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 to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel (Matthew 1:21-23, ESV).
As a kid, I used to love getting up on Christmas morning and rushing into the living room to get ready to hopefully receive all the gifts I had requested. But as I look back as an adult on those Christmases, something sticks out as much more important and much more treasured than just opening presents: opening the Word of God.
Every Christmas morning before any of those presents were opened, our family would spend some time opening God’s Word, reading the story of that first Christmas, and praying and thanking God for the gift He had given us in His Son.
It’s so easy in our day and age for Christmas to become more and more about what’s under the tree. But let’s never forget the real reason for the season: Jesus Christ. He’s the one the prophecies of the Old Testament pointed towards, and the one who ushered in the covenant of the New Testament.
In the busyness of the holiday season, it’s easy to lose sight of how truly incredible the miracle of Christmas really is. Think about it. Jesus bridged the gulf of sin between God and mankind (you, if you’re a believer) by taking the form of man. The story of Christmas is the Greatest Story Ever Told because Jesus came to bear the devastation and pain of our sins. It’s unimaginable, but true!
Christmas is about redemption. It’s about hope. As our verse today says, “He will save his people from their sins.”
When you get a glimpse of what Jesus came to do, you can recapture the wonder and awe of this Christmas season. Because Christ came, we can be filled with joy, hope, and peace! And that is Good News worth celebrating!
As you and your loved ones prepare to celebrate Christmas, I want to encourage you to not only read God’s Word together as a part of your celebration but to daily during Advent read His Word. Don’t neglect the heart of the Christmas season.
OPEN GOD’S WORD WITH YOUR LOVED ONES THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON AND EXPERIENCE THE HEART OF WHAT CHRISTMAS IS REALLY ABOUT
