What Christmas Really Means
Well it's that wonderful time of year again. Time for love and time for joy. Time for cheer and time for peace. Christmas is a very special time in which we gather together with friends and family to celebrate something absolutely amazing. Sadly, many people push the real reason for Christmas off to the side and commercialize and make it about themselves. People rush around to and fro, frantically preparing for Christmas, but before they know it Christmas has come and gone without them even really thinking about what Christmas truly is about. Kids are raised believing in Santa Claus and all the presents they will get for being good, but how many of them really know what Christmas is. Christmas cannot be purchased, wrapped, or eaten. Christmas is so much more than that. So my friends, lets take a look at what Christmas really means.
The True Christmas Story
"This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, 'Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins'.
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 'The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel' (which means "God with us").
When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
(Matthew 1:18-25)
"In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived."
(Luke 2:1-20)
"Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us".
(Matthew 1:23)
Christmas is something to celebrate and be joyful about, but not because of Santa Clause and all the things we can get or all the yummy food. Rather it is because Jesus was born and died for us, we have a hope and a future. If we accept Christ into our hearts and turn from our sins, we are forgiven and can look forward to spending an eternity in heaven with God. I can think of nothing more amazing than this. Jesus is the true gift of Christmas. His gift of life is not one that can be bought, wrapped, or earned; but rather it is one that He freely gives to all mankind who will accept Him as their Savior. It does not matter who you are or what you have done in the past. God loves you so much and desires nothing more than for you to spend eternity with Him.
So let me ask you this. God has given us the greatest gift of all! Will you accept the free gift of life that He is holding out to you?
