The Christmas Tree
Mary had a little lamb,
Her face displayed a glow
For there was a great big need,
The naked needed clothes
Mary had a gentle lamb,
Raised to take our blows
And everywhere the Father led,
The lamb was sure to go
Unto the shearer He was led,
Slaughtered on that tree
And on that lamb our sins were laid,
Crushed for you and me
Mary had a spotless lamb,
To show us how to go
And though they were as scarlet,
Our sins are white as snow
Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together. – Genesis 22:8
[audio:http://www.marklamberti.com/WMS.mp3]
His major contribution to the world was not a set of aphorisms. He was born in a turdy barn, grew up in a dirty world, got baptized in a muddy river. He put his hands on the oozing wounds of lepers, he let whores brush his hair and soldiers pull it out. He went to dinner with dirtbags, both religious and irreligious. His closest friends were a collection of crude fishermen and cultural traitors. He felt the spittle of the Pharisees on his face and the metal hooks of the jailer’s whip in the flesh of his back. He got sweaty and dirty and bloody – and he took all of the sin and mess of the world onto himself, onto the cross to which he was nailed naked.