WILLIAM KILLIAN

There are people today who plan to celebrate Christmas without any understanding of the events surrounding the holiday. There are those who have heard that Christ’s birth is the “reason for the season,” but lack understanding of its importance. Without the birth of the Christ child, Christmas has no meaning.

The Christmas story tells of God becoming an infant. The baby born to Mary was the Son of God who took on human flesh. This reality becomes even more remarkable when we learn the Bible predicted this birth more than 700 years before it occurred through the prophet Isaiah.

During Isaiah’s time, King Ahaz ruled Judah while facing military threats. God sent Isaiah to comfort the king and invited him to ask for any sign as proof of divine protection. When Ahaz refused using pious-sounding language, Isaiah delivered this prophecy: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel.” Matthew’s Gospel confirms this prophecy refers to Jesus, explaining that Emmanuel means God with us. Let’s look at three things this says about Christ’s birth.

First, Jesus was born as a real human to a real virgin. Though supernaturally conceived, He experienced normal childbirth. Jesus became human because our Saviour had to be a man. Since Adam’s first sin, humanity has needed a saviour because sin separates us from God. We cannot meet God’s requirements on our own. Jesus shared in our flesh and blood to make payment for human sin. Because He was born of a virgin, He did not inherit our sin or guilt, qualifying Him to represent His people. His life and death were not for Himself but for us.

Second, Jesus was born as true God. The virgin would call His name Emmanuel, meaning God with us. Isaiah also prophesied the child would be called “Mighty God.” This belief that Jesus Christ is God in flesh forms a foundation of Christianity. God became man. The divine Son became a helpless human baby. This was no illusion. The more you consider it, the more remarkable it becomes.

Third, Jesus was born as God with us. Throughout the Old Testament, God was with His people. But through Christ’s birth, God is with His people in an unprecedented way. The birth of Jesus is the birth of God in flesh with us forever. Jesus entered our experience by becoming one of us. He experienced hunger, pain, joy, heartache, and temptation. As God in flesh, Jesus brought God fully into our experience.

Hebrews declares, “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet without sin.” Put your faith in the Son of God who became a man, and God will be with you and for you.

We should be encouraged by Christ’s gentleness. He came as a helpless baby with humility so we might be reconciled to God through Him. If you have never trusted Christ, take God at His word and trust Christ as your Lord. God gave up His Son, who became one of us to live, die, and rise for us so He will forever be with us. In Jesus Christ, you have been rescued forever. God is with you forever.