The Essence Of Christmas

“The Essence Of Christmas”

John 3:16-21

David P. Nolte

There are many things we enjoy about Christmas. Family gatherings; decorations; hot cider; peppermint; giving gifts; peppermint; carols; peppermint. But the tree and trimmings, food and festivities are not the essence of Christmas.

The world has so commercialized and secularized Christmas that it behooves us to come back to the basics and appreciate anew the essence of Christmas.

John’s record gives us some insights: “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life. 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. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God." John 3:14-21 (NASB).

Those verses sum it up nicely. Let’s consider what is at the essence of Christmas:

I. THE ESSENCE OF CHRISTMAS IS LOVE:

A. “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

1. Who did God love?

a. The world – not the globe or the culture but the people!

b. Sinners and rebels and criminals.

c. John affirms that in his first letter: “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.” 1 John 2:1-2 (NASB).

2. How did He love?

a. Enough to give His Son! That’s profound, and humanly speaking, incredible!

b. There is nothing on the face of the earth, there is no one ever to live, there is no cause so great for which I would give my children!

B. We use the word “love” in pretty shallow ways:

1. “I love Snickers bars; I love going to the coast; I love Christmas Carols.”

2. That kind of love is not a faint shadow of His love for us!

C. There are 4 kinds of love, only two of which appear in Scriptures:

1. There is Storge which is parental love but is not used in the Bible.

2. There is Eros which is erotic, sensual love, also not in the Bible.

3. There is Phile, brotherly love which is a warm emotion, which does appear in Scripture.

4. The highest degree of love is Agape, which is intelligent good will not based on feeling or merit but on the basis of determined benevolence to the beloved. This is the kind of love God is and the kind of love that sent Jesus into the world.

D. The song by David Ingles said,

“Sweetest story ever told: God loves you.

The brightest prospect to behold: God loves you.

Though your way be dark as night,

He will be your Guiding Light.

In His arms He’ll hold you tight:

God loves you.”

E. John Todd was born in Vermont in 1801. Before John was six years old he was orphaned. He, his brothers, and sisters were parceled out among the relatives. John was assigned to an aunt who became father and mother to the homeless lad and saw him through Yale and into his chosen profession.

The aunt was taken seriously ill and was afraid and uncertain about the future. In her anxiety she wrote John. Since he could not be at her bedside at the moment, he wrote her this letter:

"It is now nearly thirty-five years since I, a little boy of six, was left quite alone in the world.... I have never forgotten the day when I made the long journey to your house in North Killingsworth. I still recall my disappointment when instead of coming for me yourself you sent your hired man Caesar to fetch me. And I can still remember my tears and anxiety, as perched on your horse and clinging tightly to Caesar, I started out for my new home. As we rode along, I became more and more afraid and finally said anxiously to Caesar, ‘Do you think she will go to bed before we get there?' ‘Oh, no,' he answered reassuringly, ‘she'll sure stay up for you. When we get out of these here woods, you will see her candle shining in the window.'