the price Jesus paid to connect you to his heavenly Father? Why do some people believe they are beyond the reach of God’s love and forgiveness? What can you do to help someone understand this Christmas what Jesus did for him or her on the cross? Our Gift: Sermons for Life Change Vol. 2: The Most Requested Rick Warren Sermons Would you like to live a life of significance? These six sermons have helped so many people live exceptional lives that we’ve put them together in Volume 2 of Sermons For Life Change: The Most Requested Sermons by Rick Warren. LEARN MORE Complete Audio Series (Purchase) Includes all complete sermons from the Rick Warren Christmas is For All People teaching series. LEARN MORE Series Summary Message 1: Christmas is Generosity Message 2: ​​​​​Christmas is For All People PLAY TODAY'S BROADCAST

Pastor Rick Warren

Enjoy today's Devotional? Listen instantly to the full radio message at Daily Hope Radio. Did someone forward this devotional to you? Subscribe to Pastor Rick Warren's Daily Devotional. This devotional is based on the current Daily Hope radio series at rickwarren.org. Rick Warren has helped people live with hope and on purpose for more than 40 years. He’s the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Southern California and author of several books, including "The Purpose Driven Church" and "The Purpose Driven Life," read by more than 100 million people in 137 languages. He created the PEACE Plan (plant churches of reconciliation, equip servant leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, educate the next generation), which is used by churches in 196 countries. His radio teaching and daily devotional, Daily Hope, is offered across America. This devotional © 2015 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission. You can unsubscribe at any time by changing your e-mail preferences. Update your preferences  |  Unsubscribe