What Is The True Meaning Of Christmas?

Estimated reading time: 12 minutes

Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones. It is that time of the year when so many preparations are done for this day. And whether you are one of those who go all out for Christmas or aren’t fazed by the festivities, I would like for us to take some time to reflect on the Christmas story and specifically on Luke 2:8-19. And we will use this scripture to understand the true meaning of Christmas. Oftentimes we focus on the immaterial things and forget the material things. Christmas is not just about the festivities, although that’s great. There is more to that.

Why?
God wants you to know He sees you.
Encompassing the true meaning of Christmas, God wants to bring light to your dark places.
God has something good to tell you today.
God brings good news in unexpected places and this is the meaning of Christmas.
Conclusion

That night, in a field near Bethlehem, there were shepherds watching over their flocks. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared in radiant splendor before them, lighting up the field with the blazing glory of God, and the shepherds were terrified! But the angel reassured them, saying, “Don’t be afraid. For I have come to bring you good news, the most joyous news the world has ever heard! And it is for everyone everywhere! For today in Bethlehem a rescuer was born for you. He is the Lord Yahweh, the Messiah. You will recognize him by this miracle sign: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a feeding trough!” Then all at once, a vast number of glorious angels appeared, the very armies of heaven!

And they all praised God, singing: “Glory to God in the highest realms of heaven! For there is peace and a good hope given to the sons of men.” When the choir of angels disappeared back to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go! Let’s hurry and find this Word that is born in Bethlehem and see for ourselves what the Lord has revealed to us.” So they ran into the village and found their way to Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in a feeding trough.

Everyone who heard the shepherds’ story was astonished by what they were told. But Mary treasured all these things in her heart and often pondered what they meant. The shepherds returned to their flock, ecstatic over what had happened. They praised God and glorified him for all they had heard and seen for themselves, just like the angel had said. Luke 2:8‭-‬16‭, ‬18‭-‬20 TPT

In this section of the scripture, the writer introduces us to the shepherds, the most overlooked people of their time. Not only were they overlooked, but they were also considered unclean, so probably most people did not want to associate with them. Do you feel overlooked? Have people abandoned you? Maybe your life does not look like what people expected of you and now they don’t want to associate with you. Is this you? The shepherds felt the same way, too. But God saw them.

The same people overlooked by others were the ones God revealed the good news message. Do you see how good God is? God did not go to the priests who in actuality would have been the ‘better choice’. Rather, God chose the shepherds. God also had the angels appear to them at night. The angels came with the news that Today the Saviour was born. They saw Jesus lying in the feeding trough.

Why?

God wants you to know He sees you.

God wanted them to know that He sees them. And this is the same thing God wants you to know today. He sees you. It does not matter how overlooked you feel today, God sees you and you are not invisible to Him. Maybe you feel like people don’t notice you. Maybe you feel misunderstood, abandoned, or lonely in this season. It’s true that Christmas is the most beautiful time of the year. And while most people feel so, maybe you don’t. But today I want you to know that God sees you. He knows you inside out.

Maybe this is one of the hardest times of the year and you probably just survive your way through it. Maybe your family does not get you. Or maybe you don’t even have a family, to begin with, and are lonely. Whatever your situation, God sees you. He knows you by name; HE knows where you are and delights in you. That He intricately formed you and wove you while you were in your mother’s womb is proof of the fact that He is very personal.

You’ve gone into my future to prepare the way, and in kindness you follow behind me, to spare me from the harm of my past. With your hand of love upon my life, you impart a blessing to me. You formed my innermost being, shaping my delicate inside and my intricate outside, and wove them all together in my mother’s womb. I thank you, God, for making me so mysteriously complex! Everything you do is marvelously breathtaking.

It simply amazes me to think about it! How thoroughly you know me, Lord! You even formed every bone in my body when you created me in the secret place, carefully, skillfully shaping me from nothing to something. You saw who you created me to be before I became me! Before I’d ever seen the light of day, the number of days you planned for me were already recorded in your book. Every single moment you are thinking of me! How precious and wonderful to consider that you cherish me constantly in your every thought! O God, your desires toward me are more than the grains of sand on every shore! When I awake each morning, you’re still with me. Psalms 139:5‭, ‬13‭-‬18 TPT

In the field, at night, God located the shepherds and He will do the same thing for you. He will chase you down where you are. So as we think about the true meaning of Christmas, we should include the fact that God sees you and me. This is what Christmas represents. When we were lost, God brought us back to Him, and this is through the birth of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Encompassing the true meaning of Christmas, God wants to bring light to your dark places.

