Merry Christmas, PUYB listeners! Thanks for tuning in! Hope everyone is having a wonderful time of rest and rejoicing.

I love this time of year. I love the season, the lights, the decorations, the gathering of friends and family. All the chaos then culminating on Dec 25th, the day the world has chosen to celebrate the birth of Christ.

I’ve often had push back on this from fellow believers. Genuine people who don’t care for the extravagancies of the season. Their main point is that the very first Christmas was no celebration at all but a humble arrival in a stable. I agree. But the Bible does give us some additional details. Matt 2 v 9,10 reveal that the heavens was lit up with the brightest star yet. So bright was the light that it caught the attention of foreign star-gazers who ensued on a 2 yr journey, bearing gifts for a child. A fearsome choir, like no other, a host of angels, appear to local shepherds on Christmas night, singing a new song, declaring the glory of God and peace among the chosen. Their announcement urged the shepherds to gather together to witness the new born King. An event that turned them into the very first evangelists of the good news – the Messiah had come (Luke 2 v 15-18). The very first Christmas was indeed a celebration – lights, songs, gifts, and gathering.

Our desire to imitate this heavenly show will always fall short, but I enjoy it. Nevertheless, I respect the word of caution from those who are less inclined to the festivities. I realize my propensity to get carried away by the busyness and the celebration and I must be intentional in keeping the main thing the main thing. Christmas must remain about declaring to our hearts first and then to the ends of the earth, the good news – Immanuel -God is with Us. (Matt 1v 22).

Christmas time is the perfect season to meditate on these thoughts. Jesus came. The treasure of heaven came to earth. Incarnation can be an often overlooked matter. We say Jesus came, a Savior was born, Christ with us, as if it were not worth every breath we take.

The Bible says in Philippians 2 v 5-8, that “…though in the form of God, He 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. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Why? Why did Jesus come? Why did He humble himself to the point of death? Why didn’t He hold on to His divinity? While our LED Christmas trees and seasonal radio stations celebrate this festive season, Let us focus on the real reason for the season. It truly is worth all our thoughts, all our attention, all our time, all our hearts, and all the study. I hope to share with you today a few verses that will give us a starting point for this most necessary meditation – Why did Jesus come to earth?

Let’s start with my favorite verse in the Bible, one that we all know. John 3 v 16

“For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in him, shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world but that the world might be saved through Him.”

Romans 3 v 25,26 give us a more detailed explanation of this gift.

“God put Christ foreword as a propitiation by His blood to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.”

In one of the very first episodes of PUYB, we talked about how God is equally just, merciful and gracious. Historically, God’s righteousness took the form of the law. Our adherence to the law was our propitiation act. Propitiation means something we do to please God. But now, Paul says, with the coming of Christ, propitiation is not about us doing, rather us accepting what He has done for us.

This is the very first reason for this season- the Father loved us and He gave His Son.

Jesus says in John 8 v 42

“…I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord but He sent me.”

The fact that we have a Savior to rescue us from our sins and bestow upon us eternal life, was an act of surrender on the part of Jesus. Jesus came in obedience to His Father.

We get further insight into this heart, when Jesus says to the Father in John 17 v 4 “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work you gave me to do.”

The motivation and purpose to Jesus’ obedience was to glorify His Father in heaven. He testifies to this multiple times in Scripture. The second reason we celebrate Christmas is because, Jesus obeyed and glorified His Father.

Reason # 3: Jesus came that the Holy Spirit should testify of this act for the salvation of the lost and the sanctification of the saints. In the verses below, the Holy Spirit reveals to Peter, John and Paul, the purpose that was accomplished through the Father’s gift and the Son’s obedience.

Mark 10 v 45: “For even the Son of Man came not to be served by to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many”

1 John 3 v 8: “The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil”

Hebrews 2 v 14 “Since the children share in flesh and blood, He himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.”

The Holy spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. Romans 8 v 16

So, here it is. three things we can be meditating on this Christmas eve.

1. Jesus came because the Father loved us and give for us.
2. Jesus came to obey and glorify His Father
3. Jesus came so that the Holy Spirit could testify and sanctify

Yes, what we celebrate this season is the most amazing grace in the saving act of a triune God. I hope you take the time this season to read these few verses I pointed out today and celebrate the real reason for the season.

I’ve had the most wonderful first year of the PUYB podcast with you listeners. We have come to the one year mark. Thank you so much for tuning in and supporting us. Please don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast and follow us on Instagram. Remember you can contact us at cynthia@pickupyourbible.com.

We will meet again, God willing, in 2022. Merry Christmas and God bless you.