The Purpose of Christmas: Salvation Revealed

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A couple weeks ago we started this Series, “Unwrapping the Gift” by looking at “The Promise of Christmas: Prophecy Fulfilled.” Seeing how Jesus was fulfillment of prophecy.

Then last week we saw “The Presence of Christmas: God is with us.” Looking how God is now with us as we live this life!

Today I want to look at “The Purpose of Christmas.”

Luke 2:8–20

“8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” 15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, 19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.”

Matthew 1:21

“21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.””

John 3:16–17

“16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.”

1 John 4:9–10

“9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.”

Mark 10:45

“45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.””

Mark 16:15–16

“15 And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. 16 Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned.”

First I want to deal with some misconceptions about salvation.

Misunderstanding 1: Saying the sinner’s prayer automatically guarantee's salvation!

The sinners prayer acknowledges your need for Jesus’ sacrifice, it does not prove your dependence on him.

Your dependence on Jesus is proved through how you live after you commit your life to him through prayer.

We need confession in Jesus

Romans 10:9

“9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Proclamation of the mouth (and life) and dedication of the heart.

Misunderstanding 2: I need to read the Bible, go to church, give time and money, and tell others about Jesus to be saved!

To say this would mean that you have to add something of your own doing to be saved.

Ephesians 2:8–9 “8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.”

If these things do not save us, why do we do them?

It shows our love and dedication for God to others (God already knows for he sees our hearts) and prove our live to him!

It keeps our faith alive and helps us on the narrow way.

Matthew 7:13–14 ““You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell* is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.”

Illustration: walking on a narrow path

Misunderstanding 3: I can lose my salvation!

This is a loaded statement. Mainly because it is misunderstood.

First let’s clarify that salvation is eternity with God! That being said, if someone ends up in hell, were they really saved? I would say not.

John 10:28–29 “28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, 29 for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.”

But that is not to say they didn’t have faith. But belief alone does not determine salvation.

James 2:19 “19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.”

2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.”

While I don’t believe you can lose your salvation, I do believe you could lose your faith.

Consider faith being like your car keys and your works like your car.

You can have your keys but without your car, you won’t get far and if you have your car without your keys you won’t go anywhere. And you can have both and still not get to your destination!

James 2:20 “How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?”

Reasons for losing faith

Major life events: Trauma, job loss, the death of a loved one, or other significant life changes can cause people to reassess their beliefs. 

Disillusionment: A loss of trust in a church, its leaders, or the community can lead to questioning one's faith. 

Contradictory information: Encountering people who don't uphold the values they claim to believe in, or learning information that contradicts previous beliefs, can shake one's faith. 

Mental health and isolation: Feelings of loneliness, anxiety, or depression can contribute to a loss of faith. 

Gradual detachment: Instead of a sudden event, faith can erode slowly over time as priorities shift, leading people to focus on other things they create as "rivals" to God. 

Personal growth: People may outgrow their childhood understanding of faith and find it inadequate, needing a more mature understanding. 

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