The Gift of Christmas
Christmas is more than just a celebration of the historical birth of the Savior of the world and it is more than a religious celebration of a baby born in a manger to die for the sins of mankind. These traditional, religious views do not properly proclaim the true meaning and purpose of Christmas.
The birth of Christ Jesus is God revealing Himself to mankind. Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God (cf. II Cor. 4:4; Col. 1:15). Jesus revealed God as no other could do, as He is the only begotten Son. Until Christmas came, no one had seen God at any time. Jesus said, “All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him” (Matt. 11:27). In John 14:7, He declared, "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”
Through Christmas we see the heart of God for man, which is love for His creation. Jesus is and was the love of God, therefore, God in the incarnation of the Son revealed that God had not given up on man. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
Christmas was the beginning of the restorative work of God for man; the reintroduction of the divine Life of God in a man by the incarnation of Jesus. Christmas offers God’s Life to all men. “He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.” (John 5:12) God wanted to restore man to His created purpose by offering man the opportunity to become a new creation through His son Jesus Christ; that His Life might once again indwell mankind and be expressed through man unto His own glory.
The true meaning and purpose of Christmas is the personification of God the Father in the man, Christ Jesus, for you! That you might experience the gift of Christmas, which is for the Christian the outlived life of Jesus Christ to the glory of God, the Father!
May you experience all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus this Christmas.
