The Real Reason Christmas Is
The real reason Christmas is celebrated is all because of Jesus. Had he not come to earth, not been born of a virgin, and didn’t love us enough to take our sins upon himself, we wouldn’t have Christmas on the calendar.
His Birth was Foretold
Prophecies foretold centuries before the birth of Jesus proclaimed his future arrival, his purpose, and his deity.
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
Isaiah 40:3 A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”
Isaiah 59:20 “The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,” declares the Lord.
Isaiah 62:11 The Lord has made proclamation to the ends of the earth: “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your Savior comes! See, his reward is with him, and his recompese accompanies him.'”
Luke 1:31 You will conceive and give birth to a son and you are to call him Jesus.
Luke 2:30-32 “For my [Simeon] eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations; a light for revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel.”
Wise Men Brought Gifts
Gifts were given the Christ child. Today, because we desire to be wise, we can give gifts that honor Jesus. They might be wrapped in the form of contributions to a street ministry, help given widows and foster children, or gifts given to one another. Before unwrapping those pretty packages beneath the Christmas tree, it seems only fitting that we stop to reflect on the real gift; the gift of our Savior who was born long ago in that manger setting. In all of history there will never be another gift so perfect—so priceless. It’s ours for the asking.
Christmas Is Born in Hearts
The spirit of Christmas is love. Love comes from hearts that are tender toward one another. The Bible tells us that God is love. Since we are all made in God’s image, it’s reasonable to believe the heart beating in our chests is also a heart of love. But we have a choice to make. We choose to express that love; or not. It’s easy to love lovable people but not so easy to give love to those who ruffle our feathers. There’s where Christmas love is needed the most. It’s a deliberate choice. With God’s help, we can love all people with the agape love of Christ.That doesn’t mean we approve of their actions. That can be an entirely other matter. However, we can agree to disagree; put our differences aside, and promote love in our relationships and amongst strangers.
This Christmas wouldn’t it be great if we all gave the gift of unconditional love? It can happen if we first focus on the real reason Christmas is.
