Advent Week 1: What is Christmas all about?

When people think about Christmas, they often imagine lights, music, Santa Claus, jingles, the Christmas tree, decorations, and gifts. But the real meaning of Christmas began long before the manger, the shepherds, or the star in the sky.

It began with a promise from God. A promise that He would send Someone to rescue humanity and restore what was broken. The prophet Isaiah prophesied, "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6) This child will one day be the greatest president, king, leader of all time. He does not give in to corruption through greed and bribery. He does not participate in favoritism. But why does humanity need a rescuer?

From the very beginning, the Bible explains that sin separated us from God. (Genesis 3) Humanity couldn’t fix the problem on its own. "There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death." (Proverbs 14:12) But God, full of mercy, promised that He would send a Savior. Someone who would bring us back to Him; restore the relationship that was severed through sin.

For centuries, God’s people waited for this promised One, often called the “Messiah” (Christ), which simply means “the Anointed One” or “the One God has chosen to save.” The prophets talked about Him long before He was born. To be referred to as Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace means this was not just any child, this was God Himself coming to be with us.

And that’s one of the most beautiful truths about Christmas: God did not stay distant. He was not too disgusted by humans to become one of us. He didn’t send an angel or a representative. God came Himself; personally, humbly, and gently, as a baby boy. He came in a way that every person could approach. He came not in power or wealth, but in humility, born in a small town called Bethlehem, just as God had promised. This way, the lowest of the low and the highest of the high in this world can come humbly before Him.

The reason God would go through this is explained in the Book of Hebrews chapter 4, verse 14 through 16:

"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."

The name given to Jesus, Emmanuel, means “God with us.” Christmas is about the moment God stepped into the human world to draw near to us. He has given the Holy Spirit to dwell within our bodies as a gift, free of charge. This way He can be will us, all of the time; seeing everything we see, hearing what we hear, and experiencing what we experience. He has always been omnipresent, but instead of being on the outside looking in, He is on the inside looking out with us. Not to condemn us, but to save us; not to disparage us, but to counsel us; not to turn His back on us, but to comfort us and bless us with peace daily. This is not to overwhelm us, but to invite us into a relationship with Him.

This first week of Advent reminds us that Christmas is not just a holiday; it is the Holy celebration of God keeping His promise. It is the story of hope arriving, of God coming close, and the beginning of the rescue plan that would change the world and our lives forever.