Why Do Christians Celebrate Christmas?
Why Do Christians Celebrate Christmas?
There seems to be much confusion about Christmas, especially during the last several years. What is Christmas anyway? What is its meaning, how did it originate, and what is its purpose? Is Christmas just a time to expect gifts, give gifts, and have parties? Is it a time to expect a visit from legendary figures, like Santa Claus, Saint Nicholas, or Father Frost? What is the true meaning of Christmas?
To understand Christmas we have to go back in time thousands of years. There was a time when there was no time. Time did not exist. The sun, moon, stars, the earth, and all the other planets did not exist. Only the Spirit of God existed. He (God) has existed eternally in the form of three persons; God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. It is important to understand that there are not three Gods, but one God in three persons. Since God is spirit, He cannot be seen, but the evidence of His existence is all around us. The evidence of God is clearly seen in His creation. The very first book of the Bible, Genesis, chapters 1 and 2 explains God’s plan for creation. Since He is all-powerful, all He had to do is speak His will and all material came into being. Light itself came into being. God created all the plants and animals and finally created man and woman. The Bible teaches us that God created us in His image. Man was created perfectly, and placed in a garden where all his needs were met. God gave the first man, Adam, instructions on how to live in a way that allowed man to have a perfect relationship with God, but Adam and his wife Eve disobeyed God, which caused their perfect relationship to be broken. Disobeying God in any way is called sin. Ever since that time, God promised He would send a Savior, someone who could restore that broken relationship. During the next several thousand years God chose a variety of men called prophets, to speak to the people. The prophets told people about the things the Savior would do while He was living with us. Prophets also warned the people about their disobedience toward God; that there were severe penalties for sin.
Isaiah was a prophet who lived about 700 years before the birth of Jesus Christ, or about 2700 years ago. The book of Isaiah in the Old Testament describes Isaiah’s prophecies about the coming Savior.
Isaiah 7:14 (NASB) “Therefore the LORD Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.” Isaiah 9:6 (NASB) For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us, and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. Notice the names this child was given.
Moving forward about 700 years we see Isaiah’s prophecy was absolutely accurate. An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph, who was taking the virgin Mary to be his wife. Joseph found out that Mary was pregnant, but she had never been with a man. Joseph was going to send Mary away. Matthew 1:20-23 (NASB) But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL,” which translated means, “God with us.”
The Gospel of Luke gives a similar account. Luke 1:26-35 (NASB)
Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was very perplexed at this statement and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”
Luke also describes the birth of Jesus at Bethlehem in Luke 2:7-11 (NASB) And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manager, because there was no room for them in the inn. In the same region, some shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
So it came to pass that God came to us as a newborn babe who grew up to become the man who sacrificed Himself to pay the penalty for our sins. The Apostle John describes Jesus this way: John 1:1-3, 14 (NASB) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him, nothing came into being that has come into being. Vs. 14-And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Here John paints a clear picture for us. In the beginning was God. God created all things. God then came to us, becoming flesh. He is God Almighty, Creator, and Savior. He is the One who offers us forgiveness of all our sins and eternal life with Him. He only asks us to believe in Him. John 3:16 (NASB) “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
We all need Jesus because we all sin. When Adam sinned against God he died spiritually; he needed a Savior. We all inherited Adam’s sin, and we all need a Savior. We are born spiritually dead to the ways of God, but we are brought spiritually alive through faith in Jesus Christ. God’s written word tells us in Romans 3:23 (NASB) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. And our hope is seen in Romans 6:23 (NASB) for the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Why do Christians celebrate Christmas? Because Christmas is the time set aside to remember the birth of Jesus who is God with us. He is our Savior; the One who came to pay the penalty for all our sins.
He is the One who came to bring us the hope of eternal life with Him in His kingdom. At Christmas we gather to worship Him and specially honor Him; to give Him glory for all that He has done for us; and to remember that all who believe are forgiven for all their sins, and made righteous and holy so that we can stand before Almighty God without fear of condemnation. We celebrate His infinite love for us, and we love Him in return.
Pastor Bob
Palomino Valley Bible Fellowship
5200 Wilcox Ranch Road
Reno (Palomino Valley)
Christmas Eve Service
6:00 P.M. Tuesday, Dec. 24