The messages of Christmas

Whatever contemporary fads are about the meaning of Christmas, the best source to look for what Christmas should mean to us is God.  He actually sent the message He had for His children on the first Christmas night.

When Christ was born, angels came from Heaven with three messages for man, and these messages define what Christmas means.

1. "Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy."  Christmas is designed to celebrate the birth of the Savior, and should be a time of "great joy."  Regardless of what trials or unhappy situations we may find ourselves with more broadly, Christmas gives us reason to celebrate and be happy.  Why?  That's the second message.
2. "For unto you is born this day...a Savior, which is Christ the Lord."  Savior is the key word here.  Our salvation was born on this day.  That's a reason to celebrate, and also a reason to worship.  It's appropriate that Christmas is on Sunday this year, the day set aside to worship.  Christmas is a day to thank God for the gift of Salvation.  It's a day to reconcile ourselves to God.
3. Then the big choir of angels sings out, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."  Since I covered worship in point two, here the message is one of peace and good will for our fellow man.  Christmas is a time for forgiveness--a time to reconcile ourselves with our fellow man, and bring peace and good will into our lives.

Herald angels singing.

Merry Christmas.