Don't get me wrong. I believe that presents, decorations and cooking are great at Christmas. But they are like the wrapping paper rather than the present. We will play with the boxes rather than the gifts if we are not careful to recognize what we have received.
Christmas is about a baby born so that mankind will believe. God came as a baby in all a baby's vulnerability. He did not kick the door of our hearts open to make us believe in Him. He was gentle and dependent upon our response to Him. This baby is our light that gives us life. We celebrate God coming as a baby.
Christmas is about a purpose. God came to sacrifice for us so that we would no longer be defeated by death. We can know our eternity is secure because of the price God has paid for our sins. We celebrate our forgiveness when we celebrate Christmas.
Christmas is about love. God's only motivation for coming as a baby who would sacrifice for us is love. He loves us so much that He would not hold back His one and only Son. No matter what you have ever done, no matter where you are or have gone in your life, you can always be assured that God loves you. This does not come after you have cleaned up your life because God loves us in all of our dirtiness.
Christmas is about remembering. Our response to Him is to remember what He has done and is doing for and with us because of His love. Making it all the way to Christmas means you need to stop all the "wrapping" and get to the present.
Go to a church having a Christmas Eve service tonight. Make it all the way to Christmas.
John 1:14 (ESV)
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Romans 5:8
but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
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