The point of Christmas, what is it? Oftentimes I catch myself thinking of food, travel, family,the latest video game, the latest firearm that I wish to add to my collection. Sadly, the radical nature of the incarnation is something that hardly comes to mind. Roughly 2000 years ago, our King stepped down from the throne to be born in a stable under conditions that most medical doctors would find deplorable today. He came to do the will of the Father, to provide a way of salvation for his people. He came in human form, suffered hunger, temptation, and all things human when he could have easily just left sinful humanity to its well-deserved fate. Sometimes, we forget this is the whole point of Christmas. With the coming of Jesus, the kingdom had come to Earth and a cross was waiting for our Savior. He came to die and make atonement for our sins. Can I pose a simple question at this moment? What kind of God sends his beloved Son into an animal shelter to one day die a gruesome death for a bunch of people that absolutely hated him? I'm afraid the only answer that I can give is He is the type of God that loves his people in a way that we cannot fully fathom. That, God's undeserving and reason-baffling love, is the point of Christmas. During this season, I must admit that my thoughts turn strongly to my own earthly father and how much I miss him. However, it is because of the great love of my heavenly Father that I can trust and hope to see my Father again. During this Christmas season, after reading about the birth of Christ in Matthew or Luke, perhaps we should read that latter half of John and remind ourselves that the incarnation looks forward to the cross. What was the baby in the manger would die like a criminal, but even worse than that, would die with the Father's wrath resting on him because he took up our sin. Thank God that he did, and realize when we tell people Merry Christmas, we are really telling them to celebrate the birth of a man that came to die to save a people so depraved that they cannot even seek after God. So, in taking my own advice, Merry Christmas!
