“The central miracle asserted by Christians is the Incarnation.” C. S. Lewis, Miracles
On Christmas, we celebrate the Incarnation—God becoming flesh. “Every other miracle prepares for this. … it was the central event in the history of the Earth—the very thing the whole story has been about” (Lewis, Miracles). That’s really profound, if you think about it. Consider the history of the world and the history of the nations, and then consider that the whole story is wrapped up in this one event, this one happening so many centuries ago.
The Gift
Listen in to what the angel said to Joseph. “That which is conceived in [Mary] is of the Holy Spirit. And she shall bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:20–21).
Within these verses, we see how essential the teaching of the incarnation is to the Christian faith. God the Son became a man for one primary purpose—He came to die. Jesus did not descend from His heavenly throne to show us how to live or even to teach us truth. No, He took upon Himself flesh and blood that “through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Hebrews 2:14). The name of Jesus is specific because it describes His objective. When we say His name, we are really proclaiming, “the Lord is the Savior.”
The Giver
We’ve looked in part at the Gift, now let’s look at the Giver. Christmas is summed up in the words of Jesus found in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son.” The Giver in all of this is God the Father. First Timothy 6:17 says He gives us richly all things to enjoy, and He gave us the ultimate gift in the giving of His Son. We also see His motive in John 3:16: “For God so loved …” This gift is truly beyond comprehension. “His one and only Son,” matchless, unique, incomparable, and this is what God gave because He loves us.
Everlasting Life
God gave His Son that “whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Everlasting life is not just life that goes on endlessly, although that is part of it. This phrase refers to a quality of life that is unattainable through any other means, a life that cannot be found anywhere else. The incarnation was God breaking in from the outside and bringing deliverance. He is offering you something that you will never attain on your own. Jesus described this gift as abundant life, and this life is only available through Him.
Herein lies the personal aspect of the Christmas message, and if you miss this, you miss everything. When it’s all said and done, only one thing matters. Have you received God’s greatest gift? If you haven’t, don’t wait another moment. Accept Christ today and begin to truly celebrate, knowing that eternal life is yours both now and forever.
I want to invite you to Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa for all of our Christmas services. On Sunday, December 24, we will be meeting at 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., and 6:00 p.m. Please join us in person or live.cccm.com as together we rejoice in God our Savior!
Merry Christmas