Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
— Luke 2:11
PIESTANY, Slovakia, December 25, 2011 – Eagerly awaited and perennially popular, Christmas is the most widely celebrated holiday in the world. It is also one of the busiest as we face the challenge of organizing family gatherings and buying gifts for those we love.
Such can be the rush and bustle of the season that its real reason can easily elude. Some of us may well be surprised when reminded that Christmas is actually a birthday celebration.
The birthday we celebrate is that of a boy born in a small Judean town of Bethlehem two millennia ago. Even though he was born inconspicuously in a stranger's stable, he was no ordinary baby, for in him “the fullness of God dwelt.”
Few took notice of the boy's entrance into the world, but his short life impacted mankind's history more than any other. So much so that today we number years of our calendar from the putative year of his birth.
His influence may seem out of proportion to the impact he exerted during his lifetime. Having lived only some thirty six years, he never led armies or conquered new lands. For all we know, he never even wrote a letter.
Unlike other well known figures of history, he did not bask in earthly power and glory. Meek and gentle, this god-man came for the purpose of restoring fallen human beings to God. He did this by paying for our sins with his own blood.
His resurrection confirmed the success of his mission. The Bible tells us that “whoever believes in him shall not perish.” He indeed gave mankind the greatest gift conceivable – the gift of eternal life. That's why the remembrance of his birthday has been an occasion of joy throughout centuries.
Let us not forget the real reason for this festive season – the birthday of the Savior. There is no better way to remind ourselves of this than the original source. Below is the story of Jesus' birth as told in the Gospel of Luke.
NOTE: The excerpt below is taken from the Gospel of Luke 2:1-39. The text comes from the Bible in Basic English. This English translation is in the public domain in the United States. Slight adjustments have been made for readability.
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Now it came about in those days that an order went out from Caesar Augustus that there was to be a numbering of all the world. Everyone went to be numbered, each to his town. And Joseph went up from Galilee, out of the town of Nazareth, into Judaea, to Bethlehem, the town of David, because he was of the house and family of David. He went with Mary, his future wife, who was about to become a mother. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she had her first son. Having folded him in linen, she put him to rest in the place where the cattle had their food, because there was no room for them in the house.
And in the same country there were keepers of sheep in the fields, watching over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord came to them, and the glory of the Lord was shining round about them: and fear came on them. The angel said, “Have no fear; for truly, I give you good news of great joy which will be for all the people: For on this day, in the town of David, a Saviour has come to birth, who is Christ the Lord. And this is the sign to you: you will see a young child folded in linen, in the place where the cattle have their food.”
And suddenly there was with the angel a great band of spirits from heaven, giving praise to God, and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on the earth peace among men with whom he is well pleased.”
And when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the keepers of the sheep said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem, and see this thing which has come about, which the Lord has made clear to us.” And they came quickly, and saw Mary and Joseph, and the child in the place where the cattle had their food. And when they saw it, they gave them an account of the things which had been said to them about the child. And all those to whose ears it came were full of wonder at the things said by the keepers of the sheep. But Mary kept all these words in her heart, and gave much thought to them. Then the keepers of the sheep went back, giving glory and praise to God for all the things which had come to their ears and which they had seen, as it had been said to them.
And when, after eight days, the time came for his circumcision, he was named Jesus, the name which the angel had given to him before his birth. And when the necessary days for making them clean by the law of Moses had come to an end, they took him to Jerusalem to make an offering, as it is ordered in the law of the Lord, of two doves or other young birds.
And there was then in Jerusalem a man whose name was Simeon; he was an upright man, fearing God and waiting for the comfort of Israel: and the Holy Spirit was on him. He had knowledge, through the Holy Spirit, that he would not see death till he had seen the Lord's Christ. Full of the Spirit he came into the Temple; and when the father and mother came in with the child Jesus, to do with him what was ordered by the law, Simeon took him in his arms and gave praise to God and said, “Now you are letting your servant go in peace, O Lord, as you have said. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have made ready before the face of all nations; a light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”
And his father and mother were full of wonder at the things which were said about him. And Simeon gave them his blessing and said to Mary, his mother, “See, this child will be the cause of the downfall and the lifting up of great numbers of people in Israel, and he will be a sign against which hard words will be said so that the secret thoughts of men may come to light.”
And there was one, Anna, a woman prophet, the daughter of Phanuel, of the family of Asher. She she was very old, and after seven years of married life she had been a widow for eighty-four years. She was in the Temple at all times, worshipping with prayers and going without food, night and day. And coming up at that time, she gave praise to God, talking of him to all those who were waiting for the freeing of Jerusalem.
And when they had done all the things which were ordered by the law of the Lord, they went back to Galilee, to Nazareth, the town where they were living. And the child became tall and strong and full of wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.
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Born and raised under communism, Vasko Kohlmayer is a naturalized American citizen. He has lived in several countries under various forms of government, but he still marvels at the goodness of God and the wonder of life.
He has written for a number of newspapers, magazines and internet journals. Vasko currently lives in Europe with his long-suffering wife and two beautiful daughters. He is the founder of The Christian Writers Foundation.
His column "Higher Things" deals with matters pertaining to God. You can read more by clicking on this link.
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