December 17: WHAT CHRISTMAS MEANS TO ME

What’s in a name? A poet once asked that question and observed that “a rose by any other name would be just as sweet”. But, from my perspective today, there is much meaning in a name. My personal testimony for Christmas concerns three names for Jesus in the New Testament. When Matthew wrote his Gospel Jerusalem was in ashes, Rome’s grip was tighter than ever, the church had been kicked out of the Temple, and the Pharisees were trying to rebuild Judaism around the Law.
CHRISTMAS MEANS CHRIST THE KING IS HERE. “Hark the Herald Angels sing, Glory to the newborn King”. “Joy to the world, the Lord has come.” The long-awaited King of Righteousness has arrived and all nations will be blessed through His reign.
CHRISTMAS MEANS EMMANUEL, GOD IS WITH US. This is the beginning of the new reality. He is not off somewhere in space, hiding from us or teasing us in our weakness. As the hymn writer said, “my Lord is near me all the time.” He is here to guide, inspire, enlighten, and pick us up when we are down. He is not an absentee God, He is here and He is not silent as Francis Schaeffer once said. We are saved from the loneliness and aloneness that haunts humanity.
CHRISTMAS MEANS THAT JESUS THE SAVIOR HAS COME. At His birth Jesus made a dramatic entry at a stable in Bethlehem. At His entry to Jerusalem on Passover, again he dramatically grabbed the headlines from a donkey’s back. Look at the Christmas carols we sing; they are all evangelistic songs to tell the good news. We are so familiar with the words that we do not pay attention to the radical message we repeat. A Savior has come! We tend to make them happy-happy songs. Even non-Christians who don’t have a clue as to the meaning sing them out with gusto.
The spiritual meaning of Christmas comes from the Names of Jesus in such passages as Matthew 1:18-25. Jesus, Our Savior, Our God, Our King is here! Rejoice with me today! I’d rather have Jesus for Christmas than anything.

“There is indeed something about your Name, Lord Jesus! Yes, we bow
to that Name today and will gladly bow on the day You return to earth. Amen”