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Many people celebrate Christmas without celebrating Christ. They love the gifts and the decorations and the food and the music and the sentiment and the gatherings and the movies, but they don’t love Jesus. Instead of spending the season adoring Him, they spend the season ignoring Him. That’s why we are sent on a mission to tell the world about Jesus, in hope that they will also see His beauty and majesty and generosity. We are to invite others into our joy and into our worship. Therefore, let us use every gift-exchange and gathering to point people to Jesus. O come let us adore Him. O come let us proclaim Him.

We try to ignore it. We try to downplay it. We try to run from it. We try to overcome it. But no matter what we do, we cannot change reality: this world is undeniably broken. What we see is the inevitable ruin that comes when we do what is right in our own eyes and do what feels good over what God says is good. We need… A Hero to save the day. A Liberator to set us free. A Healer to make us whole. A Satisfier to make us content. A Ruler to reign over us for good. A Savior to save us from our sins. Rejoice! Christmas announces that new life can be ours through faith. Jesus was born so we can be born again!

How freeing it is to embrace with confidence that God has allowed some things into our lives and other things to be missing from them for a reason that is good. Even if we have no idea what that reason is. Or how it can possibly be for good. God is always doing much more in, for, around and through those who trust Him. Mary trusted. Joseph trusted. We must trust that the unexpected, unexplainable things God has for us are unbelievably good. He knew what He was doing in their lives; He knows what He is doing in our lives. Christmas reminds us that faith in what God says turns our “how can this be” into “let it be.”

From heaven to earth. From a manger to a cross. From suffering to victory. Christmas begins an epic story of how far Jesus would travel, and how hard His journey would be, to bring us back into a loving relationship with our Heavenly Father. His story births our stories where every step is assured because of His faithfulness to do the Father’s will to get us safely home to be with Him, where praise and pleasure never end. Christmas reminds us Who Jesus is, why He came, and where He is taking those who trust Him. Jesus came from heaven to earth to make a way for sinners like you and me to go from earth to heaven.

Christmas is a declaration of war on everything that separates us from God and the life with Him that we were meant to enjoy now and forever. God sent Jesus to disarm and defeat sin, Satan and death so we can be forgiven and freed. Then, He equips us with the armor of God, the Word of God and the Spirit of God to empower us as we fight our battles against temptation, secure in the truth that Jesus has already secured our victory. Until Jesus comes again to give us final deliverance from it, we expect, endure, hate, expose, resist and overcome evil, but we do not give up in our fight against it.

Every belief, action, fact, event, spoken word, attitude and outcome has one. There is a reason for all things (a basis, cause, explanation or motive). 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.

When Jesus took on flesh to dwell among us, He didn’t insulate Himself from the ugliness, brokenness and sinfulness of this world. Life on earth for Jesus 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 the One who understands, cares and gives you hope. He doesn’t just know what you are going through. He didn’t just go through it too. He went through it for you.

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: full and lasting joy that comes from a heart that worships Him. He gets the honor He deserves and we get the happiness we desire. 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.

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 becomes to us.

Christmas is for stuck people. People who are stuck in the past with its haunting reminders of what they have done. People who are stuck in the present with an endless cycle of never-quite-satisfied searching for happiness. People who are stuck in fear of the future with its paralyzing grip that prevents them from doing meaningful things. But here is good news: Jesus came to free stuck people like you and me. He was born to die for our sin. He was born to bring us a better joy. He was born to secure our eternity. Praise Jesus! He has stripped sin of its power and clothed us in His perfection to the glory of His Name.