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Manger to the Cross One
From the Manger to the Cross is a seven-part series about Jesus, the gift of a loving God to His creation. It is about the salvation of the soul and a better way of life guided by love. It is about God’s love for us.
Too often, we celebrate “Christmas” without Christ.
The first Christmas was a prelude to the life and purpose of the long-awaited Messiah. It was not a time of giving gifts to each other but acknowledging God’s gift to mankind and the fulfillment of that gift on the cross of Calvary.
I so wish that we could return to celebrating Jesus’ birth and get rid of all the distractions Satan has put in our way. Even the act of giving gifts is corrupted by the greed we practice and have taught our children.
Jesus’ Birth
Jesus’ birth is the opening verse in the Salvation story. He came to die for us on the cross so we could be with Him in His Father’s presence. When we look at His birth we must always see the cross at the end.
God planned Jesus’ birth in a stable to illustrate the difference between the world and His Kingdom.
Man would choose to be born in a palace with royal attendants to announce the birth. Moreover, at a royal birth messengers would be sent to all the other kingdoms announcing the birth.
Valuable presents would have followed the announcement. God chose a better approach.
No presents were sent to the stable. No gifts were exchanged among the families.
Instead, God called poor shepherds to witness His coming and share the event with others. Luke 2:8-20 NIV. The shepherds brought only themselves. They were the presents God wanted.
God still wants just us.
The Magi
But there were presents a few months later when the wise men arrived. They had followed the star that appeared over Bethlehem. So, after first going to Jerusalem, where they expected to find a new king, they proceeded to Bethlehem.
In Jerusalem, they were told that prophecy had foretold the birth of Christ in Bethlehem. However, since it had been months since they first saw the star, Jesus was no longer a baby but a young child.
Leaving Jerusalem, they found the King of Kings after following His star to Bethlehem. Matthew tells us, 11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Matthew 2:11 NKJV
Notice that the gifts were given to Him.
The timing of their arrival in Bethlehem was critical in God’s plan. Satan used King Herod to try to kill Jesus before He could become a threat to his rule. To eliminate the danger, Herod decided to kill all the male children in the Bethlehem area. However, God’s plan was from the manger to the cross and could not be changed.
Into Egypt
Notice that the gifts the wise men brought were not frivolous. Instead, they were spiritual and needed for upcoming events. Today we often give an abundance of extravagant and unneeded gifts.
At times we even go into debt to buy presents.
The treasures presented to Jesus came just before His escape into Egypt. There was gold to finance the trip and frankincense and medicinal myrrh to help them along the way. As always, God provides what we need to accomplish the tasks He assigns us.
13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”
14 When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, 15 and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.” Matthew 2:13-15 NKJV
Out of Egypt
They lived in Egypt until the death of Herod when God sent an Angel that told them it was safe to return because Herod was dead.
Joseph took his wife and Jesus and started back home. While on the trip back, God told him in a dream that Herod’s son had taken the throne. So Joseph detoured into Galilee to a town called Nazareth.
23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, “He shall be called a Nazarene.” Luke 2:23 NKJV
Where was Jesus?
There is no additional information about Jesus for several years as He grew into a young man of twelve, except for one short story. This story, however, tells us a lot about Jesus. He knew His Heavenly Father from a young age and was anxious to be about the business for which He was born.
Mary, Joseph, and their relatives had journeyed to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover. When Passover ended, and they started home Jesus was not with them. Traveling in a large group they were not worried until they established that He was not with the group.
They returned to Jerusalem and looked for Him.
Can you imagine the concern they had? God entrusted them with raising Jesus, and now they had lost Him! A blessed holiday of feasting and praising God ended with a great scare.
It took them three days to find Jesus. Have you ever lost a child for even a few hours? You know a little of what they felt.
Father’s Business
Where does a boy go in an exciting city like Jerusalem? Does he just wander around enjoying the sites and sounds of a busy city? Does He watch the soldiers march and drill? Not, Jesus, He goes right to the Heart of this great city. He goes to the temple where the scribes and teachers are working.
46 Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. Luke 2:46-47 NKJV
When Mary and Joseph found Him He ask them why they sought Him. It was as if they should have known what He was doing and where to find Him. (This may sound a little like our children today, but in His case, He had a valid point.) They had witnessed so much since Bethlehem, the angels, the shepherds, the wise men, and more angels.
49 And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” Luke 2:49 NKJV
The question that I ask myself is, did Jesus know about His journey from the manger to the cross? Scripture is clear that He knew after His baptism, but what did He know as a young boy?
The Silent Years
Scripture does not tell us about those years because they are not important to His mission on earth. The following two verses tell us all we need to know about the years between twelve and thirty. Jesus did what all of us should do. He grew in favor with God and man.
51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. Luke 2:51-52 NIV
We know that Jewish boys started learning the Hebrew alphabet from their fathers at age three and would have started reading the Hebrew letters by 5. The learning process was based on memorization. They learned parts of the Scripture and quoted them back to their father or teacher word for word. Mistakes were not allowed with God’s Word.
