What Is Christmas All About?

Did you know that the angel Gabriel visited Mary first and Joseph later? Did you know that when Gabriel showed up, he didn’t tell us that Christmas would be on December 25th? Did you know that Gabriel did not tell us that the baby would be born in Bethlehem, although that was the city in which the baby was born? The angel Gabriel did not tell us that there would be shepherds at the manger, although they did come and visit the baby. The angel Gabriel did not tell us that there would be a manger used as a bed for the baby nor did the angel Gabriel tell us that there would be Magi arriving two years later to worship and present gifts. We are not sure how many different kinds of gifts that there might have been in addition to the ones that are recorded in scripture. The angel Gabriel did not tell us about a holiday, snow, music or Christmas cards. The angel Gabriel did not talk about symbols such as trees.  

Some of you might be interested to learn that in the 1500s the Germans had a tree called the Paradise Tree that reminded them of Paradise and the promise in Genesis 3:15 of a coming virgin birth. Gabriel did not talk about symbols such as the candy cane. I found it interesting that there was a choirmaster in Germany who designed the first candy cane. The “J” stands for Jesus. The white stood for His holiness, His purity; and the red stripes stood for the lashes of the Roman soldiers inflicted upon Him that caused Him to bleed.

The angel did not tell us about the symbol that we call a crèche. Today we have crosses, fish and other artifacts that we use to remind us of what happened. We find those symbols in the catacombs in Rome where some early Christians hid. The angel Gabriel did not speak of feasts or parties, although it is possible that Mary and Joseph had a party after the baby was born. Why wouldn’t they celebrate the birth of their new born baby? The angel did not talk about all those things because that were not what Christmas is about. What Christmas is about is a gift—not wrapped in red and green bows and wrapped with holly-printed paper. Christmas is about a gift called the Son of God.

The Angel Gabriel Visits Mary

Our study is about the gift called the Son of God, and our text is Luke 1:26. In the very first verse we’re told,

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth . . . Luke 1:26 (NASB)

The first thing we are told in this passage is that this event occurred in the six month. You might wonder to what the six months refers? The answer is that Gabriel is referring to the six months that have elapsed since Mary’s cousin Elizabeth became pregnant. Verse 24 says,

After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying . . . Luke 1:24 (NASB)

Verse 24 tells us that Elizabeth had become pregnant and she was in seclusion for five months. Then in 26 we are told that it is the sixth month. So she has been pregnant for six months when we get to verse 26. The angel Gabriel appears four times in the pages of scripture. He appeared twice to Daniel, once to Zacharias and once to Mary.  

In verse 19 we learn that Gabriel stands in the presence of God. Verse 19 reads, 

And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. Luke 1:19 (NASB)

This angel is not an ordinary angel. I do not mean to demean angels, but what I am trying to emphasize is the fact that Gabriel is a significant angel among angels because he stands in the presence of God. He appears in verse 26 where we are told, “And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel, sent from God …”

Gabriel Visited Mary

In other words, God sent him to Mary. We are told that he went to a city named Nazareth, which is located in a region known today as Galilee. Why did he come? Verse 27 tells us why he came. We are told in verse 27 that he came to a virgin.

. . . to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary.  Luke 1:27 (NASB)

Now we are told a couple of things. In verse 27 we are told that there is a couple named Mary and Joseph. Luke 1 reveals that Mary is the first to receive a message from the angel. Next, we are told the angel visits the virgin Mary who is engaged to Joseph. You might ask, “Why is that significant?” The answer is that in the Greek, there are a couple of words that can be translated as “man.” One is anthropos, which just means “mankind.” The other Greek word is aner and that means “male.” In summary, we are told the angel comes to a virgin, Mary, engaged to a male, whose name was Joseph.

Mary Was a Virgin

Now the word “virgin” is parthenos in the Greek, and it means she was not yet married —very simple.  We are told that she is a virgin two times in this verse. See the first part of the verse? It says, “To a virgin engaged to a man” and in the last part of the verse, “And the virgin’s name was Mary.”

 We also have other facts that suggest that she has not yet had a child. But before we go too far, I want to discuss two important things. The first is that when we are told she is engaged to a male, it becomes clear that Mary is female. Scripture is speaking here of heterosexual marriage, as opposed to homosexual marriage. I just found it interesting that this verse reinforces the Biblical truth that marriage is between a man and a woman, between a male and a female. That is the context of this verse.  

