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But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. – 1 Peter 3:15

Every belief, action, fact, event, spoken word, attitude, and outcome has one. There is a reason for all things. Some are known. Some are unknown. But there is a basis, cause, explanation or motive for why things are what they are. Christmastime and Christianity are based on this one: Jesus is the reason for the season and the reason for our hope. Not favorable conditions. Not an optimistic outlook. Not our resources or connections. Simply Jesus. Let us revere Him in our hearts! Here is our hope: Jesus came to liberate us from sin and its deadly consequences, and to lead us to life and its eternal pleasures. We can know that good things are in our future because of the good news of Jesus.

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. – John 1:14

When Jesus took on flesh to dwell among us, He didn’t insulate Himself from the ugliness, brokenness and sinfulness of this world. Life for Jesus on earth was filled with the same things we deal with: difficult people, difficult circumstances, difficult tasks and difficult experiences. What He did was suffer with us through His birth and life, and secure for us deliverance from suffering through His death and resurrection. Take heart today and trust in the One who understands, cares and helps you live with hope-filled endurance no matter what you come up against until He puts an eternal end to all your suffering. He doesn’t just know what you are going through. He didn’t just go through it too. He went through it for you.

And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. – Matthew 2:11

What does Jesus want for Christmas? It’s not our begrudging submission, reluctant giving, half-hearted worship, indifferent service, or lukewarm affection. These may be costly gifts, but they do not shine, and they are not sweet-smelling to our King. What Jesus wants for Christmas is for us to get what we want for Christmas: real and full and lasting joy. That comes from Him, and He is honored in us when we are happy in Him. That’s what the heart of worship is … a heart that values Jesus above everything else so that it can’t be fully happy with anything else. Therefore, let us seek Him more than all other things, for He will satisfy us more than all other things. Jesus doesn’t just want our treasure; He wants to be our treasure.

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. – Philippians 3:7,8

To receive the gift of God’s Son is to also get countless blessings and benefits from being in a relationship with Him. But let’s be clear about one thing: if you want what Jesus can do for your life but don’t want Jesus in your life, you won’t receive Him or His blessings. Listen… He’s not just useful, He’s beautiful. He’s not just resourceful, He’s delightful. He’s not just helpful, He’s wonderful. Don’t you see? Jesus doesn’t just give us gifts; He is the gift. Being together with Him is the most precious Gift He gives to us. And the more time we spend in His presence, the more beautiful, delightful and wonderful He gets to us.

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. – Galatians 2:20

Christmas is for stuck people. People who are stuck in the past with its haunting reminders of what they have done or what others have done to them. People who are stuck in the present with an endless cycle of never-quite-satisfied, almost-there searching. People who are stuck in fear of the future with its paralyzing grip that prevents them from doing meaningful things. Here is good news for us all: Jesus came to free stuck people like you and me. He came to free us from sin and its devasting effects by stripping it of its power so that we can live under grace. How do we move forward from our stuck position? We take a step of faith to follow Jesus today.

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. – John 1:12-13

What does it really mean for someone to receive a gift? It means that the gift has had its intended effect in the life of the one to whom it was given. The gift wasn’t ignored, but rather was… worn, admired, enjoyed, watched, sprayed on, driven, laughed at, listened to, eaten, put to work or played with. In a very real sense, an unused gift is an unreceived gift. That’s why some people become believers and some do not … they are either changed by what is offered to them in Jesus, or they live as if He isn’t even there. How can you and I know if we have received the gift of God’s Son? We do not ignore Jesus. Instead, we regularly-though-imperfectly look to Him do the good work of sanctifying and satisfying us as children of God.

Your sun shall no more go down, nor your moon withdraw itself; for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your days of mourning shall be ended. – Isaiah 60:19

Christmas is a broken string of lights for many of us. It’s there, but it doesn’t seem to do what it’s supposed to do. It’s bleak, not bright. It’s melancholy, not merry. This time of year is disappointing, discouraging and depressing for a lot of people for a lot of reasons. We’re a broken people in a broken world where there is much that is not as it ought to be. But there is hope for us, because Jesus came for the very reason so many struggle in this season … to fix what has been fractured in us and our world, in part now and in fullness when He comes again. As we await the future and full restoration of all things, let us turn to Him in our present darkness and ask Him to shine His everlasting light in our hearts.

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.” – Matthew 2:1-2

This time of year is not about me. And it’s not about you. Yet, it’s easy to make it about us, isn’t it? We can get caught up in what we enjoy about, what we receive because of, and what we get to do during Christmastime and spend very little time getting caught up with Christ. It’s the most wonderful time of the year not because of the festive music, favorite movies, familiar decorations or family traditions that can rightly be a part of our holiday experience; it’s a time of celebration and jubilation and exaltation of Jesus. This year, may everything that is wonderful about Christmas make us full of wonder about Christ.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. – Romans 15:13

It is easy to lose hope when we lose a loved one, lose a job, lose a battle, lose control, lose our health or lose our way, but there is a sure and steadfast hope that is ours when we need it most if we believe. This hope isn’t some self-created positive attitude that things will turn out the way you envision in your head; it is a Spirit-produced confidence in the faithfulness of Jesus to keep His promises that is settled in your heart. He has been with you all along. He is with you even now. He will be with you always. Your hope isn’t in your ability to figure out how to make it work out; your hope is confidence that He already has. And though things aren’t yet perfect, the day is coming when they will be.

We know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ … if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose. – Galatians 2:16a, 21b
God demands that we be perfect in order to go to heaven, declares that none of us are perfect and therefore are condemned to hell, and then delivers us by sending Jesus to take our imperfections and be our perfection so we can have everlasting life. Here’s what won’t get you into heaven: your effort at trying to be good enough. Here’s what will get you into heaven: Jesus. God didn’t lower His standards for us; He lowered His Son for us. And that changes everything for those who are trusting in Him! We were… Lost, but now found. Bankrupt, but now rich. Condemned, but now pardoned. Enslaved, but now free. Dead, but now alive. Our salvation and everything it includes comes not from the sweat of our brows, but because of the thorns on His.