What is the meaning of Christmas?  Is it watching 5-10 year olds beem over toys that their parents had to camp out for?  Is it watching the spontaneous gladiator fights that erupt among parents over the “last GI Joe with the kung fu grip?”  Is it watching that uncle you only see once a year have too much egg nog…. Just like every year.  No, all of these colorful tidbits of our society’s fallen nature are comedic albeit tragic, but they are not what Christmas is about.

Some will say Christmas is about the birth of Jesus, and I suppose that’s true in a sense, but why?  Why do we care that Jesus was born?  What does your drunk uncle John have to do with your joy in Christmas?

“Galatians 4:3-7 – “In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world.  But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.  And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.”

We rejoice because the Savior has come.  We rejoice because we’ve all fallen short of God’s perfect law, His perfect righteousness, but His love and mercy was made manifest through His Son.  We rejoice because Jesus came to die, to pay a penalty I owed, and you owed, but was placed on Him.  We rejoice because the same eyes that first opened in a manger would open the eyes of many to be reconciled to God.  My encouragement is to not sugar coat the Christmas story, or allow it to be whittled down to a nativity scene merely.  Pray for family members and friends who do not know Jesus.  Ask God to provide opportunities for them to know the fullness of joy in reconciliation to God through the gospel.  Serve those who will be cold and alone, otherwise this Christmas.  Let them know you genuinely love them, because God first loved you, and gave up His Son for your sins.  Make the most of this short time, and may God use you this season.

Grace be with you,

Adam