Christmas is packed full of history, customs, traditions, and stories; most of which center around a jolly fat Santa Clause bringing presents to all of the good boys and girls around the world. We stay busy with shopping, Christmas parties, and tons of decorating. All of these can truly add to the joys of the season, but should this be our focus? We need to ask ourselves, What is the real meaning of Christmas?
For the real meaning of Christmas, we must look to the Gospel of Luke.
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.” – Luke 1:26-37
We start with Luke’s account of the Angel Gabriel visiting Mary. Mary was a unmarried virgin, promised to marry Joseph. The Angel Gabriel visits her to inform her of what is to come, that she will conceive and give birth to a son. This is no ordinary son; born of the virgin Mary, he is to be the Son of God.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.
– Luke 2:4-21
Just as it was told by Angel, the baby Jesus was born. Jesus did not come into this world in a lavish birthing suit in the palace or any other area fitting for a king. Mary gave birth in a barn, wrapped the baby Jesus in rags, and placed Him in a Manger. What a humble beginning.
God sent his son to be born in a manger and live a humble and sinless life. Later he was crucified for sins He did not commit, so that he could take the punishment for our sins. We are all sinners! No one is perfect. Jesus knows all of our mistakes and loves us anyway. ”For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” – John 3:17
With all of the distractions of the Christmas season, let us not get carried away with decorating, presents, etc. Don't forget The True Christmas Story!
If you haven’t already, I hope that today you will accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior so that you too can receive the gift of salvation and a life with Jesus Christ.
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