The Meaning of the Christmas Event
Pastor Brad Abley: Biblical Educator
Pastor’s Corner - Christmas
What really is "the Christmas event"?
Simply put, it is God the Son -- from all eternity -- coming to earth as Man.
What really is "the Christmas event"?
Simply put, it is God the Son -- from all eternity -- coming to earth as Man.
Pastor Brad writes…
“In Latin, this is called the "Incarnation," or that process whereby Jesus was born and became fully human-- His "enfleshment."
But why would He do this? Why should He do this?
There are many reasons; I will cite but a few here: first, the pagan deities surrounding the Jews (as well as the Roman and Greek gods and goddesses) were immoral, violent, selfish, disinterested in human beings, and fond of displaying their "power" (ironically, given to them by the people who worshiped them) over their subjects.
In dramatic contrast to these deities, in the Incarnation, Jesus demonstrates God's love, His grace, His service and His mercy to humanity. Stunning.
Instead of coming to judge us, Jesus came to save us from the poison we all carry -- our sin (John 3:16-20) -- which alienates us from God and from one another. We're painfully reminded of sin's effects in us and around us, every day.
Second, Jesus came to show, to demonstrate to us how to know God through His own words and actions -- all of which were and remain the most stunning, satisfying and challenging teachings and examples ever known to man.
The meaning of His life and teachings can be summed up in one word: Redemption.
Jesus came to redeem us from our sin through His death on the cross for us and through His resurrection from the dead on our behalf -- a resurrection because He lived an obedient, perfect, sinless life on our behalf -- where we all have failed.
In this, He offers us brand-new life. He offers us His life. We receive forgiveness and reconciliation with Him.
He offer us brand-new life
We receive forgiveness and reconciliation with Him!
We find out why we were created and what our eternal purpose is. We are dignified, where sin had disgraced us.
One more glorious thought about this Christmas event -- the Incarnation: Jesus identifies with us in every way as Man, but that does not mean He ceased to be God.
Every orthodox creed of the Christian faith (chief among them being the Nicene and Apostles' Creed) is in full agreement that in the Incarnation, there was no subtraction of deity -- only an addition of humanity.
Hence, the creeds teach us what Scripture demonstrates to us throughout: Jesus is one Person with two natures: fully God and fully Man -- perfectly united and not mixed.
He never laid aside His deity in the Christmas event; He only laid aside His privileges to deity (the true meaning of the Greek word translated "emptied Himself" in Phil. 2:7), in order to obey the Father in His humanity and suffer for our sins and take our sins upon Himself.
This thought is what ought to cause us to stand in awe of Him, to worship Him, to adore Him, to exchange our sinful lives for His life and to walk with Him as He walked with the Father.
This is the true meaning of the Christmas event. The Christmas event is not some sweet, sentimental thing -- certainly not for Jesus. It prefigured His violent death and worse, bearing your sin debt and mine.
The Christmas event means very little to you if you do not enter into it with your entire being. You merely watch it from afar, continue on with your life unaffected by it, and one day, you will miss out on its meaning throughout eternity.
Surrender your heart in Prayer
I invite you to pray the prayer below and mean it your heart!
But actually, at this moment, you can enter into this glorious event through a simple prayer, like this: "Lord Jesus, I'm tired of running from You. I'm weary of carrying my sin.
"There is a vacuum in my heart and it cannot be filled by anything this world has to offer. I need You. I need the forgiveness only You can bring, because You are the Only One who died in my place.
"I give You my life; I will live for You alone. I surrender to You now. Take my life and use it for Your glory!"
Friend, if you prayed this prayer, please let me know. Click the “Let’s Connect” button below. Begin to read the gospel of John and ask God to daily reveal Himself to you. Find a good Bible teaching church you can be part of so that you can grow. May God bless you greatly, in Jesus' name!
Pastor’s Corner
“A Heart After God, Bible Teaching Ministry: Reaching Africa & Beyond!”
