“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” – Matthew 1:21
Christmas is an exciting time of year. We celebrate the incredible stories of Jesus’ birth, we sing songs about the Messiah coming into the world, we gather with family, and we buy each other gifts; all to celebrate the birth of Jesus. In fact, in such an incredibly joyful and festive time, it is easy to forget the reason that Jesus was born and the reason we are celebrating.
From the very beginning, the angel told Joseph that this amazing, miraculous child that was about to be born had an eternally significant purpose: He would save the people from their sins. The Bible clearly tells us that we have all sinned and fallen short of God’s standard for righteousness. And the Bible also clearly teaches us that the result of sin is death. We need rescued. We need a Savior. The birth of Jesus Christ is an incredible reason to celebrate, as long as we remember what it is we are truly celebrating. The birth of Jesus Christ is the first step of the greatest sacrifice that has ever been made…a sacrifice that was vital to save you and me from our sins and make us part of God’s family for all eternity!
Father, as we celebrate the incredible story of God entering this world in the form of a baby, let it spur us on to incredible gratitude for our amazing Salvation in Christ.
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Shane Cannon