The Christmas story is about more than a baby born and then laid in a manger. The reason Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus is that it fulfills God’s promise to save His people. God gave the promise to send the Messiah to Adam and Eve after they sinned in the Garden of Eden. However, thousands of years later, mankind was still waiting for their promised deliverer. Finally, when ‘time was full,’ one young woman named Gabriel told Mary she would give birth to the Messiah, and then an angel of the Lord told her husband Joseph to name the boy Jesus. The baby was finally born in Bethlehem, fulfilling prophecies about the Messiah and setting into motion the promised deliverance.
When I say deliverance, I’m talking about salvation. The gospel story begins with mankind living in darkness. They are separated from God and subject to His coming wrath. But when Mary gave birth to Jesus, all that changed. The Light of the world broke onto the scene of history. We’re told in the gospel of John that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Don’t let the wonder of that event escape your attention this Advent season. The all-powerful, all-knowing Creator of the universe took on human flesh and lived on earth. This news is incredible all by itself, yet the reason He came is even more amazing. He came so that we could have life.
That’s the reason behind the Christmas story of the birth of the Messiah. God had to take on human flesh to redeem us and restore our relationship with the Father. In Hebrews 2:17, we read, “Therefore Jesus had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation (which means atoning sacrifice) for the sins of the people.” Jesus needed to be made like us in every way, except for sin, so that He could fulfill the righteous requirements of the covenant God made with Adam and Eve. This fulfillment is precisely what Jesus accomplished as He lived among us. He was the perfect sacrifice, a sacrifice without blemish. He was also a faithful High Priest to offer His sacrifice to God on our behalf. There is no better reason to celebrate than the promise we celebrate as fulfilled at Christmas.
As you celebrate Advent this year, may you fully understand what it means that God came as a baby for you. To offer you forgiveness, redemption, salvation, and eternal life. That may sound like more of an Easter message. But it’s also the message of Christmas. May you celebrate this message with great joy, just like the Shepherds, who heard the angels say, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord – Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” Merry Christmas!