We
probably all know the
story – the baby
Jesus is born in a stable
in Bethlehem; Mary and
Joseph, lay him in a manger;
a shining star guides
the shepherds and Kings
there; the angels sing
for joy; the baby is given
presents, and then it’s
all over until Jesus is
thirty something. But
is that it? What does
all this have to do with
office parties, Christmas
trees and tinsel? What’s
the point? What’s
the meaning?
“Christmas is about receiving and giving. I think I get far more out of giving pressies than getting them.”
“Christmas has nothing to do with Christ any more. It’s about what you want to get as presents and partying.”
“The Christmas story is just a legend really. It reminds us of the importance of family, but means nothing more, nothing less.”
“At this time of year, the stable scene reminds me that the important things in life can’t be bought.”
Christmas is a time for joy and celebration. It is good to go to parties and it is wonderful to receive presents. But the origins of this time of feasting and abundance are found in very humble surroundings – the birth of a child in abject poverty. To those looking in from the outside, this child and his family would have made a pathetic sight. So what’s all the fuss about?
Whether we believe Jesus was God or not, all of us can be the bearers of loving and life-giving gifts this Christmas. The most important things in life no cheque book can buy.
The origins of Christmas are found in a birthday celebration. Christians annually feast (quite literally) on December 25th to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, who they believe is the Son of God, God made man, God in the flesh. The word used to describe God being conceived as man is theINCARNATION.
Here are some accounts of the Christmas story.
“The birth of the baby Jesus stands as the most significant event in all history, because it has meant the pouring into a sick world of the healing medicine of love which has transformed all manner of hearts for almost two thousand years...
Underneath all the bulging bundles is this beating Christmas heart.” George Mathew Adams
"The birth of any baby brings joy and hope to everyone that is close to them. Jesus’ birth brought peace, joy, and love into the hearts of every person in a way that no one has ever done before. As God, Jesus is the source of all creation, life and light. His coming means that we could quite literally touch the source of life and love itself. It is because of that, that over a billion people believe he is a gift and treasure beyond price."
