When we consider the Christmas story, we shouldn't just think, “O cute story. Joseph, Mary, animal stall, messy birth in a non-sterile environment.”  We must remember this is the incarnation of God that we are dealing with. John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God." Verse 14 “And the Word became flesh.” The un-created One who created everything entered His creation as one of His creations in a human body. Incarnate means to make flesh. Christmas is our eternal, spiritual, invisible Son of God, and suddenly He is taking on flesh, taking on created physical attributes and likeness. And Jesus, who is fully God, mysteriously becomes united forever to this finite human body, fully God and fully human. That alone deserves our attention, our adoration, our celebration, our focus, and our worship. The incarnate baby Jesus.  

But it doesn’t stop there, because Christmas is the means and Easter is the goal. What’s Easter? The resurrection of Christ who died for our sins. When we disconnect the birth of Christ from the mission of Christ, we lose the glory of Christmas. Suddenly all we have is a baby story, and it doesn’t go anywhere. But Christmas was never meant to terminate on itself. Easter has always been the goal and the purpose of Christmas—that God entered His creation (Christmas) to rescue and save sinners from eternal judgment (Easter).  

Christmas is about the gospel. Christmas is about good news. A baby Jesus is NOT good news...UNLESS that baby Jesus be here on earth on a mission to atone for sins 33 years later and conquer death in my place so that I can live forever one day with Him. Now THAT is good news! Therefore it’s all about the purpose of the incarnation—what’s the purpose? What’s the point? Why does it matter? Because of Calvary and because of Easter.

Jesus came at Christmas to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10).

Jesus came at Christmas to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15).

Jesus came at Christmas to give his life a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).

Jesus came at Christmas not to call the righteous, but sinners (Matthew 9:13).

Jesus came at Christmas to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8).

Jesus came at Christmas that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death (Hebrews 2:14).

The birth of Jesus as part of the mission of Jesus is glorious and stunning and overflowing with happy news. And that is why an angel announced it as “good news of GREAT joy” (Luke 2:10). May we remember the ultimate purpose of Christmas this season and adore Him with worshipful hearts!

With great joy,

Pastor Bryan