We are also told that this couple is engaged—not like many people today. It is all too common when people ask to be married in churches these days that they claim to be Christians. They explain that they have been dating one another for a while, have decided to get married, and they have selected their pastor to marry them. Then after some questioning, the pastor often learns the couple has already had sex or physical relations. Rather than a virgin Christian woman walking down the aisle, all too often they have engaged in sexual relations or premarital sex.

But Mary and Joseph are different. They are engaged and have not had premarital relations. They are maintaining their purity. That’s what verse 27 is telling us. She is a virgin engaged to a male whose name is Joseph.  

Joseph Was a Descendant of David

Scripture now tells us that Joseph was a descendant of David. Why is that important? Because if you are a descendant of David, you are in the royal line of David. That means any male descendant of this couple is entitled to sit on the throne of David—especially if you’re the firstborn. This child will be a firstborn.

Also Luke 3:29 states that Mary is of the priestly lineage of Levi. Therefore, this child also has the right to be a priest! In the book of Hebrews, Jesus is described as our great High Priest. Therefore, right at the announcement by the angel, we discover that this child is entitled to be both a king and a priest. We will also find out in the pages of scripture that He’s a prophet and a Savior. Let us think about this: He is a prophet, He is a priest, He is the Savior, and He is a king.    

In summary and to review, the angel came to a virgin who is engaged to a male, whose name was Joseph, a descendant of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary.

Gabriel Visits Mary

Mary Is Highly Favored

Verse 28 says,

And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” Luke 1:28 (NASB)

When the angel says “favored one,” that phrase comes from the root Greek word charis. Charis just means “grace,” so in essence we could say, “Greetings, O Graced one, the Lord is with you!”

But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. Luke 1:29 (NASB)

The word “perplexed” in the Greek is interesting. It implies great agitation. It implies that she was troubled. She was struggling. When it says that she was pondering, it is in the imperfect tense in the Greek, implying that she is thinking about this situation. It means that she was thinking quickly. She was smart. She was thinking fast. She is trying to figure out why this angel is here, and probably trying to understand this announcement. 

In verse 30 we read,

And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Luke 1:30 (NASB)

This verse reveals she was afraid. The angel tried to soothe her by simply saying, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” He did not try to counsel her or hug her. Verse 31 reveals he continued with,

And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.  Luke 1:31 (NASB)

Notice what he told her, “and you are going to conceive, you are going to get pregnant.” His message is very clear, “in your womb.” Now, that’s probably redundant, but there are always people who like to second-guess scripture. The announcement is very clear that she is going to be pregnant. A child is going to be in her womb, and she is going to have a son. Oh, and by the way, his name will be Jesus.

I want you to notice a couple of interesting things in this verse. When he said, “You will conceive,” guess what the angel had just done? He did not ask her permission. Did you notice that? He does not ask her if this would be okay. He did not say, “Mary, let’s have a conversation. God was thinking about you having a baby, and He wants to know if  you would agree to this idea. The baby will eventually be a king, and end up dying on a cross. This is really a wonderful thing! People will know all about you… You will be famous!” 

No, that is not that the way it happened. The angel just showed up and said, “Mary, you are going to get pregnant. No choice! That’s it, that’s the plan. In your womb you will have a baby, and oh, by the way, the baby will a boy.” 

Now think about this. She is not pregnant yet, and she is already told that the baby will be a boy. There were no ultrasounds in those days. There were no nurses who lay you down on a table, put some chemical on your abdomen and then move this little paddle over the abdomen trying to determine the gender of the baby. Guess what? Mary already knew the sex of the baby, and the baby was not yet born!

This was better than ultrasound because she was not pregnant yet, and she already knew the gender of the baby. Oh, by the way, she already knew the name of the baby. This is unbelievable!

Description of The Baby

Now we have already been told that the angel arrived and said, “You are going to become pregnant, and you are going to have a son.” Then he said, “And you are going to call the baby Jesus.” The Greek word for “call” is kaleo in the Greek. And kaleo just means “to call.” The idea is that the child will be named Jesus! What does that mean? The answer is given in Matthew 1:21 where later an angel said “Jesus” means “one who saves their people from their sins.” That is what he told Joseph. Therefore, the angel told Mary that this child was going to be named Jesus.   

