The Heart of Christmas

Over the years people have become too familiar with the Christmas holiday with all the business of buying and selling, giving and receiving. This familiarity has caused many people to overlook and even miss the vital meaning of Christmas for this crazy mixed up world.

We sing our favorite Christmas hymns, but no longer know or understand the meaning behind them. We read the Christmas story but mistake it’s meaning from all the “made-for-TV” specials. I even think people have mistaken Charles Dickens’, “A Christmas Carol,” for the real story of Christmas, and the reason is because it gets a whole lot more air time in all its various forms than the real story of Jesus coming down from heaven to earth to be born in a manger.

And so, the story of Christmas is quickly losing its meaning, the very heart of why it is even celebrated, if it hasn’t already.

The fundamental message of Christmas isn’t peace on earth good will to men, but it’s that God sent forth His Son to take our place and die our death so that we can have peace with Him.

A pastor in California put a sign in front of his church that read, “Jesus is the reason for the season. Merry Christmas.”

One passerby took offence at this sign and called the church in protest saying, “I don’t think that church should try to drag religion into every holiday.”

(By the way, ‘holiday’ is the shortened version of ‘holy day.’)

The heart and meaning of Christmas may best be found in the following two verses.

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14)

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)