The Christmas Lamb

A simple sheep, a little lamb,
With fleece so soft and white.
Small and frail, innocent, pure,
Born into a bigger plan.

To protect, to keep perfect and safe,
Shepherds would wrap his legs with care
Single strips of swaddling cloths,
Holding and shaping each precious limb.

Stronger he grew, frolicking and grazing,
Always under the shepherd’s watch,
Until the time came for inspection,
Until the time came for sacrifice.  

A sweet baby boy, a little child,
Born among the sheep and cattle,
Came from a virgin, a young girl,
And rested in a cold, stone cradle.

She wrapped Him in the same cloths,
The shepherds used for the sheep,
And laid him down in hay that poked,
Like the thorns of His future crown.

He grew into a man and began His ministry,
Performing miracles, preaching, and leading,
Until the world turned against Him,
Until they all demanded crucifixion.   

Like the sheep led to slaughter,
He followed with no complaint.
The Lamb of God died on the cross,
Forever taking the sheep’s place.

He returned to the bed of stone,
This time a tomb, instead of a cradle,
Wrapped again in simple cloths,
Laid down and placed for final rest.

But on the third day, He rose again,
Defeating death and darkness at once.
The little child, of humble birth,
Destroyed the hold of the serpent’s curse.

The perfect Prince took our place,
And died the death He didn’t deserve,
All so we could receive His gift, His love,
And a life with Him forever.

The little lamb, the manger scene,
The shepherd’s care, the virgin mother,
Were all part of the Master plan, the greater message:
Christmas has no meaning without Easter.

 

Splinters of Grace

A rough wooden cradle,

Hay pokes through the swaddle, 

Splinters of grace. 

Learning a craft, carpentry,

Turning wood into beauty, 

Splinters of grace. 

Carrying a cross, to His death 

Hanging from nails, fighting for breath, 

Splinters of grace. 

The weight of everyone’s sin, 

There on the cross died with Him, 

Splinters of grace. 

But death had no victory, 

He rose and conquered on day three, 

Unending grace. 

Hope and a future, love unearned, 

Sinners shown mercy undeserved, 

Unending grace. 

The Shepherd, The Lamb

The sheep are bleating, crying
For help, longing for a place,
Where they can feel safe, where they
Know they are loved and belong.

They’ve wandered in darkness,
Misguided by the world,
Trying to fight off the predators,
But they can’t win the battle alone.

The Shepherd comes down,
To protect and to guide them,
Fighting off their enemies,
And shouldering their burdens.

He cares for every need,
Carrying the weak and wounded,
Leading them to quiet pastures,
Guarding their hearts from hurt.

He’s attentive, checking each one,
Showing them love and kindness,
Making sure no bone is broken,
Making sure no fear remains.

He knows what has to be done,
To bring the scattered sheep home,
He loves them enough to save their lives,
Even if it means giving up His own.

The Shepherd became the Lamb,
The Perfect One for sacrifice,
Silently, He suffered. Nails and thorns,
And sin, piercing, and weighing Him down.

But death on the cross could not hold Him,
The Lamb rose from the grave,
Defeating the darkness and the enemy,
Paying our debt, setting us free.

The Lamb now sits on the throne,
Shepherding the sheep, binging them in,
Until the day He comes back,
And wipes every tear from our eyes.

What Can Change in a Week?

Day one-ceremony
-their hero, in their midst,
chose not to ride a stallion,
but a donkey, a foal-
a sign of peace.
What can change in a week?

Day one-continued
-the King, riding a colt,
a fulfillment of prophecy.
clothes and palms spread before Him,
as they anticipated victory.
crying Hosanna, they worshipped,
but the pharisees grumbled, angrily.
What can change in a week?

Day two-comparison
-a fig tree, and a temple,
producing no fruit at all.
He cursed it, telling his disciples-
faith is more than outward acts.
What can change in a week?

Day two-cleansing
-His house of prayer
turned into a den of thieves.
He overturned the tables,
clearing everyone out.
What can change in a week?

