What Christmas Means To Me

I find joy in exploring the true meaning of Christmas. If one leaves Christ out of Christmas, well, then you are missing the most precious gift that has ever been given.

For now, I speak to those who have received this most precious gift. Isaiah was given this prophecy,

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given. . .” (NKJV).

The gift of a Son is given to a spiritually barren Israel and ultimately all of humanity. He is ours. This Christ child is ours. He has been given to us. The Father of life visited the virgin Mary, and through the power of the Holy Spirit she was impregnated. Can I, in only a few words, describe this monumental event. . .I cannot. But through God’s intervention a spiritually dead humanity was given a Child, a Son, who was (and is) alive. He is Emmanuel, which means God with us. He is the life giver to all who will receive Him.

John 1:12 (NKJV) “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.”

To receive Him means you believe He was born of the virgin Mary, that He died for our sins, that He rose from the dead, that He’s coming back again. Jesus said, “. .unless one is born again He cannot see the kingdom of God.” We who have received Him have experienced the new birth. But first we had to understand that we were sinners who needed a savior. Then and only then are we able to receive of the amazing reservoir of God’s grace for us.

As I contemplate these things I am drawn to Paul’s words in Philippians 2:5-11. In his letter to the Philippians the Apostle Paul has written one of the most glorious passages found in the Bible. What we learn is that Jesus willingly stepped out of the glory of Heaven and entered into this earthly realm. He came to be a servant to humanity and to die for our sins. But God raised Him from the dead. In this He triumphed over death, hell, and the grave. Seeing that Jesus did all this for us, Paul exhorts us to be like minded.

Jesus knew exactly who he was, the Son of God, but He humbled Himself and became a servant to man. We who have received the glorious gift of life in Christ can and should step into a hurting suffering humanity to love and help and heal. We can only do this if we truly know who we are. As children of God, we must not come kicking, screaming, judging with hateful speech.

We must come to serve, to speak the truth in love and to fulfill the messianic vision to heal the brokenhearted.

And this is what Christmas means to me.