A timeless message
BY JULIA HOSKING
This year has been filled with all sorts of challenges on both a widespread and personal level. The good news of Christmas is that, even when the world or our circumstances change, the message is timeless because Christmas is about the birth of Jesus, God’s Son, and how he came to give us love, hope and joy.
In a display of the importance of women, the angel Gabriel first appeared to a young woman named Mary. He told her that she was chosen to be the mother of Jesus – that is, she would give birth to the Son of God.
“Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favour with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus,” the angel said (Luke chapter 1, verses 30-31).
Mary had every reason to be afraid. She was unmarried but engaged to Joseph, and to be pregnant out of wedlock would have been scandalous, but the angel assured Mary of God’s love and his plans for her.
It is doubtful that all her family and friends believed her story, but thankfully Joseph did, as an angel had visited him too. Through all the challenges and difficult situations she would have faced from that moment on, Mary held onto the promises of God.
“No matter how hard or hopeless our situation may appear, God is there for us.”
When the time came for Mary to give birth to Jesus, she had to travel to Bethlehem for a census. The census meant the town was very busy, and no guest rooms were available for Mary and Joseph. So she gave birth in a stable or barn and laid Jesus down in a manger (an animal feeding trough).
There was no royal welcome in a palace for Jesus, the Son of God. Instead, on the night of his birth, he was sleeping rough. As he grew, Jesus experienced persecution, loneliness, grief, hunger, anger and more. He came into the world to experience life as a human – to live among people and understand their struggles.
Immanuel, which means “God with us” (Matthew chapter 1, verse 23), is another name for Jesus. His birth and life is a message of good news for us because it means we are never alone. No matter how hard or hopeless our situation may appear, God is there for us.
“You are loved, and you can feel hopeful and joyful.”
It is this message that gives us comfort and great joy to celebrate at Christmas. As the angel said to a group of shepherds on the night Jesus was born, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people” (Luke chapter 2, verse 10).
Celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ is more than a Christian holiday or a Christian festival. It is an opportunity to pause and give thanks for the love, hope and joy found in Jesus, our Saviour and friend. As we exchange gifts with loved ones, it is out of remembrance of the gift God gave us in Jesus – the gift that we are loved, are never alone and can have hope for the future.
Your Christmas this year might look different to previous years. It may not match up to the commercial images you see or hopes you have. But the true meaning of Christmas doesn’t depend on the number of gifts under a tree. The message of Christmas doesn’t change if you are surrounded by family, missing loved ones for the first time or on your own.
God’s love is for everyone. You are not alone. You are loved, and you can feel hopeful and joyful. That is the true meaning of Christmas.
Where in the Bible can I read the Christmas story? You can read the full Christmas message in the Bible, in Matthew chapters 1 and 2, and Luke chapters 1 and 2.
