Scriptures: 1 Peter 2:24, Luke 23:31, Acts 5:30, 10:39, 13:29, Galatians 3:13, John 9:5

The first real Christmas tree was found in Jerusalem, 2,000 years ago, in the shape of a cross. In fact, it is amazing when you think about it how Jesus Christ was related to wood all of his life. When He was born, He was laid in a wooden manger. He grew up as a carpenter, working with wood to make a living. When He died, He died on a wooden cross that amazingly the Bible refers to as a tree. In this message Dr. Merritt exposes the biblical story of a very real and stark "Christmas tree"--arguably the most important tree of all time.

"You can never understand the importance of the birth of Jesus until you understand the significance of the death of Jesus. The clearest statement concerning the purpose of the death of Jesus Christ, found in the New Testament, is found in this statement: 'He bore our sins in His body on the cross.'" --Dr. Merritt

Keywords: Christmas, December, holiday, Jesus, birth, cross, crucifixion, tree, Christbaum, Martin Luther, wood, life, salvation, Gospel, God