Christmas is about salvation.
The Christmas story is about the birth of Christ, and it is truly only the beginning. God did not take the form of man simply to have a good story to tell, or a reason to celebrate. God was not trying to connect with His people by appearing in lesser form. The purpose of that first Christmas was for Christ to die on a cross.
Chapters 1 and 2 of Matthew, which tell the story of the birth of Jesus, would hold no hope for us without Chapters 27 and 28, which tell of His crucifixion, death, and resurrection. Luke Chapter 2 has no power over sin without Chapters 23 and 24. That babe born in a manger had to die on cross so that we may have life.
Maybe this isn't the uplifting Christmas story you want to hear, but there is no story, no truth more full of hope, joy, and love. The story of Christmas is the story of God giving us the gift of life through the death of His Son. If Christ were only born, that would not have been enough. He had to be born, live, and then give up His life to give us ours.
I want you to know this truth. To live, you must accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. You, like I, are a sinner. You cannot do anything about that. Even if you never sinned again (and we all will!), your sins have earned you death. Not the death of the body, but the death of the soul. Eternal death. Not annihilation, but eternal suffering and punishment in hell. That's not pretty. That's reality.
The Christmas story is about being saved from that. When we as Christians talk about salvation and being saved, we mean being saved from the punishment our sins deserve. The wages of sin is indeed death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23). God is offering you that gift.
All you have to do is accept it. Accept the truth that you are a sinner, that the cost of your sins is hell, and that you don't want that. Accept that the only way to be saved from what you deserve is through the gift of God--Jesus Christ. Believe that Jesus is God, that He died in your place so that God would forgive your sins through His blood. Talk to God, telling Him you believe this to be true, and accept it as true in your innermost being. That's called faith. That's called salvation.
Do this, and you accept the gift. The greatest gift ever known.
Christmas is about the gift of life. To us. From God.
Merry Christmas indeed!
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