Not long ago my wife and I were having dinner at a local favorite in San Antonio, called The Little Red Barn. Near the beginning of our meal one of the wait staff left a pamphlet on our table titled “The Cross.”
I thought it was great—a simple, but powerful reminder of who Christmas is really about.
But then it hit me.
Wait! This is an Easter topic. Why not a message about the birth of Jesus?”
And just like that, I saw something I hadn’t considered before: Christmas and Easter aren’t separate stories. They’re one story—deeply connected.
So I invite you to take a brief journey with me—from the Cradle to the Cross—as we reflect on the heart of Christmas: two Givers, One Gift, for one people.
A Light in the Darkness
Perhaps one of the earliest Old Testament promises about what God has given us for Christmas comes from Isaiah. The chapter begins with hope: “The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined” (Isaiah 9:2 NKJV).
And then the gift is named: “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this” (Isaiah 9:6-7 NKJV) .
Don’t miss this—God gave us His Son.
The Sign Was Personal
Isaiah adds more detail to this miraculous gift: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14 ESV).
God gave us identifiable sign by which we would know the gift was undoubtedly from Him—a virgin shall conceive.
Fast forward about 700 years, when an angel explained to Joseph what was going on with his soon-to-be wife, Mary. “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (Matthew 1:20-23 ESV).
This baby, this promised Son was named Jesus because he would save us. And He was called Immanuel because He is literally “God with us.”
Heaven Lit Up the Sky
And when the gift arrived, the whole sky lit up!
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear” (Luke 2:8-9 ESV).
The angel made it plain: “Fear not… for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11 ESV). The glory of God lit up the sky—and then, suddenly that one angel was joined by a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and declaring peace on earth.
Can you imagine it? The quiet of the night shattered by light, song, and glory. A sky full of angels announcing a Savior for the world.
The gift had come. And heaven responded in full.
When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. (Luke 2:15-20 ESV).
Two Givers. One Gift. For You.
The Apostle Paul takes us to the cross, to see what was given to you there. He said, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20 ESV).
So God gave you His Son. And His Son gave you Himself.
Two verses to plainly reveal the Givers, and the Gift:
- “For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 NIV) .
- “He gave himself for us, to rescue us from all wickedness and to make us a pure people who belong to him alone and are eager to do good” (Titus 2:14 GNT).
Do you believe that God gave you His Son? Do you believe that Jesus gave Himself for you? If you’ve never received that gift, this season is a beautiful time to say yes. And if you have—take a moment this Christmas to thank Him. Let the wonder of it settle in your heart again.
From the cradle to the cross—He came for you.
