THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CHRISTMAS

Introduction

-A few days ago I saw the latest installment of the Star Wars franchise. Although I am not going to give any spoilers, it again proves why Star Wars has lasted for so long.

-For over 40 years Star Wars has been unraveling its story, and probably has had the most significant impact on the movie industry ever in its history. The whole idea of blockbuster movies came about because of the success and growth of the Star Wars movies.

-But not only that, Star Wars has had a significant impact on people’s lives (especially us kids from the ‘70s and ‘80s) as it depicts the continuous battle between good and evil, as we imagined ourselves being heroes and heroines fighting against the bad guys.

-But as significant as Star Wars has had in movies over 40 years, there is on person who has true significance for over 2000 years for both life here on earth and for the life to come—and of course that is Jesus Christ.

-And now we are in the season where we celebrate His birth—the birth of Immanuel, God with us. Christmas is significant because the Word of God by whom, through whom, and for whom all things were created, actually became part of His creation, as God took on human flesh, born of a virgin, to later die like a criminal to save humanity from the ravages of sin.

-Today I want to briefly touch on why Christmas is significant, and pray that in the hustle and bustle of a busy holiday season, the importance of the message is not drowned out.

Luke 2:8–17 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. 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. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” 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.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.

Why is Christmas significant?

I) It gives a personal message

-Out of all people that the angels could have chosen to make the big announcement of the Christ-child, they decided to herald the news to lowly shepherds.

-Shepherds in that day were considered unclean (both religiously and physically), untrustworthy, and unapproachable. They were bottom rung in the social ladder of Jews, and yet in v. 10 the angel proclaimed to the shepherds “I bring YOU good news of great joy”

-The message of the angels was for the shepherds personally. This means that no matter how lowly you think you are, no matter how ordinary you think you are, no matter how insignificant you think you are, the good news is that Jesus Christ was born for you, and He died for you, and He rose from the dead for you so that you may have life.

-There is not a single human being on this earth for whom the Christmas message is insignificant—this message has been told for thousands of years to millions of people, but that does not diminish the fact that it is you personally who needs to hear the message, and it is you personally who needs to respond to the message by repenting of your sins and placing personal faith in Jesus.

II) It gives a universal message

-The angels told the shepherds that they bring good news of great joy that will be for all the people. This means that although the message of Christmas is personal in impact, it is universal in scope. All people in all places in all times are to have an opportunity to hear the message and then respond to the message.

-For all people in the world, from the jungles of the Amazon, to the cold tundra of Siberia, to the skyscrapers of New York, the message of Christ being born and then dying for humanity is for them to take on personally.

-Since the message is universal, it humbles us because God allows us to be His children and part of His special people.

-Since the message is universal it makes us evangelistic because we have been charged with making this message known to everyone that we encounter.

-Since the message is universal, it gives us a missionary zeal, where we want the message to sound loudly in our own Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the utter ends of the earth.

-As we find in Scripture, God is no respecter of persons, for as Jesus commissioned us, we are to make disciples of ALL NATIONS—that is universal.

III) It gives a timely message

-The angels went on to say in v. 11 that the good news is that unto you is born THIS DAY—the message of Jesus Christ was a needed message for their day.

-The message of the birth and death of Jesus Christ is timely message for our day as well. Nationally and internationally is seems that the significance of Christmas is needed at this time.

-In the midst of strife and crisis and trouble and uncertainty, the fact that God so loved the world that He gave His only Son is much needed, for it alone is the source of peace, hope, joy, and love in a world that seems to lack all of them.----It is a message that in the midst of violence and wickedness and evil, our good God already has the plan in place to make things right.

-It is a timely message that when we seem to be bogged down by sin and cannot seem to get free of the shackles of its power, Christ died to set us free. And so this timely message calls for a timely response, for as Scripture says:

"In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you." Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (2 Cor. 6:2 ESV)

----What you do with the Christmas message is not to be put off—it is a timely message that calls for a timely response.

IV) It gives a timeless message

-In v. 11 the shepherds are told that unto them is born a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. It is the timeless message of the God who created the universe (the God against whom mankind sinned) fulfilling His plan of redemption to save people from the penalty and power of sin.

-Those shepherds needed that message, for they were sinners in need of deliverance. But this is the same message that is needed now. People in our day and age are no better or worse than the shepherds in that day, for we all have a common problem, and there is only one common solution.

-Jesus was born to die for the sins of the shepherds. Jesus was born to die for the sins of Roman citizens. Jesus was born to die for the sins of Germanic barbarians. Jesus was born to die for the sins of Greek philosophers. Jesus was born to die for the sins of Communist dictators. Jesus was born to die for the sins of you and me.

-And this same message will hold true up until the end of history as we know it, and Jesus returns to set up His kingdom.

-The message of the virgin-born son, growing to be more than a prophet, more than a priest, and even more than a king. He is King of all kings and Lord of all lords, for He sacrificed Himself to set up His rule and reign in the hearts of all who believe.

Conclusion

-And now, what makes Christmas so significant, and the message that it brings, is proclaimed by us through preaching, but it is celebrated by us in another way.

-Jesus Himself set up the Lord’s Supper as a means of declaring the salvation has been made available—Jesus is the only way to God.

-Paul told us:

For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. (1 Cor. 11:26 ESV)

-So for those of us who are born-again believers and been baptized, we can partake of this celebration. If you have never believed on the Lord Jesus to be saved, or have never been baptized, we just ask that you let the elements pass by today and be in prayer about where it is you stand with the Lord…