Why Christmas?

Why do we celebrate Christmas? Is it merely a pointer to Easter or does it have value? At Easter Jesus died on the cross and through his sacrifice reconciled us to God. Clearly this is vital, yet so is Jesus’ life on earth.

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. John 1:14

The Word became flesh – Jesus became a man. Through him we see what we are saved to become. In Jesus, we see the life of God. Jesus models for us the love of God, not in some idealised world, but in the harsh reality of growing up as the despised, apparently illegitimate, son of a carpenter living in the social backwater of an occupied land. We are presented with a disadvantaged person on the margins living life to the full.

Christmas exposes our excuses for inappropriate behaviour. Jesus was disadvantaged and lived a holy life. What is more, He came in weakness while we idolise strength. He came with humility and gentleness to a self-righteous society. In the example of Jesus we see how brokenness is overcome through the power of God. We encounter his power through the cross of Christ, yet without Jesus’ example we have little idea of how God wishes to use his power in our lives, the power to model that same life to a hostile world around us!