At Christmas, the emphasis can often be narrowly focused on the arrival of the Messiah as the Savior of the world. This is undoubtedly true and a great reason to celebrate, but the arrival of the Messiah brought more than just salvation. When Jesus arrived on the scene, He came to fulfill all God promised to accomplish through the Messiah. That means when you celebrate the wonder of Christmas, you can celebrate because you are redeemed, forgiven, adopted and given an inheritance.
One of God’s promises in the Old Testament is that He would send the Messiah to those living in darkness. The world was in bondage to sin, and God’s people needed to be redeemed from the curse of the fall. The good news of Christmas tells us that Jesus came to redeem or “buy back” His people. In the Bible, the picture of redemption is one of freedom, joy, peace and restoration. It’s a great picture and one that helps us see Christmas in its fullest context. Redemption is part of the Christmas story, which also includes forgiveness.
We were not only living in darkness but also under the condemnation of a Holy God and subject to His just wrath. Another Old Testament prophecy about the Messiah tells us He will forgive His people for their sins. The fall into sin left everyone subject to God’s condemnation. When the Messiah came, He came to bring forgiveness. He does this by paying the penalty for our sins at the cross. This 1-time act satisfied God’s anger over corruption and bought forgiveness for many. Knowing God’s forgiveness is a great reason to celebrate Christmas.
The arrival of the Messiah is an excellent reminder that the God of the Bible is generous. Not only does He forgive you, but He also promises to adopt you through the work of the Messiah. It’s one thing to be forgiven. But God takes it to another level by making you part of His family. The arrival of the Messiah ushers us into a new era. No longer is the Lord seen simply as the God of a people. Now He is Father to His children. Becoming part of God’s family is a great thing to celebrate at Christmas.
Finally, since God has adopted us, making us part of His family, we are guaranteed an inheritance in His Kingdom. This inheritance is secure in Christ and kept spotless for us in heaven. The arrival of the Messiah at Christmas signals our new standing. This makes Christmas a great time to celebrate. You may not get every single gift on your wish list this year, but God has already given you more than you can imagine. May celebrating the gift of the Messiah cause each of us to experience the fullness of joy this Christmas.
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