What is Christmas all about?

My name is Victor Ogbummor, I grew up in South Eastern part of Nigeria. Normally during the Christmas period we would travel home about twenty miles away from where I was born. A normal Christmas for us started with my mother going to the market to buy clothes and shoes for us, we called them ‘Christmas clothes’ and they were the best you can have. One way we knew that my mother was going to the market the following day is that before we went to bed that night she would measure our feet to be able to get our shoe sizes. Around 23rd or 24th December we would go home where we will meet other relatives; cousins, Aunts, Uncles. We enjoyed it so much because it was a time we had free time; you ate as much as you wanted with different choices of food, no homework that period, you got to meet cousins and play outside till you are tired.

Fast forward to 21st century with Victor in England with three children that will regard themselves as British, only know of Santa, Christmas presents, turkey on Christmas day, Christmas trees and at work we talk about Christmas dinner, secret Santa and so on. All these things I have mentioned are good. I love my childhood and I love all the preparations that go into getting ready for Christmas. But I have one question for you; are all these things I mentioned what Christmas is all about? Is Christmas a time for chocolate as one minister alluded to on my first Christmas carol service in the UK?

1. Christmas is all about Jesus

To find out what Christmas is all about, we need to rewind to the very start of human history. In the book of Genesis, we read the account of how God created the whole world and put man in the garden to tend the garden. But at some point Adam and Eve disobeyed God, by telling him that they knew better and they didn’t want him to be their God. That left them (and all human beings born after them) under the judgement of God, but God made promises to call a people back to himself. He promised us restoration through the Messiah, his chosen King, to restore things to order. Many books in the Old Testament prophesied about the coming of the Messiah. And that’s where Jesus comes in. He is the promised Messiah! Christmas is all about Jesus! So the Birth of Jesus Christ is not about exchanging gifts, it’s not about family time, it’s not a holiday time and it’s not just a mid-winter celebration. It’s a time when we are reminded of God’s faithfulness to his promises and time we celebrate the hope we have in Jesus Christ. So, Christmas is all about Jesus. But, so what?

2. Christmas is all about receiving Jesus

Let me read from John 1.10-12 about how people responded when Jesus came into the world.

He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.

Some rejected Jesus Christ as the Messiah. They would not receive him. In other gospels we learnt that Pharisees and Sadducees, Herod and many Teachers of the law rejected him but there’s a but. In John 1.12, John writes:

But to all who did receive him

The word all in John 1.12 means both Jews and Gentiles. Jesus was a Jew, but that invitation also extends to Gentiles that is to non-Jews who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. So what does it mean to receive him? This is like receiving Christmas present. You don’t need to do anything just receive it. To receive him is to acknowledge Jesus as the God’s Son, is to accept that you are not God by surrendering your life to him by accepting that you cannot save yourself from God’s judgement life. Adam and Eve in the garden thought they knew better than God and disobeyed him. Today many are doing the same rejecting him thinking that Christianity is outdated, archaic. That’s how we all think by nature. To receive here means to do the opposite of what Adam and Eve did: to receive is to trust in, rely upon, and conduct our lives according to what God is—what Jesus Christ is; he is Lord, he is Master, he is Saviour, he is Healer, he is Creator, he is Shepherd, he is Lawgiver. He is faithful to His promises.

But there is a promise that comes with receiving Jesus. The promise of the right to be become God’s children. John 1.12:

…He gave the right to become children of God.

I have been in the UK for 14 years now and in 2017 I gained my citizenship and that gave me right to qualify for almost anything in the UK like many of you. So by receiving Jesus your sins are forgiven, Paul said in Romans 8.1 there is therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. So no more condemnation. You are justified and adopted into the family of God and you have a hope which is eternal life.

May be you are still asking questions regarding the Christian faith. Can I ask you to consider receiving Jesus this Christmas? That will be the best Christmas gift you can receive. To those who did receive him are given the right to become the children of God. Also we have some courses about Christian faith and Hope Explored is starting January 2022 please check our church website for more information - JPC.org.uk

To recap, Jesus did come that first Christmas to restore our relationship with God by dying on the cross. And He will come again as we say in our Creed to judge the living and dead. And when He comes again he is not coming as a baby in manger but as a King and then we will face life or death depending on our decision either to receive Him or reject Him.