In The Word: Tree of Life
Sunday, December 12, 2010 at 11:09PM The Tree of Life
Most of us have at least one thing in common about our Christmas celebration, the Christmas tree. Today they are everywhere but that was not always the case. In fact, Martin Luther, the German reformer was the first person known to promote the idea of the Christmas tree in Germany back in the early 1500’s.
Many people know the story about the Christmas tree and Martin Luther, but not as many know the reasoning behind the idea. After all, the idea of cutting down a tree and dragging it into the house probably seemed strange to many people. The truth is to Martin Luther, the tree symbolized the Tree of Life from the book of Genesis. You remember that tree,
22 And the LORD God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” 23 So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. 24 After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.
It was not the tree from which Adam and Eve had eaten. That was a tree that brought sin and death. This tree was a tree that provided eternal life. God as always had a different plan for man (first revealed in Genesis 3:15). He would send a savior, his very own son. How fitting it is that Jesus himself would die on a tree.
So today, while many view Christmas trees as non-descript, politically correct holiday trees, hopefully we see the Christmas tree as representing something greater than Santa Claus or merriment. Hopefully, we are reminded we have a God who loves us so much that he provides us with our own Tree of Life in Jesus.
Think about that when you hang your ornaments next time! Merry Christmas!
Serving the Christ Child!
Principal