In verse 32 we discover that Mary received some more startling news,

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High . . . Luke 1:32a (NASB)

Now we are given a second name. He is the Son of the Most High. But did you catch the first part of the verse? “And He will be great.”

. . . and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end. Luke 1:32b-33 (NASB)

Two additional, very important statements that are made here? Mary is told that Jesus will reign over the house of Jacob. That means He is going to be a king. We have already made the point that He is of the line of David, the royal line. Now we are told that He is going to be a king. There were kings in previous times in Israel, but not at this point. At this point the Romans were ruling over their territory. So Mary is probably thinking, “How is this going to happen?!” 

Next, the angel said, “And His kingdom will have no end.” Not only will He be a king, but His kingdom is going to last forever. Notice the word “end,” The literal Greek is “into the eons.” That is, she was told His kingdom “will be in the eons.” There “will be no end” to the kingdom. It just goes on and on into eternity. Do you realize what that tells us about this baby? This baby is going to live…forever.

Mary Is A Virgin

The next verse 34 reveals some additional information about Mary. 

Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin? Luke 1:34 (NASB)

Notice the word “virgin.” Earlier in verse 27, we were told that Mary was a virgin and the Greek word there was parthenos. That Greek word parthenos means “unmarried woman.” It means that she did not have a child yet. In this verse when she says, “I am a virgin,” she uses three Greek words, aner ou ginosko. The phrase literally means, “male not know.” The literal Greek translation is awkward in our English language. Mary is saying she had not had sex yet. I could not help but think that is not like engagements today. This woman is very clear. She was extremely personal. Just imagine, her comment is recorded in the pages of scripture for us to read today! This is an intimate conversation, a very personal conversation.

Mary confides, “How can this happen? Why am I going to be pregnant, I’ve not had sex with anybody.” I imagine at this point that her whole attitude has changed. This was a very emotional time for her, and she is beginning to understand that she is going to have a child. Wow!  

Verse 35 gives us Gabriel’s reply to Mary.

The angel answered and said to her … Luke 1:35a (NASB)

The angel needed to further explain how this was going to happen to this young woman. 

The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. Luke 1:35 (NASB)

It is wonderful to notice in this verse that all three persons of the Godhead or the Trinity are present: the Holy Spirit, the Father and God the Son. All of them are here. When I  refer to the trinity, I like to put it this way. God is the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Our God is a plural One!

The angel stated that the Holy Spirit was going to come upon Mary, and the power of God will come on her, and for that reason, the child that she would have would be called the Son of God.

Did you notice that the angel said she will be pregnant with the Son of God. Did you catch the three things that her child would be called? He would be called Jesus in verse 31. In verse 32 He is called the Son of the Most High and in verse 35 He is called the Son of God. Three separate titles, all of them dealing with various aspects of His ministry: He would be our Savior; his character was holy and He is God.  

Nothing Is Be Impossible With God

Verse 36 now addresses Mary’s question, “How can this be?”

And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. Luke 1:36 (NASB)

An example that God can make a virgin pregnant is that her very aged relative Elizabeth was pregnant. God is being kind and compassionate to Mary. Elizabeth is an example that God actually can do the impossible. The statement that God can do the impossible is not theoretical; Elizabeth is proof. 

Now if you were not sure about the timing of the sixth month in verse 26, verse 36 makes it really clear that the sixth month refers to the sixth month in which Elizabeth is pregnant. 

For nothing will be impossible with God. Luke 1:37 (NASB)

The word “nothing” is very interesting in the Greek. It is ou pas rhema. The literal translation is “not every word.” Do you know what the angel is really saying? Not one word of God is impossible. Do you know what that means? This will be a miracle! The angel is saying, “This requires a miracle, and God can pull it off.”

This passage is old and familiar to some of you who have been Christians for a long time. You might be thinking, “I did not learn anything new.” But I hope you did! There are two important truths that I want to focus on in this passage. The first one is that the baby would be virgin born. You may ask, “Why is that important?” Christ would not have a natural birth. He had no human father. I want you to understand five reasons why it is important to believe that Jesus was born of a virgin.  

