Luke 2:10-11

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

The Christmas story is rich with meaning. There are so many historical, geographical, and theological ideas to study and discuss. Today, I want to help us focus in on three simple and basic ideas that permeate the Christmas story. First, the Christmas story is personal. The message of the angel to the shepherds was, “unto you”. This means that Christmas is for the outsider, the person who has messed up, the person who has questions, the person who is walking away and everyone in between. Second, the angel references the City of David which is a reference to God keeping His promises. Seven hundred years before the birth of Jesus through Isaiah, God promised a savior. Now, one simple ordinary night God stepped into history fulfilling this promise and many others. Finally, God knows what we need. God could have removed temptation. He could have shielded us, but he chose to provide what we need most, a Savior. One who would deliver us from our sins, John the Baptist declared, “behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Christmas in a nutshell is personal, a fulfillment of promises of God and exactly what we need.

Merry Christmas.