"What is the true meaning of Christmas?"


Every family has its own stories. These stories may become embellished over time, but they are part of our families’ history and help us discover our own identity. We tell these stories over and over at family gatherings, which helps us discover who we are as part of our family.

We Christians also have our stories that we tell often. Matthew and Luke tell us about the birth of Jesus. God became one of us on that first Christmas morning in a stable, not a palace, to teach us the true values of life. What is inside of us is more important than what is outside of us. Because of Jesus’ birth, we can have the divine life within us. We just need to take time and discover it.


The real Christmas story is the story of God's becoming a human being in the Person of Jesus Christ. Why did God do such a thing? Because He loves us! Why was Christmas necessary? Because we needed a Savior! Why does God love us so much? Because He is love itself (1 John 4:8). Why do we celebrate Christmas each year? Out of gratitude for what God did for us, we remember His birth by giving each other gifts, worshipping Him, and being especially conscious of the poor and less fortunate.

Jesus was born so one day the price could be paid for the things we have done that are wrong. The Bible says that all have sinned. We are all born with a sin nature. We do things that do not please God. Through the sins of Adam and Eve, we have all inherited that sin nature. We need to have that removed. The only way is through Jesus. Jesus came so He could die on the cross for ALL of our sins. If we believe that Jesus died for our sins, we can ask Him to come into our hearts and forgive us. Then, we are clean and made whole. We can know that heaven is a place where we can go to when this life is over.

    "But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong." I John 1:9

The true meaning of Christmas is love. God loved His own and provided a way—the only Way—for us to spend eternity with Him. He gave His only Son to take our punishment for our sins. He paid the price in full, and we are free from condemnation when we accept that free gift of love. "But God demonstrated His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
We can truly be happy at Christmas! No matter what may be happening, we can know that we are His children. We then become sons and daughters of God. Heaven will be our home one day.

Look at Christmas in a new way this year. This is the year to invite Jesus into your heart. You will then have a "Merry Christmas." The joy and peace you will receive will last all year as you look to God for all your needs to be met.

Merry Christmas!

Blessings,

Raj Kosaraju

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