Stepping Stones

 

Have you ever walked through the woods only to come to a stream or brook that
you wanted to cross? Most of us who have also looked for a way across without
getting our feet wet. We looked for "stepping stones" A stepping stone is one
of a series of stones acting as footrests for crossing streams, marshes, etc.

In another context, a stepping stone is any means of advancement; "the job was
just a stepping stone on his way to fame and riches"

Today Christians celebrate the most important stepping stone in all of history,
the birth of Jesus Christ.

Yes I know that some of the traditions of Christmas are myths. For one, Jesus
was not born on Dec. 25. The three kings did not visit Jesus as HE laid in a
manger. (He was about a year and a half old when they came) Some think it is
wrong to celebrate Christmas but we know the angles did. You can read the story
of the first Christmas in Luke chapter two. I do wonder why so many have
everything but things about Jesus at Christmas time. Holly, mistletoe, reindeer
and of course dear old santa. Have you stopped to think that satan steals all
the things that should belong to Christ alone? Oh, I would not mind it if he
was just someone who in actually history gave gifts to the poor children but
look at the attributes santa is given now...."he knows when you are
sleeping....is that not omniscience? He is able to go to every home in the
world in a day (pretty close to omnipresence of you ask me. Oh then the ability
to give all those
gifts and move them without any means of support...well is that not saying he is
omnipotent?

My friend, all of these are attributes that belong to Christ and Christ alone!
GOD said HE will not give His glory to another yet isn't santa stealing HIS
glory?

Well, let me get back on topic...stepping stones. I firmly believe that every
time a Christian talks about the birth of Christ, we should also remember that
HIS birth did NOT stop in a manger as a baby in manger.

It is also very important to point out that GOD thought FATHERS are so important
in a child's life that HE made sure Jesus had a good STEP FATHER! One of my
favorite pictures regarding this can be found here:

http://hobbylobby.com/assets/images/holiday_messages/messages/2004c.jpg

The birth of Christ was just a stepping stone. It was not the first stepping
stone as many believe. There were many before that. The first one was laid in
the Garden of Eden when GOD told Adam and Eve: "And I will put enmity between
thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head,
and thou shalt bruise his heel" This was the first promise that Jesus would
come. There were many stepping stones but I will only mention one more. We
move on to Gen chapters 12-18 where God promised Abraham and Sarah a son whose
linage would lead to Jesus. (It is important to notice that this son, was to be
born from Abraham and Sarah not anyone else. The child of PROMISE was to be the
ancestor of Christ, not a child born of man's attempt to bring about GOD's
promise. Because Abraham tried to bring about GOD's promise at the insistence
of Sarah, we have had conflict throughout time because of it. Remember...if God
has
promised you something and said HE will bring it to pass....keep your cotton
picking hands out of it and let GOD do it....)

All of this was just a means of GOD Himself coming to live among us. In order
to get the real story, we have to move beyond a town called Bethlehem to a 12
y/o boy in a temple who said He had to be about His Father's business. We see
the next stepping stone as Jesus called twelve men to be His apostles. He lived
with them and taught them for 3 years until the next major stepping stone was
seen. This was a hill called Mount Calvary and although many were crucified
upon it, this one day was different. The sky became pitch dark as three crosses
were erected that day. I will not tell the full story of the events on this
fateful day, a day that changed all of history but one thing that stands out is
that the Roman centurion who was in charge of this detail said "Certainly this
was a righteous man. (remember, we are told there is NONE righteous other than
GOD)

We are told that Christ died for our sin. The sign above HIS head when HE hung
on the cross was the indictment or the reason for HIS execution.
http://shatterdmen.com/Indictment.htm

STILL....even this was just a stepping stone!

Many have died for what they believed in. Many have died trying to save their
people but ONLY ONE.....did what Jesus did next. Jesus did declare that death
could not stop HIM and that 3 days later HE would rise again. Those that
executed HIM even put a guard on this tomb to prevent it but NO ONE could.

Although all the demons of hell were having a party the day JESUS died.....their
celebration came to a screeching halt 3 days later when the stone that was set
in place to make sure Jesus stayed in that tomb was rolled away. Oddly enough,
even the religious leaders of the day did not contest that Jesus rose from the
dead. They even bribed the soldiers to lie and say someone stole the body so
they knew Jesus kept His promise.
My friend, if you doubt that Jesus is the only way to have eternal life and
think that there are other ways....remember Jesus is the ONLY one who has come
back from the dead! He is the only one who is still alive today.

The birth of Christ was just a stepping stone...a stepping stone to a Hill
called Mount Calvary and that Hill and the cross that was on it was a stepping
stone to an empty tomb...but my friend...that empty tomb was also a stepping
stone... a stepping stone to YOU.......Will YOU take that next step? All you
have to do is to take ONE step toward JESUS...HE has already left the splendor
of Heaven to come to you. To find out how to know you have eternal life....read
this:

http://shatterdmen.com/first_step.htm




He left the splendor of heaven
Knowing His destiny
Was the lonely hill of Golgotha
There to lay down His life for me

And if that isn't love
Then the ocean is dry
There's no stars in the sky
And the little sparrows can't fly
Yeah if that isn't love
Then heaven's a myth
There's no feeling like this
If that isn't love

Even in death He remembered
The thief hanging by His side
Then he spoke of love and compassion
And He took him to paradise

Words & music by Dottie Rambo)




In letters of crimson, Grod wrote His love
On the hillside so long, long ago;
For you and for me Jesus died,
And love's greatest story was told.

I love you, I love you
That's what Calvary said;
I love you, I love you,
I love you, written in red.

Down through the ages, God wrote His love
With the same hands that suffered and bled;
Giving all that he had to give,
A message so easily read.

I love you, I love you,
That's what Calvary said;
I love you, I love you,
I love you.

Oh, precious is the flow, that makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know, nothing but the blood of Jesus.

I love you, I love you
That's what Calvary said;
I love you, I love you,
I love you, written in Red.

(Written by Gordon Jennsen)

If there is any way, we at Shattered Men can help you to know this man called
Jesus. please contact us: ken4thelamb @ yahoo.com