Day three-confrontation
-His authority questioned,
as He healed, as He taught.
the leaders tried to seize Him,
but feared what the people thought.
What can change in a week?

Day three-conspiracy
-betrayed by one of the twelve.
He was delivered into the hands of hatred.
for thirty pieces of silver, Judas
set the price of the Savior.
What can change in a week?

Day five-celebration
-of the Passover feast.
the blood of the blemish free lamb
over each family’s door,
saved them from death, from grief.
What can change in a week?

Day five-communion
-He shared the bread and the wine.
His body, His blood, became a sacrifice,
forever taking the place of the lamb,
after betrayal, by a friend’s kiss.
What can change in a week?

Day six-condemnation
-He stood silently, enduring the shame
of false accusations, physical beatings,
listening as the praise changed to outrage,
as Hosanna turned to crucify.
What can change in a week?

Day six-completion
He breathed His last, tearing the veil,
and asked for forgiveness, for them-
the very ones who had Him killed.
He submitted His Spirit to the plan.
What can change in a week?

Day seven-darkness.
The Savior was dead,
lying in the stone-cold tomb.
What can change in a week?

Day eight-light
The women found the tomb empty.
the stone was rolled away, the linens folded.
The Savior was no longer dead- He lived!
Defeating Satan, hell, the power of sin.
What can change in a week?

The Son of God, the Son of Man,
lived the life we never could-
and died the death that was ours,
so we could have freedom, and experience grace-
something we could never earn.

In a week, He was worshipped,
then tried, tortured, and killed,
to break the curse, to be our sacrifice,
all for our sins, our sakes, our futures,
All because of love. 

I ask again, one last time,
What can change in a week?


Easter

Humble wood,
from the bark of a simple tree.
Seemingly innocent, but this
is where You died for me.

The bark nailed together,
You nailed to it.
You did nothing wrong,
but here, You paid my debt.

You were mocked and laughed at,
cursed at and jeered.
You could have saved Yourself, but You stayed.
So my name could be cleared.

To the tomb You went,
locked behind a stone.
But here, You wouldn’t stay.
Your place is on the throne.

Three days later, You conquered
death and the grave.
All that suffering and torture,
so that me, You could save.

No greater love exists,
than what You showed me here.
You tore down every wall.
You took care of every fear.

Sin has no hold anymore,
death has no power.
All my thanks goes to You,
my Lord, my Strong Tower.

The Christmas Lamb

A simple sheep, a little lamb,
With fleece so soft and white.
Small and frail, innocent, pure,
Born into a bigger plan.

To protect, to keep perfect and safe,
Shepherds would wrap his legs with care
Single strips of swaddling cloths,
Holding and shaping each precious limb.

Stronger he grew, frolicking and grazing,
Always under the shepherd’s watch,
Until the time came for inspection,
Until the time came for sacrifice.  

A sweet baby boy, a little child,
Born among the sheep and cattle,
Came from a virgin, a young girl,
And rested in a cold, stone cradle.

She wrapped Him in the same cloths,
The shepherds used for the sheep,
And laid him down in hay that poked,
Like the thorns of His future crown.

He grew into a man and began His ministry,
Performing miracles, preaching, and leading,
Until the world turned against Him,
Until they all demanded crucifixion.   

Like the sheep led to slaughter,
He followed with no complaint.
The Lamb of God died on the cross,
Forever taking the sheep’s place.

He returned to the bed of stone,
This time a tomb, instead of a cradle,
Wrapped again in simple cloths,
Laid down and placed for final rest.

But on the third day, He rose again,
Defeating death and darkness at once.
The little child, of humble birth,
Destroyed the hold of the serpent’s curse.

The perfect Prince took our place,
And died the death He didn’t deserve,
All so we could receive His gift, His love,
And a life with Him forever.

The little lamb, the manger scene,
The shepherd’s care, the virgin mother,
Were all part of the Master plan, the greater message:
Christmas has no meaning without Easter.