Why Jesus Had To Be Virgin Born

There are some evangelicals today who teach that Jesus was not virgin born. There are some who read this passage and say Jesus was never virgin born. I do not understand how a person can read this passage and conclude that Christ was not virgin born. Therefore, I want to talk about how the Bible teaches us that Jesus had to be virgin born.

The Messenger Was An Angel

The first point is that an angel who stood in the presence of God delivered the message to Mary. It could have been a prophet. It could have just been some person who believed in God. The messenger to Mary was not just anyone but an angel who stands in the presence of God.

The Angel Speaks To A Woman

The second point is that he speaks to a woman. He singles out a woman because only women have babies.  

The Woman Was A Virgin

The third point is the fact that Mary was a virgin. This is stated three different times and two different ways. One time we are told that she is not married. Another time she has never had sex.   

The Baby Will Be Born Supernaturally

The fourth reason that we can believe in a virgin birth is that the baby will be born supernaturally. That is the message of verse 35. We are told, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you.” If that is not the clincher, verse 37 is the clincher because it tells us that nothing is impossible with God. Clearly that is implying a miracle will occur. Why tell us that God will have to perform a miracle if the baby will be born as every other baby is born?

First Prophecy – Christ Would Be Virgin Born

The fifth reason to believe in the virgin birth is found in prophecy. We will look at four prophetic statements. The first one is in Genesis 3:15. The context of the verse is that Adam and Eve have just sinned. The Creation has fallen. A curse is going to be pronounced. The first part of the curse is on the serpent. Then a curse is pronounced on the woman, Eve, and then a curse is pronounced on Adam. We are going to examine the curses on Eve and on the serpent. The curse occurs in verse 15.  

And I will put enmity ….

That is, hatred or animosity.

Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her seed;
He shall  bruise you on the head,
And you shall bruise him on the heel.
Genesis 3:15 (NASB)

Now notice the phrase, “and her seed.” The actual Hebrew refers to sperm. The idea is her sperm, but women do not have sperm. Women do not have “seeds.”  Typically in the Old Testament when it refers to seed, it refers to the male sperm. Therefore, it is implied here that she would give birth to a child that would be virgin born. There are some who question this conclusion, but it is important to note that the early church father Irenaeus believed that this passage prophesies the virgin birth. This prophecy did not occur three years before Christ was born. The prophecy occurred at least 1400 years before the announcement to Mary by the angel Gabriel.

Second Prophecy – Christ Would Be Virgin Born

The second prophetic statement is in Isaiah 7:14. This prophecy occurred 700 years before the announcement to Mary.  Here we are told,

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14 (NASB)

There are some who say that this passage is not talking about a virgin birth. They claim that the word used for virgin really only means “young woman.” The Hebrew word for virgin is alma.

The meaning of the word is straightforward. It can potentially mean an unmarried woman, but it can also mean “virgin.” But it never, ever refers to a married woman. Therefore, this woman in this verse is a woman who has not had physical relations with a man. And notice what else it says,

And the Lord himself will give you a …

What?

… a sign!

I want to ask you an important question just to bring the issue home. How can the birth be a sign if she is a married woman, a virgin, having a child? Women having babies happens all the time, right? Notice that after the prophet says “give you a sign,” he says,

And behold …

This is like important news! If the sign is just a married woman having a child, so what? That happens all the time! This is a sign! And what is the sign? The sign is an unmarried woman having a baby. Now that is a sign. Notice what we are told next,

. . . will be with child and bear a son.

Doesn’t that sound like what the angel Gabriel just told Mary? Then notice what else the prophet says,

And you shall call His name … Immanuel.

Immanuel means “God with us.” Now, if you are not sure about the meaning of Immanuel, Matthew 1:22-23 will remove any confusion. In Matthew 1:22-23 the angel Gabriel is talking to Joseph and tells Joseph that Mary is going to have this child.  

Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME  IMMANUEL,” which translated means, “GOD WITH US.” Matthew 1:22-23 (NASB)

Notice what the Apostle Matthew does in this passage. He quotes Isaiah 7:14 to make sure that we understand the prophecy applies to Jesus Christ and that Jesus was God with us. He was God. And that is very clear.

That takes us to our second point. The second truth is that Jesus is God. Today, Mormons will tell you that Jesus was born as a man, and then became a God. 

