The Christmas season for most usually means the buying and getting of gifts. Every year it seems to start earlier and earlier. For most with families, the stresses of buying for kids, family and others seems to dominate the whole holiday season. With all this busyness going on we forget why we celebrate Christmas to begin with.The gospels provide us with a unique picture of the birth of Jesus Christ. They provide his parents journey and the famous story of the wise men. Most importantly they provide us with unique incite to why he came. Matthew 1:21-23says,“ She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus,for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place tofulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:“Behold, the virgin shall conceive andbear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel”When we think about the birth of Jesus we don’t typically think about the mission of Christ. But if you look at the verses above you can clearly see that Christ’s mission was to save his people from their sins.Since Adam in the garden, all mankind has struggled with sin. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. As a result, we are all separated from God. This isn’t your typical Christmas cheer, but very bad news. However, scripture teaches us about the good news of what would come from the life of Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 says, “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures”. Going back to Matthew we see the fulfillment of the promise in the death of our Lord Jesus Christ. He lived that perfect life that you and I never could, and he died the death that you and I deserve. BUT he rose again on the third day proving that he had dominion over sin and death. This holiday season I want you to focus on not just the birth of Jesus, but also his death and what that means for sinners like you and me. Danny Akin recently said, “Christmas makes no sense apart from Easter. If you want to look at the real Christmas tree you should look at the cross on Calvary. That is why He came!” This Christmas season I challenge you to not only look with anticipation to celebrating his birth but remember why he came. To forgive the sins of his people and restore them to God forever. Do you know that truth this season? If not, repent of your sin and enter into his presence today!
