The Meaning of Christmas

Reconciliation – The True Meaning of Christmas

Matthew 1:23 – Behold, the virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel—which, when translated, means, God with us.

His name is the purpose of salvation – God is now with us.

The reason Jesus was born was the reconciliation of mankind.  He came to remove the barrier of sin that was between us and God.  We have been brought near to God what Jesus did.  We are welcome to come through Jesus right into the very presence of God, the Creator of the Universe, Himself.

There is no greater treasure that the truth that each of us can have a personal and intimate relationship with God, the Creator of all, through what Jesus did.  All we need do is receive it.

Many preach that sin is still the issue; that we are still separated from God. But the Bible teaches that Jesus was manifested to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself; He entered the Holy Place ONCE FOR ALL – and in that one act He obtained eternal redemption for whosoever will receive.

Hebrews 9:26 – …Once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away and abolish sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

Hebrews 9:12 – …Through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.

God is not out to condemn and judge the world for sin; He sent Jesus to SAVE the world.  Jesus didn’t come to condemn THE WORLD; He came to save the world.

Luke 19:10 – …For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.

(MSG) – For the Son of Man came to find and restore the lost.

John 3:16-17 – For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

Here it is right here in a scripture most everyone knows, “He didn’t send the Son into the world to judge the world but that the world might be saved through Him.”

And again:

John 12:46-48 – I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.

Jesus was born on earth to reconcile mankind to Himself. He came to fulfill His Name – Emmanuel – God with us.

Hebrews 10:19-22 – Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

He has opened the way back to God.  He IS the way to God.  So let us draw near to God in full assurance of faith, knowing that we are welcome in His presence if we simply receive the sacrifice that Jesus made for us.

2 Corinthians 5:18-21 (Amplified Bible) – …God, through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself [received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself] and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation [that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him]. It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself, not counting up and holding against [men] their trespasses [but cancelling them], and committing to us the message of reconciliation (of the restoration to favor). So we are Christ’s ambassadors, God making His appeal as it were through us. We [as Christ’s personal representatives] beg you for His sake to lay hold of the divine favor [now offered you] and be reconciled to God. For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness].

Look at some of the wonderful things accomplished in the coming of Christ.

• Through Christ He reconciled us to Himself.
• He brought us into favor with God.
• He brought us into harmony with Himself.
• It was God personally present in Christ reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.
• He is not counting up and holding against the world their sin.
• He has cancelled the sin that was against us.

This is how God feels about the world.  He loved us so much that He gave His all that we might be restored to fellowship to Him.  He gave His best, not condemning us but loving and accepting us.

As an ambassador of God, as Christ’s personal representative, I beg of you today for His sake (because He loves you so much) to lay hold of the divine favor now offered to you and be reconciled to God.  Let God fulfill to you the true meaning of Christmas and become your Emmanuel (God with you, always with you to help you, support you and love you.)