Category Archives: Christmas

In a dark world, we still have a reason to celebrate. As the angel told the shepherds long ago,

“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” (Lk. 2:10-11).

It’s hard to know if the shepherds understood the full significance of the proclamation of Jesus, “a Savior has been born to you” (Lk. 2:11). But we do know that they understood enough to celebrate. They left “glorifying and praising God” (Lk. 2:20).

• We have the whole of Scripture to help us grasp the need for and significance of having a Savior. Shouldn’t we all the more celebrate the Savior this Christmas and always?

We Celebrate a Savior Who Delivers Us from the Gravity of Sin

Go back to the beginning pages of the Bible and read how God created people in His own image with the intent of being in a relationship with them. He put only one stipulation on them, not to eat the fruit of one specific tree. Their disobedience would result in eternal separation from a holy God, their Creator. They would die not only physically but also spiritually.

Though God gave people laws to show them how to live a holy life, mankind could never perfectly keep the law to bridge that gap between them and God. Yet, “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (Jn. 3:16)

Only a sinless person, God Himself, could ever become an adequate sacrifice to pay the penalty our sin deserves. And so, we have the events celebrated at Christmas when God incarnate, came to earth as a sinless baby who would later die for our sin but also be raised from the dead.

For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Rom. 8:3-4)

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Cor. 5:21)

and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ – the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. (Phil. 3:9)

Sin has grave consequences which Jesus willingly took on Himself so we can be made right with God. Let’s celebrate the coming of the Savior this Christmas and always.

We Celebrate the One who Saves us from the Grip of Sin

Though saved from the penalty of sin, we still have our sin nature. We can identify with the Apostle Paul when he said, “For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do – this I keep on doing” (Rom. 7:18-19). But, don’t stop reading. Paul concluded:

What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Rom. 7:24-25)

We have a Savior who gives us power to rise above. As we yield to Him, He saves us from the grip sin has on our lives. Change is possible because of Jesus! Let’s celebrate Him this Christmas and always.

We Celebrate the Savior Who is Powerful Enough to Deliver Us from the Groanings of Sin

Pay attention to the news and you know we live in a sin ridden world, filled with much pain and sorrow. One day, however, our Savior will usher us into an eternity where “there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain” (Rev. 21:4). Wrongs will be made right. Justice will be served.

Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (Jn. 16:33). We may not be able to escape the effects of sin in this world, but the day will come when He delivers us from the very presence of sin, and that gives us plenty of reason to celebrate even now.

Let’s be real. As we look at the state of our world today, we could conclude that we have little reason for celebrating. A steady flow of bad news seems to keep coming our way — all the political divisiveness, natural disasters, crime, war, terrorism, and more. However, the message the angel brought to the shepherds long ago brings us to a different conclusion that holds true for us today.

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. (Lk. 2:10-11)

Imagine being the shepherds out in the fields in the dark of night when suddenly an angel appeared “and the glory of the Lord shone around them” (Lk. 2:9). If the angel had appeared during the light of day, the glory of the Lord would still have shone but probably would not have seemed as brilliant as it did piercing through the darkness. God got their attention.

• Today, God wants to break through the darkness of our world with that same message — “a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord” (Lk. 2:11).

A Message with a Reason for Celebrating

The angel prefaced his message by saying, “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people” (Lk. 2:10). Notice the adjectives in this statement. The angel didn’t just bring them news but rather GOOD news. And, what he was about to announce would not just produce some joy but rather GREAT joy. Also, it wouldn’t affect just them or a handful of people but ALL the people. There’s hope … a reason to celebrate.

• But, what could be so special or spectacular to produce that kind of impact? — A birth? Yes, but this wasn’t an ordinary baby.

It’s Who Came that Gives Us a Reason to Celebrate

We don’t merely celebrate a baby who came to earth. This child, who grew up and eventually died on the cross —

a Savior,
the Messiah,
the Lord.

• We must get beyond the story of Christmas to the Person of Christmas to recognize how GOOD this news is and to experience that GREAT joy.

A Reaction that Culminates in Celebration at Christmas and Always

After hearing the angel’s message, the shepherds said, “Let’s go … and see” (Lk. 2:15).

Scripture doesn’t record what they did while they visited Jesus. Maybe they sought to learn more about Him. Perhaps they worshiped. It’s hard to imagine they didn’t celebrate in some way while there in the presence of the One proclaimed to be their Savior, the Messiah and Lord.

Once they had seen Him, “they spread the word” (Lk. 2:17).

It’s important to note that they didn’t just spread the word about their experience, but rather “what had been told them about this child” (Lk. 2:17). “WHO” mattered more than “what” as the Source of good news and great joy came in a Person, not because of the right circumstances or through a set of precepts.

And, they celebrated.