If you were to talk to someone who attends the Unity Church, they would tell you that they believe Jesus was a man, and then later on discovered that He was God. The Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Jesus was Michael the Archangel. A host of other people think that Jesus was a good man, a good moral teacher. But Scripture does not agree. Matthew 1:23 and Isaiah 7:14 both clearly state that Jesus Christ was God before He was born. He did not become a man, then become God. He was already God when He arrived. That is very clear.  

Third Prophecy – Christ Would Be Virgin Born

Our next prophecy is in Micah 5:2.

But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Too little to be among the clans of Judah,
From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.
His goings forth are from long ago,
From the days of eternity.” Micah 5:2 (NASB)

Now notice who will be born in Bethlehem. Notice that He will be a descendant from one of the families of Judah. He will be from the line of David. We are told, “. . . from you One will go forth for Me to be a ruler in Israel.” We read that in the announcement of the angel Gabriel to Mary. The baby would be a king and His kingdom would have no end! The last part of the verse then gives us a surprise, “whose goings forth are from long ago.” The Hebrew for “long ago“ means “antiquity, ancient times.” The Hebrew for days of eternity just means He will be from everlasting. This verse is saying the baby who will be born in Bethlehem Ephrathah will be a king and will have already been existing in eternity past. This baby is eternally existing. That is the message and what did the Angel Gabriel tell Mary? He said that Jesus would reign forever. He was living forever in the past and will be living forever in the future—in the past and in the future. That means He is God! 

So the Mormons are wrong about the deity of Jesus Christ. The Unity Church is wrong. Michael the Archangel is an angel and since angels are created, the Jehovah’s Witnesses are wrong. Jesus is the eternal Son of God. He is God.

Fourth Prophecy – Christ Would Be Virgin Born

In Isaiah 9:6-7 we are given another prophecy.

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal  Father, Prince of  Peace.
There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,
On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
From then on and forevermore. Isaiah 9:6-7 (NASB)

That echoes the announcement from the angel Gabriel to Mary. The testimony of scripture is that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is deity. You may say, “Why does He have the name Son of God?” When I was a young Christian, I used to struggle with that question. I wondered for a long time how He could be called the Son of God. The phrase seems to be saying He was born or created. 

But John 10:30 helps us understand the phrase. In this section of John, Christ is talking to the Jews and says,

I and the Father are one. John 10:30 (NASB)

Now there are some today who say that Jesus was only saying He and the Father were in agreement. They were of one mind, but that is not what the Greek reveals. The Greek says, they are one. In James 2:19 we are told,

You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.  James 2:19 (NASB)

The Greek word translated as one is heis. The word is the cardinal number one. It is the number 1 as in 1, 2, 3 etc. And Jesus just says, “I and the Father are one.” 

Verses 31-33 tell us the Jews wanted to murder Him.

The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, “I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?” The Jews answered Him, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.” John 10:31-33 (NASB)

In other words they were saying, “Jesus, we are not stoning you for doing a good work. That is not the reason we are going to kill you. The reason we are going to stone you is because you, being a man, claim to be God.” That is very clear. The Jewish leaders who were listening to Christ knew what He was saying.  It was very clear to them that Jesus was claiming to be God, contrary to what you might hear from some preachers, or some on the news. I have heard preachers say, “Jesus never said that He was God.” Then why did the Jews think He was saying that?! The truth is some preachers and people on the news need to read the Bible.  

Verses 36-38 record the climax.

. . . do you say of Him, whom the Father  sanctified and sent into the world, “You are blaspheming,” because I said, “I am the Son of God”? If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father. John 10:36-38 (NASB)

Why were they accusing Jesus of claiming that He was God? Because He said He was the Son of God. So what do you think the term, Son of God, means? It meant that Jesus was claiming to being God. Jesus made it very clear to the Jewish leaders what He was claiming.  

In John 5:18 we are told,

For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God. John 5:18 (NASB)

The verse reveals that Jesus repeatedly claimed to be God.  

In John 5:26, Jesus is speaking, and He makes another really incredible statement.  

