Blessings and Seasons greetings.

It's late Christmas eve and all are asleep except me.  That is not because I am Santa Clause. I may be big enough and jolly enough for the suit but I assure I am too fond of my pillow to be zipping through the cold December air.  Besides I don't have much of a beard to keep my face warm.

Lately I have been thinking of past Christmases.  The ones from childhood. I went to a Church of Ireland school and each year there was a nativity play put on by the school in the Church that was on a hill behind it. For a couple of weeks we would practice lines and singing Carols. I remember the nerves and then the joy that it all went well. 

It all seemed to be the right way to celebrate the Birth of the Lord Jesus.

And then Santa came on Christmas morning and left us presents.  Made perfect sense to a child.

Well I know Santa doesn't exist and that Jesus wasn't born on December 25th.  That said, there was a day when he was born. A day when God the Son was a baby boy. This day was marked by a devine decree:

I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you."

Ps. 2:7 ESV

I am sure you will hear at some stage "Happy Birthday Baby Jesus" or "He's the reason for the season" or something like that. And maybe you have used these expressions yourself. The latter irritates me a little.  He didn't come so we could have a season of feasting and present exchanging.  In todays very secular world Santa is more the reason for Christmas than Christ is.

However I do believe his birth should be recognised and studied with child like faith and curiosity. His birth was very significant. He was born to die and rise from the grave victorious.

The writer of Hebrews puts it better than I can:

Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?

It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. It has been testified somewhere, “What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet.” 

Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying, “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.” And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again, “Behold, I and the children God has given me.” Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 

Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Heb. 2:1‭-‬18 ESV

Why was he born as a baby in Bethlehem? Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

The night of his birth was celebrated by the Angels:

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Luke 2:8‭-‬21

Now I don't about you, but given the nature of the Father's decree and the Angels declaration, I don't see where turkey or Christmas crackers fit into the story. But then again, my children will go mad opening presents. We will all tuck into Christmas Dinner and Pudding in the afternoon. As I am sure you will as well.  

Enjoy the festivities, and may God bless you as you remember Christ's first coming and look forward to his second:

“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” 

Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.

Revelation 22:12‭-‬14 NKJV