"There is born unto you, this day, a Savior..."

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is watching “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”  I enjoy the overall message of the program.  As you’ll recall, Charlie Brown is depressed at how Christmas has become too commercial.  He wants to feel an inner joy and happiness, but he doesn’t.  Finally, fresh off the disappointment of picking out the worst Christmas tree on the lot, he says, “I guess I just don’t know what Christmas is all about.”  He cries out in desperation, “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?”  His friend, Linus, steps up.  “Sure, Charlie Brown,” he says.  “I can tell you what Christmas is all about.”  Linus goes on to quote Luke 2:8-14 from memory.

 

Linus’ monologue encourages Charlie Brown.  He realizes that there is more to Christmas than all the commercialism.  Linus is right: there is more to Christmas than all the external stuff that has been attached to it.  If Christmas consists of just purchasing the most presents or having the best Christmas lights on the block, there’s good reason to be depressed like Charlie Brown was.   That kind of Christmas is not enough.  Real Christmas is achieved by focusing on Jesus; who He is, and all He has done for us.  Who is He?  What has He done for us?  The answer is found in Linus’ Scripture reading.  Notice Luke 2:11; it says, “For there is born to you this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (NKJV; italics mine).

You may be thinking, “Why does the Bible say that Jesus is a Savior?  What does that mean?  What does Jesus save us from?”  Well, I’m so glad you asked.  In Matthew 1 we read the account of how Joseph discovered that Mary, his betrothed, was pregnant.  You remember the story.  Joseph intended to merely divorce her quietly, but an angel tells Joseph, “don’t be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit” (verse 20).  Then the angel makes this statement in verse 21: “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins” (italics added for emphasis).  Jesus came to be the Savior of the world.  He came to save people from their sins.

In John 3, Jesus says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.  For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (verses 16-17).  God knew that the world needed a Savior.  So He became a man, Jesus, God incarnate.  Jesus took the penalty of our sins on Himself when He died on the cross.  He resurrected from death on the third day.  All that remains now is our response to what Jesus did.  We have to choose to put our faith and trust in Christ.  The Biblical word is to believe.  Acts 16:31 says, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.”  Have you?

Kevin