Christmas: Why Does It Matter?

Advent is what Christians call the time surrounding the birth of Jesus. We light the candles on the Advent wreath each week at church as a celebration of Jesus coming into the world.

Why do we do that every year? We seek to remind ourselves of this: The most important event in world history is that Jesus Christ was born. We celebrate it every year to remind ourselves... this is what life is really about.

Then the next year: "This is what life is really about." And again the next year. Why? Because we lose focus in life pretty easily, and get selfish, and crabby. I know I do. I need these reminders each year, desperately.

That's why we set up our Christmas trees, that's why we set up lights on our houses, we set up nativity scenes because we remind ourselves this is what life is really about it's not about money it's not about power it's not about jobs it's not about insurance or fancy cars or nice houses it's about Jesus Christ and that he was born into the world and that he is God and He Loves Us.

I think it's just perfect that Christmas comes right in winter when it's cold and dreary out, snowy cold bitter, and growing up in Wisconsin it was very very cold and very bitter.

I remember waking up and going to work and getting in my car and it's just so cold it's like minus 20 degrees I'm like oh why am I awake this is terrible! It's so cold my arms and legs hurt as I get in the car. It was awful.

But it's the joy of Christmas that gives us hope even in the dark season of winter.

We consider this event that happened... that Jesus was born as a little baby 2,000 years ago in the Middle East in Israel. A nation that exists to this day, that's been in the news recently.

Jesus was born. We understand that Jesus was no mere human. Instead we understand that God decided to be born into the world to show us the way to heaven.

That's something we know as Christians in America. We just know that! It's been repeated so many times we know it by heart. But if you just stop and think about it...

God became a man... what! That's too much! Like for a Jew or a Muslim that would be scandalous, they would say, "no God's too holy he would never become a mere human!" That would be sacrilegious to those religions but in Christianity we serve a God who came as a human to get into the mess with u, to show us the way out. Our God came to be born as the Son of God to then die for our sins, to offer his life as a ransom sacrifice to cover our sins, so we can be made ready for heaven.

But what exactly is God saving us from? That is the question. I have on my car, on my license plate, I have a sign that says "Jesus Christ is the answer." Well, what's the problem?

The problem in Christianity is recognized as being within my own heart. The problem is me. I want to do great things, but, I have to ask myself constantly, "What causes me to do things that harm myself? Why do I make choices that end up causing problems in my life? Why did I drink so much for all those years? Why did I use drugs? Why did I chase after girls? Why did I do this, why did I do that, why did I lie? Why did I steal?

In Christianity, we admit: "Of myself I am not enough, I need a savior. I need Jesus to be my savior. I need him to guide my life and to make me right, to make me different than I used to be!"

That is the way out that Jesus came to provide, is that he would die for us. But also he would send the Holy Spirit to live within us. So, part of the package deal when you become a Christian, when you say, "Lord Jesus I want you to be my savior today!" Part of that deal, that arrangement, is first, your sins are forgiven because Jesus Paid It All! Two, you receive the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit is this companion who now lives inside of you and guides you through life.

So as I'm living my life, and going through my days I have the Holy Spirit living within me, guiding me: Here's what to do and what not to do. Here's my path for you, so that's all part of it, and that's the journey we're on now.