For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself . . . John 5:26 (NASB)

Now I have a question for you. What does it mean to have life in yourself? It means you are self-existing.  There is a theological term for it. We call the aseity of God. That means that God is self-sustaining. Now stop and think. Someday you are going to die unless Jesus comes and raptures us and as a result, we escape death. But under normal circumstances, someday you are going to die. You cannot continue to sustain yourself. Do you know what Jesus says about God the Father? He says the Father sustains Himself. God is self-sustaining. He is self-perpetuating. He continues living forever and ever and what is true about Jesus? The last part of the verse says Jesus sustains Himself too. Jesus is self-sustaining and the Father is self-sustaining. Jesus just made another claim to be God.  

In John 8:58 Jesus is talking to the Pharisees. Before we read the verse, remember back to Exodus when God appeared to Moses in a burning bush. During their conversation God said, 

I am Who I am. Exodus 3:14 (NASB)

The message was that God was the I am. “I am Who I am.” In the Hebrew, God says that He continues to exist. He is self-sustaining. The satiety of God. God is self-perpetuating. He did not say, “I was.” He did not say, “I will be” but “I am.” Now notice what Jesus said in John 8:58,

“Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” John 8:58 (NASB)

Jesus just claimed to be Jehovah God. Then verse 59 records what the Pharisees tried to do.

Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple. John 8:59 (NASB)

They understood that Jesus was claiming to be God, and they were ready to kill Him for it.  

In Hebrews 1:2 we read,

. . . in these last days has spoken to us in His Son. Hebrews 1:2 (NASB)

The verse tells us that God the Father has spoken to us through His Son, Christ. In verse 3 we are told,

And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature . . . Hebrews 1:3 (NASB)

The phrase “exact representation” means Christ was just like God the Father. Christ is exactly like the Father. In verse 5 we read,

For to which of the angels did He ever say,
“YOU ARE MY SON,
TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU”?

And again,
“I WILL BE A FATHER TO HIM
AND HE SHALL BE A SON TO ME”? Hebrews 1:5 (NASB)

You have to think about that verse in order to understand it. The Jehovah’s Witnesses want us to believe that Jesus was Michael the Archangel. So ask yourself, what does this verse say? This verse says, “To which of the angels did God ever say, You are my Son?” What is the answer? None! Jump down to verse 7. It says,

And of the angels He says,
“WHO MAKES HIS ANGELS WINDS,
AND HIS MINISTERS A FLAME OF FIRE.” Hebrews 1:7 (NASB)

In other words, the angels are like winds, but verse 8 reveals,

But of the Son He says,
“YOUR THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER,
AND THE RIGHTEOUS SCEPTER IS THE SCEPTER OF  HIS
KINGDOM.

     YOU HAVE LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HATED
LAWLESSNESS;
THEREFORE GOD, YOUR GOD, HAS  ANOINTED YOU
WITH THE OIL OF GLADNESS ABOVE YOUR COMPANIONS.”  Hebrews 1:8 (NASB)

God is talking to God. This is describing the Trinity. Therefore, guess who the baby was that was to be born? God! Guess who the gift was that was given to us? God! That is the message. 

The Gift Is The Son Of God

Conclusion

When the angel Gabriel arrived, he did not tell us about Christmas. He did not announce that God was creating a day for family time with your sons, daughters, mother, dad, your siblings and your spouse.  The angel did not announce that Christmas was about food and parties. The angel came and announced the arrival of a gift – Jesus Christ, Son of God, God in human flesh. 

Listen to Jesus’ words in John 8:24, 

Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins. John 8:24 (NASB)

Jesus’ message is that everyone is a sinner and you will spiritually die unless you believe He is God. He came to give us the gift of eternal life.

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 (NASB)

Jesus was a gift Who now offers us the gift of eternal life!

Are you sure that you are going to heaven? Do you know what Christmas is about? Christmas is about the beginning of the best story that you have ever heard. Christmas is about the Savior who came to save us from our sins. There is only One who could do that for us. He is our Holy God who became a human in order to die for your sins and my sins. Jesus says the only way you can be forgiven is to believe that He is God. He died for your sins and returned to life. Do you believe that Jesus is God? Are you sure that you are a Christian?

Suggested Links:

Gabriel Visits Mary
Jesus Is Born In Bethlehem
Arrival of the Magi
Was Jesus born on December 25?
What is the meaning of “Jesus” in the Bible?
What does Son of Man and Son of God mean?
What is the meaning that Jesus is the Son of God?
Joseph’s Genealogy
Mary’s Genealogy
Searching for God