The true meaning of Christmas is that God came near to us in Jesus. The Creator of the universe was born as a baby so he could rescue a broken world. The first people to respond to his birth show us what Christmas is all about: the wise men sought Jesus and gave him extravagant gifts, and the shepherds hurried to see him and then told everyone what they’d found. Christmas invites us to seek, worship, and share.
Christmas Is for Seekers
When you think of Christmas, you might picture lights, trees, family meals, and presents under the tree. Those can be wonderful traditions. But the first Christmas story features some surprising travelers who weren’t interested in decorations. They were looking for a king.
Matthew 2:1-2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
The wise men, or Magi, were likely scholars from the region of Persia or Babylon who studied the stars. They may have traveled hundreds of miles, possibly up to a thousand, over many weeks to find Jesus. They weren’t Jewish, and they weren’t part of the religious establishment. Their story shows that God’s invitation isn’t limited to “religious” people. Anyone who sincerely seeks him is welcome.
God made this promise long before the wise men set out on their journey.
Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
That’s good news for anyone who feels far from God. You don’t have to have it all together to come looking for Jesus. You just have to come.
Christmas Is About Worship
When the wise men finally found Jesus, they didn’t just snap a picture and head home. They were overwhelmed with joy, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures.
Matthew 2:10-11 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Christians have long seen meaning in these three gifts. Gold was a gift fit for a king, pointing to Jesus’ royalty. Frankincense was used in temple worship, pointing to his divinity. Myrrh was used in burial, pointing to his humanity and the death he would one day die for our sins. These were extravagant gifts, the best the wise men had to offer.
It’s easy to make Christmas all about the gifts we give each other. Those gifts can be a beautiful expression of love. But the deepest meaning of Christmas is that God gave us the greatest gift of all in Jesus. Our best response is to give him our worship, our devotion, and our whole lives.
Christmas Is Good News Worth Sharing
The other main characters in the Christmas story were shepherds. In that culture, shepherds were near the bottom of the social ladder. They were often viewed with suspicion, and their testimony wasn’t considered reliable. Yet these “nobodies” were the first to hear the announcement of Jesus’ birth.
Luke 2:8-11 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”
God intentionally chose ordinary, overlooked people to receive the most important announcement in history. The angel said the good news was “for all the people.” Nobody is too unimportant for God to love. And notice what the shepherds did after they saw Jesus. They spread the word about what they had been told, and everyone who heard it was amazed (Luke 2:17-18). Sharing Jesus was their natural response to the good news.
You don’t need a theology degree to tell people about Jesus. You just need to share what you’ve seen and experienced. Christmas is one of the easiest times of the year to invite a friend to church or simply tell your story. If you’ve never personally received the gift God offers in Jesus, Christmas is a perfect time to start. If you’d like to learn more about putting your faith in Jesus, check out How can I become a Christian?
Keeping Christmas About Jesus
Let’s be honest. The holiday season can get crowded with shopping, schedules, and stress. It’s easy to reach December 26 and realize you barely thought about Jesus at all. Keeping Christmas centered on him usually takes some intentional choices.
Read the Christmas story aloud with your family. Make room in your budget to give generously to someone in need. Pick one tradition that points directly to Jesus and protect it. Ask yourself the same questions the first Christmas raises: Am I seeking him? Am I giving him my best? Am I sharing the good news? For more on celebrating the season well, check out True Christmas.
The Takeaway
The true meaning of Christmas is that God came near in Jesus. Like the wise men, we’re invited to seek him and give him our very best. Like the shepherds, we’re invited to share the good news with everyone we know. This Christmas, make room to seek, worship, and share.
