O Holy Night indeed

Christmas and the Gospel

Christmas is less than a week away, and it is wise for Christians to ponder this time of year. We would do well to consider why Christmas is so significant for followers of Jesus, and why the events surrounding the birth of Christ have been essential to the Church for 2,000 years.

We all get the basics – Christmas is a celebration of the eternal Son of God entering space and time and being born as a child, the beginning of what would be 33 years of life on this earth lived in complete obedience to God, culminating in the sacrificial death of the God-Man for the sins of God’s people. Christmas is the realization of the promised hope of salvation for God’s people – it is the Gospel lying in a manger wrapped in swaddling cloths.

But Christmas is so much more than just what I mentioned above. Not only has it been more significant for 2,000 years, but in our current cultural moment Christmas screams the truth of God loudly at a world in darkness. I want to spend the rest of this post highlighting several points, and I trust it will deepen your appreciation for Christmas and your affection for Christ.

Newborn royalty

I don’t want to get into a lengthy discussion regarding eschatology or how we interpret God’s operation in human history. However, no matter where you lie on the various doctrinal spectrums, the unavoidable reality is that Jesus Christ presently reigns as King, and He has reigned for 2,000 years. Christmas not only reminds us of this, but the Scriptures are rather clear and explicit on the matter.

In Matthew 2:1-2 we read this, “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.’” Jesus was born king of the Jews. In fact, Herod was so terrified and threatened that he sought to kill the newborn Christ. Why? Because Herod knew his throne was in jeopardy – a new king had arrived.

In Luke 1:32-33 when the angel Gabriel in telling Mary about the birth of Jesus, he says, “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

This is why Christmas hymns are bursting with Christological royalty language. “Hark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King… He rules the world with truth and grace… Born Thy people to deliver, born a child and yet a King… With the angels let us sing, “Alleluia” to our King… Glorious now behold Him arise; King and God and sacrifice.” You get the idea.

Skin in the game

One might ask, “Why couldn’t God just forgive our sins in some other way? Couldn’t He have just signed some cosmic cheque to pay for our transgressions?” In order to represent humans before God the Father, and in order to accomplish obedience as a human on behalf of humans, the Son of God had to have been born as a human. The Incarnation was necessary for Jesus to pay for our sins.

The Incarnation was also necessary for us to finally see God and know God and worship God in Spirit and truth. “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… For from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God (the Son), who is at the Father's side, He (the Son) has made Him (the Father) known.” – John 1:14, 16-18

As people made in God’s image, the reality of incarnational life and ministry is not optional – it’s necessary. We can’t do Zoom church. We can’t hug brothers in Christ digitally. We can’t care for the sick and lonely by sending them a text. This is one of the reasons why pastors fought to keep their churches open and defy the lawless and unscientific mandates from the State, because loving God and loving others means we have to enter into their space, be near to them, and be for them the hands and feet of Christ in loving and selfless service.

Pro-choice is antichrist

John the Baptiser, who, while he was still pre-born, was just John, leapt for joy in his mother Elizabeth’s womb when Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Elizabeth’s sister, came for a visit. Here we see one very small human being, John, responding to another very small human being, Jesus, and the Scriptures ascribe to both them of them personhood and some level of interaction.

Now, suppose Mary, because she was still so young, decided she wasn’t ready to be a mother and wanted to avail herself of her reproductive rights. Such a thought is vile and detestable. Why? Because Jesus was born to live and die as our Saviour. Because killing Jesus would have been killing God in the flesh. Killing Jesus would have been killing a person prophesied about hundreds of years prior as the one who would serve as God’s anointed Servant.

Christmas reminds us that abortion is not about choice or rights, it is the intentional murder of an innocent pre-born child, and in a just society we would punish those who commit such atrocities – mothers, fathers, and doctors – with the sword that has been given to the State by God by way of the death penalty. Christmas reminds us that God places unfathomable value on human life, including human life at the very beginning of its growth and development.

False religions

Transianity (you can find a full workup here) is a false religion that distorts and attempts to redefine the truth and principles of Biblical Christianity. Christmas puts that grotesque mutation on full display. Christmas reminds us that the Word of God, the eternal Son of God, entered into space and time as a baby after having spoken the world into existence. Only God can create reality by speaking, and only God can alter the very fabric of the Universe by His own will. Transianity says that you can remake your identity and being, simply by believing it and speaking it into being. In Transianity, the individual becomes god and claims to have the power of speaking reality into existence.

Christmas also reminds us that God, who created human beings in His image, became one of His creations by being born as a human. In doing so, He not only relates to and associates with His creatures, He also reveals who He is and in doing so, is able to represent us and secure our salvation. In Transhumanism (the logical and godless consequence of Transianity), humans once again take on the role of god. This time, however, humans create technology and robotics (their creatures) and “enter in” and become one with their creation. And why would people do this? By becoming one with their creation, effectively forming cyborgs and androids, we can secure eternal life and transcend human limitations. What could be more everlasting than transferring your consciousness to a hard drive only to replicate on other organisms. Transhumanism mocks and distorts both the Incarnation and salvation.

Christmas reminds us that there is one God, and He alone creates out of nothing. He alone speaks reality into being. He alone can condescend from His throne in Heaven, take on the form of His creatures, and do so in order to provide them with eternal life. Christmas is a dagger in the heart of every false religion, however ancient they may be. For example, Allah didn’t die in the flesh to save His people, and Muhammed was just a man whose body is still buried in the earth. Christ alone is King, and the Triune God of the Scriptures is the True and Living God.

Joy to your home

Christmas time should be a joyful and resounding celebration in your homes and your churches. Your home should be filled with songs, reminders of the Incarnation, and all of the colours and smells that remind you what we celebrate and what this season is all about. Give lots of gifts, bake lots of cookies, drink lots of eggnog, and sing lots of Christmas hymns. It’s good and fitting to be serious about celebration.

But don’t forget to take regular and intentional time teaching your children why we do all of this. Explain the songs, traditions, and symbols. Spend time in Isaiah 7-9, Matthew 1-2, and Luke 1-2. Spend time worshipping Christ and thanking Him for the gift of His very life before you open any gifts on Christmas morning. Praise the Lord for sending His Son to be our representative and for revealing the Father to us flawlessly. Sing some songs exalting our Saviour who was a newborn King.

Merry and Blessed Christmas to you and your family!