While it was still dark, the angels appeared to the shepherds and shone their light on them. Does it look dark all around you? Do you feel hopeless? God wants to shine His light in those dark areas. The areas that are keeping you up at night. Maybe you are lonely, disappointed, hurt, betrayed, or experiencing losses. Whatever dark situation you are facing, God wants to bring light to those places. His light will bring forth joy, hope, peace, comfort, and healing. Will you be receptive enough to God’s light to shine in and through you? God wants to heal your disappointment and revive your hope.

God doesn’t want to meet you at your ‘priest’ moment. He wants to meet you in your ‘shepherd moment.’ He wants to redeem the shepherd moments. After all, Jesus came for the broken, sick, and those in need. He did not come for the whole. So why would you try to wear a mask before Him? Don’t you realize He wants to be with you during those times that you wouldn’t want other people to know? Be vulnerable and receptive to Jesus, interrupting your shepherd’s moment so that He can bring redemption. The true meaning of Christmas is that God brings light in those dark areas. God did not separate Himself from us, rather, He came forth and reconciled us to Him. Reconciliation and redemption are the true meaning of Christmas.

God has something good to tell you today.

In the same way, He sent the angels to deliver the good news of the birth of Jesus. He has angels ready to minister to you and give you good news, too. There is something special He wants to reveal to you where you are. This goes to show that God will not wait until you are perfect for Him to reveal Himself to you. He will not wait for you to feel worthy or pray more or whatever the case may be. He will meet you where you are. The news reached the shepherds while they were still in the field.

In the same place where their source of uncleanness came from, God met them. Can’t you see? God wants to redeem those dark and dirty places. Those places that you have hidden from others. The place where you feel the most unworthy is the place where God wants to reveal Himself to you and show you that He sees you. The shepherds were certainly not expecting it. And that’s the thing, in unexpected places God will reveal Himself to you.

When the angel appeared to the shepherds, he told them that Today a savior is born. Not tomorrow or next week, but today. The Saviour they had been waiting for centuries, if not a millennium, was finally here. Do you have dreams that you have been waiting for years? Are there breakthroughs that you have been contending about for years? God wants you to know that even today, it can happen. God wants to resurrect those dead areas in your life. He wants to bring hope to those dead areas. He wants you to start dreaming again. But the only way this will happen is when you take the time to listen to what He has to say today. The true meaning of Christmas is that God has good things to tell you today.

God brings good news in unexpected places and this is the meaning of Christmas.

The shepherds found Jesus in a feeding trough. That is the last place one would think to look for a baby. Could it be that God is telling us to look for the good in the lowliest and most unexpected places? Could it be that the very fulfillment of your promise will be found in the least expected places? In the mundane? Maybe you have been looking at the situation all wrong.

Will you dig a little deeper into those places that seem mundane, lowly, dirty, and hopeless? Maybe that’s where your good news is.

Staying in touch with God is the secret to finding the diamond in the dirt. The shepherds could not have found Jesus had the angels not given them the details. The same thing goes for you. You will not find your promise if you don’t listen to God. Stillness and quietness are what you will need to hear Him speak to you.

You might expect Him to speak in a thunderous voice. And while that can happen, often He will speak in a still small voice. Posture yourself to hear from Him. He does not have to speak while you are praying. He could speak to you while you are going around doing your daily chores. But as long as your heart is open, you will hear Him speak.

Don’t overlook the place you are in today. That is the very place where God will meet you today. He is not waiting for you to be perfect so that He can come forth and bring you hope. He is not waiting for you to get your act together so that He can move on your behalf. God wants to bring you good news today. And this my friend, is the meaning of Christmas. Bringing good news in unlikely places.

Conclusion

It is Christmas and while you might not be in a festive mood, will you allow the good news of Christmas to bring up hope inside you? Will you let this be proof that God will answer your prayers and that there will come a time when it will be a new fulfillment and not a futuristic fulfillment? And maybe instead of waiting to be perfect, so that you can fellowship with God, why not start today, right now? After all, you know that He sees you and He will come to where you are at.

That’s the very reason why Jesus came to the earth. He wanted to come to us so that through Him we can get to Our Heavenly Father. Come as you are and let Him work in and through you. Don’t be afraid to lie down in those ugly places at His feet. You do not gross God out. He loves you and sees the justified you.

You are a diamond in the rough and He is so in love with you as you are His child. Just look at the sacrifice that Jesus made. He left Heaven and His Godly nature to become a man. He left perfection to come to this imperfect world for you and me. Don’t you get it, You are not invisible. Allow this revelation to give you a fresh perspective on your identity and don’t let the enemy lie to you again that you are invisible because you are not.

Last, the answer to your prayer will come in the places you least expect. Look for the good in the simplest of places and let the joy of the Lord fill you up today. Merry Christmas! Take time today to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas.