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How would you describe Christmas in a nutshell?
The most wonderful time of the year? Food, gifts, and family? Happiness and cheer?
One of the best ways to summarize Christmas is in John 1:14: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
Jesus’ birth was the equivalent of God putting skin on and moving into the neighborhood.
The Big Event
Theologians call this God-coming-to-earth event “the Incarnation.” The Bible reveals God as three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Incarnation refers to the second person of the Trinity (the Son) coming to earth as a human. We know Him as Jesus.
Jesus didn’t lose His divine status as God when He came to earth. Jesus is fully God and fully human (Colossians 2:9-10). He was born as a human, into a specific place and time in history, even though He’s existed for all time and lives for eternity. All the massive, powerful, divine nature of God can be clearly seen in Jesus.
The Big Mission
The Christmas story is a missionary story. Jesus came down from heaven to spend time and build relationships with everyday, ordinary sinners like us. Jesus is a missionary who moves into our lives and shares the truth and grace of God with us on a personal level. When Jesus moved into the neighborhood, He demonstrated His love toward us, even though we could never deserve it (Romans 5:8). When Jesus returned to His throne in heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to live in us and keep changing us.
Jesus’ birth was the equivalent of God putting skin on and moving into the neighborhood.
God’s mission is to bring more people into His church. Jesus invites us to be a part of this movement by helping people know God and take their next steps following Him (Matthew 28:18-20).
Our Big Responsibility
Everyone who has been changed by Jesus has become a missionary. Wherever we are, we’re on a mission to share the invitation to join Jesus' church. Our homes, workplaces, and neighborhoods are our mission fields. People need love. People need truth. People everywhere need to hear the good news that Jesus came to save us.
The Christmas season reminds us of the power of God’s love. So as we celebrate Jesus’ birth, let’s not forget to share His love with those who need it most.