"Born That Man No More May Die"

There's an oft-forgotten verse of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" that goes like this:

O come, thou Rod of Jesse, free

Thine own from Satan's tyranny

From depths of hell thy people save

And give them triumph o'er the grave

Personally, it's my favorite verse of the song. This verse is a clear declaration of the gospel: Jesus Christ, the messiah from David's bloodline, saves us from sin, hell, and the grave.

Anyone who really knows me knows I have a deep and abiding hatred for only one thing (and no, it isn't spiders): death. Let me make it clear: I don't fear death; I despise it. I take seriously Paul's declaration in 1 Corinthians 15:26 that death is an enemy to be defeated. And a heartless, cruel, cold enemy it is. I rejoice in the promise of its final defeat and its ultimate end in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14).

And that's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown. A Savior who is born to die -- but who is resurrected. His rising again enables all who believe to share in it, to have assurance death doesn't get the last word. Life, eternal life forever free from the sting of death is the last word for a Christian. But eternal life is only possible through Jesus Christ. Only his blood frees us from our sins -- and all sins grant death (Romans 6:23).

There could be no atonement for sin without the birth of the Savior, no resurrection without incarnation. Celebrate the birth which heralds the defeat of death. Remember the power of God and His love shown through His Son. Celebrate Christmas.

Hail, the heav'n-born Prince of Peace! Hail, the Sun of Righteousness!

Light and life to all He brings, Ris'n with healing in His wings.

Mild He lays His glory by, Born that man no more may die,

Born to raise the sons of earth, Born to give them second birth.

Hark! The herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King."