It is Not Presents, it is the Present

Christmas is often a favorite time of year, especially for kids. There are parties and decorations and lots of presents. In fact, it sometimes seems like that is what Christmas is all about.

It’s not wrong to enjoy the secular side of this holiday. The only problem comes in when Christians don’t remember why there is one. That is something we have to change.

Right now, you would think the entire focus of the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is on gift purchases. Commercials show us all kinds of useful ideas, usually on the expensive side. Articles and news clips are available to tell us how to pick the right gift, how to avoid the wrong gift and which gifts are dangerous to children.

When this started, it wasn’t such a big deal. It was mostly a reminder of the real Gift we were given at Christmas. The items were small. In fact, a child might find just a pinch of sugar at the bottom of their stocking. That would be it.

The reason we celebrate is because of a promise God made to man. When Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden, God promised them that Eve would crush Satan’s head and he would bruise her heal. It was an inference that the time of separation from God was not permanent.

This promise was continued down through the ages. The prophets spoke of a coming Savior. Many details of His coming were written in the centuries before He was born. We were told He would be born of a virgin, that His family would have to flee to Egypt for a time and even where He was to be born. John the Baptist was another. He was the “Elijah” that would herald the coming of the Messiah.

Jesus is our greatest Christmas gift. Without Him, not only would there be no Christmas, there would be no hope of ending the separation between God and man. He bore our sins and suffered our pain. He was an innocent Man killed as the final sacrifice. By His death, our sins have been forgiven. By His resurrection, He has concurred death. That is why we celebrate.


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