Christmas is...

A world-changing story.
You would never guess this looking a mild nativity scene (though I never understood why Mary is always kneeling – she’d just had a baby!).  It would have been so easy for this story to have never happened.  If Mary had refused to have Jesus.  If Joseph had divorced Mary.  If either had rationalized away their angelic visits.  If…if…if…
But it did.  The shepherds came from near.  The kings came from far.  And Jesus came from heaven to earth as Child.  He was a poor Boy, born in barn, and destined, as a part of the human race, to die.  Until this point, the human race had successfully cut itself off from God by rebelling against Him.
But God had purposed to reach down and rescue men from their sin, shame and suffering through this Baby Jesus Christ.  Jesus was not just a man – He was God.  Fully God – He was perfect.  Fully Man – He was able to take every man’s place in the eyes of God.  He lived the perfect life on our behalf and in His death on a cross 33 years later accepted God’s wrath in our place.  God’s justice was satisfied and His perfect grace made available.
That whoever believes in Jesus will not perish but have eternal life.
Now that’s a world changer.