They started formal synagogue school between 6 and 7 and continued until they were around 13. This was not the end of their education for those who wanted to learn. A young man would study the Scripture with a proficient adult. They would quote word for word what they heard until it became a part of them.
The idea was that they would be like a cistern and every drop of knowledge that went into their memory would stay there.
Learning
Fathers were also responsible for seeing that their male children learned a trade before they were 30 so they could provide for their families. They often learned their trade from their father, so Jesus would have learned to be a carpenter like Joseph. He would have worked in the shop side by side with Joseph.
When questioning Jesus’ credentials to proclaim God’s Word we find this statement Mark recorded.
Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” So they were offended at Him. Mark 6:3 NKJV
From this statement, we know that Jesus worked as a carpenter. However, at 30 He stepped out of the shop to fulfill His mission on earth.
Biblical significance
There may be a biblical significance to His turning 30 also. The Levitical priests served from age 30 to 50 according to Numbers 4:3. It is possible that Jesus, our Great High Priest, may have waited until the age of 30 to fulfill all righteousness as when He was baptized by John.
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. 14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?”
15 But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him. Matthew 3:13-15
As Jesus passed from the manger to the cross He made every effort to do all in a way that could not be understood as breaking any of God’s laws. To be the perfect sacrifice for our sins He had to be without sin.
My Son
God sent angels to announce Jesus’ birth in a wonderful display to lowly shepherds. Now as Jesus comes of age to serve as a Priest of God He goes to John to be baptized. John is baptizing those who have repented and seek God’s forgiveness.
Jesus has not sinned and does not need forgiveness so it is confusing to John when Jesus comes to him to be baptized. At first, John said no, that Jesus should baptize him. However, Jesus insists that to fulfill all righteousness, John must baptize Him.
Jesus wants everyone to understand that John is ordained by God and that Jesus is accepting John’s God-directed ministry. God is not silent as Jesus completes this act of humility.
16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:16-17 NKJV
Satan
It is worth noting that it was the Holy Spirit that led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. We should also note that the temptation did not come until Jesus was in a weak physical state from fasting for forty days and forty nights.
Satan could do nothing to Jesus but try to convince Him to sin. It is also true that Satan can do nothing to us who have accepted Jesus as our Savior. When we sin it is because we chose to do what God told us not to do or not do what He told us to do.
My spiritual walk does not include a forty-day fast. I did a 30-day fast when I was Pastoring First Christian Church in North Carolina. I am not sure that I completed it, but I do remember that I was very hungry the first week. Then, I was not hungry for the rest of the time, but I still had the desire to eat.
Satan will always try to reach us when we are at our weakest. So when you find yourself feeling down, you must be alert to Satan’s attacks and face them with God’s Holy Word.
My Fast
I am not comparing myself to Jesus. My fast was in my home with a light workload.
Jesus was walking in the desert or wilderness, subject to the weather as well as the lack of food. Satan did not come to tempt Him until He was at the end of His fast. Satan wants to catch us at our weakest.
4 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Matthew 4:1-2 NKJV
After Jesus defeated Satan’s efforts to cause Him to sin, He came out of the wilderness with a message for the people. He started to boldly proclaim the message of repentance for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.
The Kingdom at hand
Jesus knew that He had little time left when He came out of the wilderness and He started preaching in the surrounding villages. Some say that His message was simple and easy to understand. However, Jesus went beyond the simple laws of the Scripture. He explained the deeper application of the law.
12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:
15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles:
16 The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light,
And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death
Light has dawned.”
17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:12-17 NKJV
Jesus did not only preach the kingdom of Heaven is at hand. He explained much about that kingdom and how different it was from what the religious leaders were teaching. Our heart’s desire should be to be a part of that Kingdom.
Conclusion of part I
The prophecy foretold Jesus’ coming many centuries before He was born in a manger. Hundreds of prophecies about His birth and the start of His earthly ministry were fulfilled up to this point. Each one proves Him to be the Messiah.
In the next section, Manger to the Cross Two, we will explore His revolutionary message from the Sermon on the Mount and how different it is from what most people believe and practice. How does the church of today compare with the ideas Jesus gave us.
Each of these articles telling of Jesus’ march from the manger to the cross is designed to encourage you to become a true follower. He makes it clear that there will be trials. Walking in the truth of Christ sets us apart from the world and the world does not like for us to be different. This is especially true when we stand for the Word of God!
Additional Articles
I hope that you will read them all and share them with your friends. Do take time to comment if you can. Thank You!
This is a sequence of the life and ministry of Jesus. It is best if you can read them in order, but each one will stand alone. You can reach any of the articles by clicking the link in blue. Prophecies and His birth – Manger to the Cross – One, Jesus proclaims the Kingdom – Manger to the Cross – Two, Jesus’ Teaching – Manger to the Cross – Three, Jesus Appoints the Twelve – Manger to the Cross – Four, Opposition Grows – Manger to the Cross – Five, Jesus predicts His death – Manger to the Cross -6, and Jesus’ death and resurrection – Manger to the Cross -7