What Christmas is all About

We lose sight of Jesus when he is insignificant

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
- Luke 2:1-7

Jesus humbly reveals himself to humble hearts

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
- Luke 2:8-14 (KJV)

Good News in three parts

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord… 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
- Luke 2:10-11,14

1. Jesus came to be our Savior

2. Jesus came to be our Lord

3. Promises us peace

Christ and A Christmas Carol

Christmas can signal the appearance of great things.

30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
- Luke 1:30-33

Christmas might not signal the disappearance of bad things.

34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
- Luke 1:34

Christmas is always a reminder of God’s love for us.

“...you have found favor with God.”
- Luke 1:30

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
- John 3:16

“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
- John 10:10

“In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
- John 16:33

Christmas is an opportunity to reflect and realign our hearts with God’s heart.

What’s on God’s Heart?

1. Relationship with Him

46 And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior…
- Luke 1:46

2. Connection

50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.
- Luke 1:50

3. Care for People

52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
- Luke 1:52-53

"For All Who Truly Believe"

2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them  .…  has light shone…

6 For, to us, a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
- Isaiah 9:2, 6-7 

“The thing about Trains: It doesn’t matter where it’s going. What matters is deciding to get on.”

Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven
- Matthew 18:3

“Sometimes seeing is believing and sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can’t see."

18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
- 2 Corinthians 4:18

“This bell is a wonderful symbol of the spirit of Christmas - as am I - But the true spirit of Christmas lies in your heart.“

16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
- Ephesians 3:16-18

“…the bell still rings for me as it does for all who truly believe. “

"The Miracle of the Incarnation"

God wants to reveal Himself to the World.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 
- John 1:1-5

The world is lost in darkness.

5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not understood it.
- John 1:1-5

10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.
- John 1:10-11

God the Son introduced Himself through “the Incarnation.”

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
- John 1:14

“The gospel is the good news that God became Man in Jesus Christ…”
- Dr. Rice Broocks, Every Nation co-founder

The Incarnation introduces a new way of relating to God.

17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
- John 1:17-18

Grace and truth transform the way we relate to God and others.