Most people celebrate Christmas because it’s believed to be the day of Jesus’ birth. Our Lord and Savior came down here on earth as a baby that day. That’s a pretty significant universal event. But let’s take that a step further.
Why was Jesus born? Jesus was born as part of God’s master plan of redemption which he prophesied in Genesis 3:15. He would be the one to ultimately bring redemption for the sin of the world, reconciling all things unto Himself. His birth is the next step in that process. Not only that, but His birth is the incarnation of God Himself on earth in human form.
There are countless reasons why Jesus’ birth is so significant. I would really encourage you to keep reading on. You’ll come to know Jesus as much more than a historical figure.
Why Jesus Was Born
From the beginning of creation, God’s intent was always to have a relationship with us. When Adam and Eve chose to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, they were choosing to separate themselves from God. They chose to go their own way instead of trusting Him.
Consequently, the perfect and holy relationship mankind had with the Father was broken and that is when shame, fear, blame, sin, and other broken things entered humanity. This is known as the Fall.
But God, in His rich and merciful love had a plan, which he prophesied in Genesis 3:15.
I will put enmity between you and the woman,
Genesis 3:15 ESV
and between your offspring and her offspring;
he shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel.”
Jesus came to mend what was shattered from that dreadful day and to reconcile us into a right relationship with the Father, just as He’s always desired it to be.
The reasons for Jesus’ birth are listed below.
1. Jesus birth reveals God’s love for His people.
When you hear the word love, what is the first thing you think of? Is it romantic love between a man and woman? Is it when your family and friends throw you a surprise birthday party?
What about when your five-year-old little brother keeps hitting your seat, and then your older sister notices and enthusiastically gives him an action figure so you can focus on your work?
Is love when you come across the person who abused you as a child living homeless under a bridge and you reach out a kind and compassionate hand to them?
Love could be when you’ve just returned home recovering from a medical procedure and your Dad comes home from work surprising you with a giant stuffed animal in his hands.
Love might be when you know you’ve screwed up so badly so many times; you’ve hurt so many people when you’ve never meant to; you believe there’s no more hope for you, and yet when you lift up your eyes you find the one person you know you’ve hurt the most wraps their arms around you and say, “I forgive you.”
The Bible defines love in all of these things.
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
God is love. Jesus was born into the earth to show us, love. Before Jesus, we were lost sheep without a shepherd. He came so that we may know God and be one with the Father as Jesus and the Father are one.
2. God Lavishes His Grace
God is the Holy of Holies. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. God holds the whole world in His hands.
So someone as big as God would seem intimidating at first, right? When we compare His perfect holiness to our mess-ups and failures, we want to hide. Our first reaction is to run in shame for fear of our sins being exposed.
But God isn’t someone who is waiting to strike us because we don’t live up to His standard of perfection. He knows we can’t achieve holy perfection on our own, so He came to us in grace.
That Is why Jesus came. He came to lavish His grace upon His people.
A part of what it means to love is humility. God displayed the ultimate example of humility by taking on human flesh. He came to earth in the form of a human. He was fully man and fully God coming down low to us.
And He didn’t just come beginning as an adult. God came into the world as a human baby, born in a manger.
A manger is a trough or box in a barn in which cattle and horses feed from.
thefreedictionary.com
Let’s be real, a manger is not the most sanitary place for a new baby, nor is a barn full of animals.
Mary and Joseph did not have a midwife or the proper resources for a woman in labor that we have today. It was just them, and absolute obedience and trust in God. The people in Jesus’ day who were awaiting the coming Messiah most likely expected Him to come in royalty because of His position.
But Jesus was born in one of the lowest places, and now He is exalted above all else.
“Who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.”
Philippians 2:6-7 ESV
3. God Fulfilling His Prophecies
Humanity was stained in sin the minute Adam and Eve decided to eat the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.
Mankind’s salvation was solely dependent on Jesus’ birth.
God even prophesies in the Old Testament of His return and why He was going to return: to redeem people.
“For to us a child is born, to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Isaiah 9:6
This verse prophesies Jesus’ birth as a child unto the world. Isaiah also prophesied Jesus’ crucifixion on the cross and His resurrection.
The salvation from our sin and brokenness was completely reliant on Jesus coming to earth, living a perfect sinless life, dying, and then rising again for us.
In other words, the next phase of the redemption plan for mankind’s sins began with the coming of the Messiah – Jesus’ birth.
Romans 5 calls Jesus the second Adam.
Adam, the first man, brought sin into the world. Jesus, the second Adam, brought redemption, forgiveness, and hope for eternal life,
“For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.”
Romans 5:17
If it weren’t for Jesus coming, we would still be lost in darkness. We would live under the bondage of sin without hope for eternal life,
Jesus’ birth is a whole lot more than a Christmas story. His birth is what reveals the Father’s loving character to us, his love, humility, and compassionate grace.