What is the true meaning of Christmas?

Claire and I have been watching a lot of Hallmark Christmas movies.

What’s funny, is that in a lot of them, the characters are seeking to discover what the true meaning of Christmas is.

Presents?

Love?

Family?

Giving?

But, really, the true meaning of Christmas is about God’s love for humanity.

Let me read that psalm we read a moment ago, again…

Listen and see how GREAT this depicts God.

Psalm 96:1–6 ESV

1 Oh sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth! 2 Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. 3 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! 4 For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods. 5 For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens. 6 Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

Christmas is about God’s love for humanity because it remembers the most amazing thing that God did. He came to earth as a human! He came as a baby.

Christmas, although not actually on the most likely true anniversary, is supposed to be a reminder of Jesus Christ’s birth.

The birth of God into human flesh. Into the human experience. Heartbreak, friendship, work, school, learning, failure, etc.

Christmas, when we remember Christ’s birth, is a time to appreciate all that His birth means for us.

I want to show you a few things from this bible text that we can appreciate this Christmas as we remember Christ’s birth.

First.

Christ’s Birth is for all people

Not just good people, white people, nice people, christian people. Its for ALL PEOPLE

Luke 2:8–9 ESV

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.

MOST UNLIKELY GROUP OF PEOPLE: SHEPHERDS

Just a few miles up the road in Jerusalem, all the rich elites of Israel were enjoying life. One of them even was plotting to murder a baby.

Luke 2:10 ESV

10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

All people. Shepherds, murderers, Jews, ROMANS. ALL PEOPLE

Luke 2:11 ESV

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Christ is a savior. Savior from what? Savior for whom?

A savior for ALL PEOPLE.

All have the privilege to go to Jesus and be saved.

Jesus born to die for sin.

Christ’s birth is for all people

Christ’s birth is humble and lowly

Luke 2:12 ESV

12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

It would make sense for Jesus to be born in a palace. Surrounded by guards, gold, and nobles.

But, Jesus was born in a basement. Surrounded by sheep, manure, and donkeys.

Christ’s birth is humble and lowly

Christ’s birth brings peace

Luke 2:13 ESV

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

This is so awesome because all of heaven is celebrating this amazing miracle.

Hebrews says that what we have in Christ is something angels long to behold. Fallen rebellious angels don’t get grace in Christ like fallen rebellious humans!

Luke 2:14 ESV

14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Shalom! Restoration! HOME!

Jesus is the coming together of heaven and earth, God and man. The unifier of all peoples.

Ephesians 2:14–15 ESV

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,

Colossians 1:20–22 ESV

20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. 21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,

Christ’s birth brings peace

Christ’s Birth is worth taking serious

Luke 2:15 ESV

15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”

I hope you don’t let Christmas pass you by. Like I do normally.

Think on the deepness of its truth. God became man.

Philippians 2:5–11 ESV

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.