The first purpose of Christmas is celebration! We learn this from the angel’s opening statement to the shepherds of Bethlehem. God had wonderful news for us that would cause us all to rejoice, celebrate, and throw a party: “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” Luke 2:10 (NIV)
The good news of Christmas is worth celebrating for three reasons. It is personal: “I bring YOU.” It is positive: “GOOD news of great joy.” And it is universal: “for ALL the people.” It doesn’t matter who you are, what you’ve done, where you’ve been, or where you’re headed — this news is for you.
A national magazine used to carry a feature called “News You Can Use.” I always read that section first. The angel brought us news we can use. It’s the best news in the world:
God loves you!
God is with you!
God is for you!
Christmas is a time to celebrate that God loves you!
The most famous statement in the Bible is Jesus’ explanation of why God sent him to earth: “God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
The entire reason for Christmas is the love of God. God loves you so much that he came to earth as a human so you could get to know him and learn to trust him and love him back. Theologians call this the Incarnation. God became one of us, a human being, so we could understand what he is really like.
God has given us, as human beings, the capacity to know him in ways animals can’t. He created us in his image, which includes the ability to enjoy a personal relationship with him. Then he took the initiative to send Jesus so we could understand his love and our need for him.
We’d love to introduce you to free gift of Jesus,
especially in this special season of Christmas.