The Essence of Christmas
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married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.
Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and 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 fulfil what the Lord had said through the
prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"— which
means, "God with us."”
Most people in the world believe in God. We may believe different things about Him, but most believe in
some sort of a God.
Most religious teaching represents God as very stern and demanding. And this is true – God has created us
for a reason and he expects us to honor and obey Him.
The problem comes when we discover that we are weak – we have this wicked quality in us – and we cannot
satisfy the demands of a perfect God.
The Christian Bible reveals another quality of God. We are told of God’s mercy. We find, through the
teaching of Jesus, that God is loving. He desires to have a relationship with us – not just one of obedience,
but one of devotion and love.
The whole purpose of life – God’s plan in everything that he created – is to bring man into relationship with
God. But there is this problem of our weakness and wickedness.
Man is sinful, and sin prevents relationship with God.
What is sin?
- Sin is breaking God’s laws.
- Sin is disobeying God.
- Sin is failing to believe God.
- Sin is not doing what we know we should do.
Sin is anything that displeases God. Whatever you perceive that to be – however you define it – it affects all
of us.
And it prevents a relationship with God. The prophet Isaiah spoke these words under the inspiration of God.
Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you,
so that he will not hear.
Isaiah also gives us some hope of a solution to this problem.
700 years before the birth of Jesus, Isaiah prophesied.
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a
son, and will call him Immanuel.
Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he
will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
A virgin gave birth to a child and he was called Immanuel, which means “God is with us”. He also says that
he will be called Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace.
This was no ordinary child.
Again, we hear from the prophet Isaiah:
“ Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by
him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the
punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have
gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
(Isaiah 53:4-6 niv)
So we have a prophecy 700 years before the birth of Jesus telling us that:
- a child will be born of a virgin
- who will be named Jesus
- who will save people from their sins
- who will be called “God with us”
- and Mighty God,
- and Everlasting Father
And then we are told that he will carry our sins and be punished for them in our place.
The only way that relationship with God is possible is for our sin to be removed. Sin is the only thing in the
way.
God put all of our wrongdoing on Jesus. He faced the judgment of God in our place. Jesus literally traded
places with us. Why? In order to enable us to have a relationship with God.
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall
not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through
him.
Nowhere else will you find one who was willing to die for your sins. Some prophets tell you how to get to
God. Others give you a list of things to do to appease God.
- Only Jesus offers to lead us to God and pay the price to get us there.
- Only Jesus offers a way to remove our sins.
- Only Jesus was willing to sacrifice himself to save us.
- Only Jesus makes this offer –
Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
John 1:12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become
children of God—
The way to receive him is to trust him for your salvation instead of trusting your own religious efforts. He
offers us something we can never earn.
And after we receive Him he calls us to follow his Him – to hear His teaching and follow His example.
Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and 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 fulfil what the Lord had said through the
prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"— which
means, "God with us."”
Most people in the world believe in God. We may believe different things about Him, but most believe in
some sort of a God.
Most religious teaching represents God as very stern and demanding. And this is true – God has created us
for a reason and he expects us to honor and obey Him.
The problem comes when we discover that we are weak – we have this wicked quality in us – and we cannot
satisfy the demands of a perfect God.
The Christian Bible reveals another quality of God. We are told of God’s mercy. We find, through the
teaching of Jesus, that God is loving. He desires to have a relationship with us – not just one of obedience,
but one of devotion and love.
The whole purpose of life – God’s plan in everything that he created – is to bring man into relationship with
God. But there is this problem of our weakness and wickedness.
Man is sinful, and sin prevents relationship with God.
What is sin?
- Sin is breaking God’s laws.
- Sin is disobeying God.
- Sin is failing to believe God.
- Sin is not doing what we know we should do.
Sin is anything that displeases God. Whatever you perceive that to be – however you define it – it affects all
of us.
And it prevents a relationship with God. The prophet Isaiah spoke these words under the inspiration of God.
Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you,
so that he will not hear.
Isaiah also gives us some hope of a solution to this problem.
700 years before the birth of Jesus, Isaiah prophesied.
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a
son, and will call him Immanuel.
Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he
will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
A virgin gave birth to a child and he was called Immanuel, which means “God is with us”. He also says that
he will be called Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace.
This was no ordinary child.
Again, we hear from the prophet Isaiah:
“ Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by
him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the
punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have
gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
(Isaiah 53:4-6 niv)
So we have a prophecy 700 years before the birth of Jesus telling us that:
- a child will be born of a virgin
- who will be named Jesus
- who will save people from their sins
- who will be called “God with us”
- and Mighty God,
- and Everlasting Father
And then we are told that he will carry our sins and be punished for them in our place.
The only way that relationship with God is possible is for our sin to be removed. Sin is the only thing in the
way.
God put all of our wrongdoing on Jesus. He faced the judgment of God in our place. Jesus literally traded
places with us. Why? In order to enable us to have a relationship with God.
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall
not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through
him.
Nowhere else will you find one who was willing to die for your sins. Some prophets tell you how to get to
God. Others give you a list of things to do to appease God.
- Only Jesus offers to lead us to God and pay the price to get us there.
- Only Jesus offers a way to remove our sins.
- Only Jesus was willing to sacrifice himself to save us.
- Only Jesus makes this offer –
Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
John 1:12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become
children of God—
The way to receive him is to trust him for your salvation instead of trusting your own religious efforts. He
offers us something we can never earn.
And after we receive Him he calls us to follow his Him – to hear His teaching and follow His example.