Why Do We Celebrate Christmas?

Introduction

God is a just God. Justice requires punishment for crime

A few days spent making creation… a few thousand years working to restore the relationship between Him and mankind.

1. God always had a plan. From the very beginning He chose to send us a savior:

(Genesis 3:15) I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

The Prophet Isaiah predicted the coming messiah:

About 700 years prior to Jesus’ birth, Isaiah knew he was coming

(Isaiah 9:6) For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

(Isaiah 53:11) Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.

We are all sinners

(build on what we’ve done wrong)

- As sinners, we have violated God’s law

- God’s justice requires payment, punishment

- We are subject to HIS punishment… death

2. But, God wanted to restore the relationship between us and Him

He planned to send a savior from the fall of man

He promised to send a messiah to save man

Jesus was the fulfillment of that promise and the fulfillment of prophecy

Jesus gives us the opportunity to restore our relationship with God Almighty

3. God gave us the greatest Christmas gift in the birth of Jesus…. Grace

He came to bear our iniquities so that we could share in the gift of eternal life

Jesus came to save us, by giving of Himself

Conclusion

He came into the world to shed light in the darkness

- To show us the path we need to follow

- To show us the sin in the world we need to avoid

- To show us how to establish relationships

- To grant us the peace only God can provide

- To save us from ourselves and wash us clean of our sins