What is Christmas About?

One of the things that is vital for us during the Christmas season is to make sure we really focus on God’s greatest gift of all, Jesus, and the true meaning of His birth for our present lives and for all eternity.

Matthew 2:6

He has come to rule our lives and to shepherd our souls. He is the true Shepherd-King.

When we invite Jesus Christ into our hearts, He establishes His rule over us. He helps us understand what is good for us and what is destructive to us. He provides us with principles to live by and boundaries to live within. His rule over us is one of love. He guides us tenderly, as a good shepherd oversees his sheep.

As we think of Christmas, we can’t help but think of preparations. Getting ready for the holidays usually involves putting up decorations, purchasing gifts, making meal plans, scheduling travel—all kinds of preparations.

Unfortunately, in the midst of the hustle and bustle of such natural preparations, we sometimes forget about the most important preparation. We fail to spiritually prepare.

Let this Christmas season be a time of preparing the way for the Lord in your life. Set aside some time to take a spiritual inventory, to account for your sins and to return with renewed passion to Jesus Christ. Get ready for the good things God has planned for your future.

Luke 1:38 Mary’s example of willingly and joyously accepting God’s call should inspire us to do the same. Just as Mary physically carried the Christ-child, risking all the potential persecution this could involve, so we should willingly and joyously carry and present Jesus to the people we interact with everyday. We must be ready to risk misunderstanding, ridicule and rejection for Christ’s sake. Let this Christmas be a time when we learn a lesson from Mary’s life. May we always be available and appreciative servants of the Lord.

Christmas is about receiving more than a temporary fix of happiness; it is about a relationship with the King of Joy-Jesus Christ. It is about having and living in a supernatural joy that supersedes our circumstances and strengthens us; spirit, soul and body Luke 2:8-11.

When the Magi followed the Savior’s star to Jerusalem, they were doing more than satisfying their astronomical curiosity. They recognized that this star was directing them to someone worthy of worship. They realized that God was at work in the world, and they wanted to be involved in what He was doing. That’s wisdom! As you think of the wise men this Christmas, think of three phrases; spiritual perception, spiritual pursuit and spiritual persistence. Wise people cultivate these qualities Matthew 2:10-11.

Matthew 1:21

Why did God give this name to His Son? The name “Jesus” is the Greek form of the Hebrew name “Joshua,” which means, “The Lord saves.” Following Moses’ death, it was Joshua who led the Israelites into the Promised Land. He guided them from a life of wilderness wandering into God’s promised possession. Through Joshua, the Lord saved His people from wasting their lives and missing their potential.

 

While the primary ministry of Jesus is to save us from our sins, He saves us from ourselves as well. Left to ourselves we end up wasting our potential on things that have little or no eternal value.

When Jesus comes into our lives He prepares and empowers us to enter into the Promised Land He has planned for us. As you celebrate this Christmas, pause and give thanks to the Lord for saving you—from your sins and yourself. Thank Him for preparing you to possess your Promised Land.