*Sarpali.us

Christians love to talk about the real meaning of Christmas this time of year. We love gifts and lights and decorations and family. We also like to make Jesus birthday cakes and put up nativity scenes. 

These are all good things. But they aren't the ultimate thing. The real meaning of Christmas is more than just an anti-Santa message of a baby being born in humble circumstances. 

God Among Us
John tells us that Jesus has always existed (Jn. 1:1; Also Col. 1:15-20, 2:9). He wasn't created that night in the stable, but instead took on human form to his already eternal divine nature (Jn. 1:14). In what is undoubtedly John's most famous verse, we understand the most simple explanation of why Jesus came: 

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him might have eternal life." 

We must not let the familiarity with this story and verse merely fall down and melt like California snow. We need to roll around in it and make snow angels and throw snowballs at each other and taste every flake of the greatness of this concept; God came to earth! 

He didn't have to. He could have stayed where He was and still been Perfect and Just and Loving and Holy. But he did. He loves the world so much that he came to earth and took on human form. 

God's Example
We shouldn't miss the fact that Jesus' earthly presence is something for us to cling to. We have a model. An example. A friend. A relative. 

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
(Hebrews 4:14-16 ESV)

Remembering the birth of Jesus is to remember that we have a very tangible, real example of what God is like and what it is like to walk with God. This too is glorious news. 

God's Love
We like to talk a lot about the love of God. But God's love for us is not entirely wrapped up in his earthly ministry and example. Lots of people think Jesus was a good example of moral living and human love. But there's more.

God shows his love toward us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Rom. 5:8).  

We must never leave Jesus in the manger until Easter. When we celebrate his birth, we need to carry that celebration forward to understand what his birth represents in the scope of redemptive history. 

In the same way the mechanics and the logistics of what happened physically to Jesus on the cross are sancitifed and sacred and important, so are the mechanics of the manger and the angels and the wisemen. And just as the reason for the cross is more important than the mechanics of that day, we have to remember the reason our Savior came in the first place. 

The Christmas Story
This last Friday night before our older kids went to bed, I read them the story of Jesus' birth to remind them about the real reason we celebrate Christmas once a year. The following night, the kids were begging me to read them Elf On The Shelf. I was reluctant but thought I'd use it as an opportunity to see if they're learning anything from what we read in the Bible together. I told them we could read Elf On The Shelf if they could tell me the Christmas story in their own words. 

Here's how that conversation went:

Dad: What is Christmas really all about?
Owen (age 6): Jesus' birthday
Dad: Can you guys tell me the story about what happened? 
Ella (age 4): An Angel came to Mary and told her she was going to have a baby. Joseph didn't believe her so an Angel came to Joseph and said Mary was telling the truth and that Joseph had a choice to make to leave or to take Mary for his wife. And he decided to take her as his wife.
Dad: And then what happened?
Owen: Jesus was born.
Dad: And was he born in a fancy hospital with doctors and medicine and comfort?
Owen: No.
Ella: He was born in a manger
Owen: With animals there
Dad: That's right. Then what happened?
Owen: People came to see him and give him presents.
Dad: Then what happened?
Ella: He got swallowed by a whale.

Dad: (laugh hard. correct course. be thankful that she was at least pulling a BIBLE story out of her head)

Dad: OK, so why was Jesus born? 
Owen: To die on the cross.
Dad: And why did he do that?
Owen: To die for our sins.
Dad: And why did he do that?
Ella & Owen: Because he loves us. 

The historical Jesus was loving. The eternal Jesus is love. The Jesus we celebrate December 25th is the eternal and historical Jesus who loved us so much that he showed us how to live and he died for us to enjoy him forever.