With an experience rooted in truth, “The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told” (Lk. 2:20). This wasn’t merely a story to revisit once a year. It was more than a babe in the manager that engendered such a celebration. They had seen the Savior, the Messiah, the Lord!

Think about what tends to happen over the Christmas holiday season. So much of our time, attention, efforts, and resources go into preparing for the holidays that we barely enjoy this special time of the year. We can become so distracted that we lose focus of the One who deserves our praise, thanksgiving, adoration, and wholehearted devotion.

So much hustle and bustle over the holidays:

Already a busy people, we become even busier around the holidays. Though a time of year our thoughts should be centered around the Lord, we can become too busy to spend real time with Him.

Take this Challenge: Keep Jesus a priority.

So much emphasis on the newest and best gift-giving and decorating:

Already a material people, we become even more dazzled in finding the latest fad or most popular brand, the newest decorations or table settings. Does our quest for getting it just right crowd out sharing of the best gift — Jesus Christ?

Remember: Jesus is more than a fad. He is always relevant for Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

So much stress and depression during the holiday season:

Already a stressed out and emotionally fragile people, we become even more burnt out or feeling alone at the holidays. Yet, during this time of thanksgiving and celebration we should feel more alive because of the hope we have in Jesus.

Make a Choice: Lay hold of that abundant life Jesus came to give you that’s full of peace, joy, and contentment.

So much financial, physical, and relational drain during the holidays:

Already maxed-out, we become even more in debt, tired, and wanting to get away from people. Yet, it’s a time that should bring us together, grateful for people in our lives and for all we have been given.

Run to Jesus: He said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28).

Adult Curriculum to Help Us Find Our Way Back to Jesus:

• Christmas Reminders
• May Jesus Help Our Christmas

Christmas teaches us much about God’s ways. Of course, we’re not talking about all of the holiday decorations, Santa Claus, gift giving, and the like. We’re talking about God so loving the world that He sent Jesus (Jn. 3:16) in human form so He could die in our place to take on the punishment our sin deserves (Phil. 2:6-8).

Consider How Christmas Is about God’s Ways

The Holiday Reflections resource includes a discipleship guide that considers the following truths about God’s ways in light of the real significance of Christmas. It briefly expounds on each of these points and provides Scripture and questions to help us reflect on each truth. (This resource also includes guides for thirteen other holidays.

• Christmas is God’s way of getting our attention.

• It’s His way of letting us know that there are some things that can’t be ignored, like sin.

• Christmas is God’s way of getting personal with us.

• And, it’s His way of saying, “I will be with you always.”

Let’s prepare our hearts so the holiday season doesn’t drag us away from these realities as we get busy and more easily distracted.

Notice how each of the above points deal with Christmas as God’s ways. Christmas is not the world’s holiday. The first Christmas began with God sending Jesus. Let’s remember!

Adult Christmas Curriculum to Help You Remember:

• Christmas Reminders
• May Jesus Help Our Christmas

Last Christmas someone asked if it is mandatory for Christians to celebrate Christmas. I couldn’t provide references in support of Christmas or against it. Consequently, it is one of those issues for which we must develop personal convictions. And, since there are no definitive Scripture verses either way, we must apply the principles of Romans 14. We must respect and accept one another with convictions different from ours, not condemn, remembering that “each of us will give an account of himself to God” (Rom. 14:12).

When I can’t find Bible verses about an issue, I then look for relevant principles and/or precedence.

Principles Related to the Celebration of Christmas:

What we can biblically support with certainty is that any celebration must not fall into the category of idolatry (Ex. 20:1-5; 1 Cor. 10:1-14; 1 Jn. 5:21) or lack of stewardship (Prov. 22:3; 1 Cor. 4:2; Eph. 5:15; 1 Tim. 6:7-9; Heb. 13:5).

Precedence Related to Holiday Celebrations:

God instituted various feasts or holidays for Israel to celebrate important events in their history as ways of remembering what He did (i.e., Passover). Jesus’ coming to this earth is a very important event, so would it be out of line to celebrate it?

Problems Related to the Celebrating Christmas:

The problem many Christians through the ages have had with Christmas is its origins and some of the traditions that go with it.  Some say the date we celebrate is not even when Jesus was born. And, it is believed that Christmas appears to have started as a pagan festival that was later claimed by the Christian church as a time to celebrate Jesus’ first coming to earth. They suggest that the original intent seems to have been to take something pagan and turn it to the glory of God. The question we must ask is if we are indeed doing that through our celebrations at Christmas.

Colossians 4:5 says, “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.” To be sure Christmas provides added opportunities to share Jesus, a time when people tend to be more open to go to church and hear about Jesus.

Yet, we must constantly re-focus on the Savior because all the glitz and glitter of the season can distract us from the real reason we have to celebrate.  We need to work at keeping Jesus a priority during the Christmas season.