For many people, Christmas is simply a holiday season for time with family and friends. “Merry Christmas” has been replaced by “Happy Holidays” on buildings, in front yards and in various publications across America. The politically correct view is that we must not offend any non-Christians by using the word Christmas in any positive context, even though over 80% of Americans call themselves Christian. Does Christmas matter or should we just relegate it to another secular holiday?
Even though Christmas has not always been celebrated by the Christian church or in the same way we celebrate it today, I believe Christmas matters. The Bible does not teach that we should celebrate Christmas, yet it has multiple accounts of what happened at Christmas and teaches us why it matters. You see the origin of Christmas is not just about the birth of the founder of Christianity. No, Christmas is about much more than that, for Jesus was not just a good, moral teacher.
Christmas matters, because on that night in a small Palestinian village 2000 years ago, God came to earth in human form. The God who created the universe, who flung the galaxies into place, who created you, was born as a flesh and blood baby. Colossians 1:15 (NLT) Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, 16 for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see– such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. When you looked at that baby born on that first Christmas night, you saw the invisible God. The most incredible event in human history took place on Christmas.
Jesus grew up, taught us about God, died on a cross and rose back to life, so that a rebellious humanity might have an opportunity to have a relationship with their creator. You see, Jesus didn’t come into the world for no reason. He came because He loved you and wanted you to fulfill the purpose He created you for. 1 John 4:9 (NLT) God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. Eternal life is simply a relationship with God that begins in this life and lasts forever.
I think what happened at Christmas 2000 years ago is something worth celebrating, it’s something worth teaching your children and it’s something worth telling everybody you know about. Anybody who doesn’t understand why Christmas matters is missing the point of life and the point of eternity. Christmas matters. I wish you all a Merry Christmas!