People have a lot of questions about Christmas. Is December 25th really the date of Jesus’ birth? How did Santa Claus, with his magical sled and flying reindeer become a part of our Christmas holiday? Why do some drop the name “Christ” out of Christmas and make it Xmas? (hint, x is the Greek letter which stands as an abbreviation for the Greek spelling of his name). Were there only three wisemen, or is that just a guess? Was the star in Bethlehem a real star, or was it a special phenomenon? …
I'm sure that we could think of many more questions about this unique virgin born child and the unusual, — no, the unparalleled circumstances that attended his coming into the world. But I think two questions bring us to the nub of the matter: “Who is he?” and “Why is he here?”
Joseph was Mary’s legal husband, but according to the custom of Jewish marriage, they were pledged to be married, but had not yet consummated the marriage. It was during this time that Joseph learns that Mary is pregnant, and he knows the baby is not his. Joseph has questions. And so Matthew’s Gospel tells us:
“But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins”
(Mt 1:20-21).
The message of the angel confirms to Joseph that the conception of the child in Mary was a miracle of the Holy Spirit which cleared Mary of any unfaithfulness, and confirmed that her love for Joseph was true. But it also confirmed the fact that God’s love for us is true.
Who is He? You shall call his name Jesus. He is the eternal Son of God conceived by the Holy Spirit who also becomes the son of David as Joseph and Mary’s son according to God’s covenant promise to the house of David.
Why is He here? He will save his people from their sins. As John Stott says so succinctly, “The hour for which he had come into the world was the hour in which he left it.” His perfect life and obedience was all preliminary and necessary for his qualification as our perfect substitute and in fulfillment of God’s required righteousness.
The angel adds a short commentary to show how the birth of Jesus as given in the Christmas story fulfills Scripture and accomplishes God’s redemptive purpose:
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel”(which means, God with us). Mt 1:22-23
Christmas is about God removing our sins so that he might be “with us”.
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Rom 8:31-32
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