Zambia Hunt

As December unfolds and the holiday season approaches, our world collectively pauses. Streets and shops sparkle with festive decorations, businesses prepare for their busiest season, and children’s eyes light up with anticipation of family gatherings, sweet treats, and presents. Yet beneath these familiar traditions lies a profound question: What is the real significance of Christmas? Why does most of the world pause to observe this particular celebration?

To understand the true meaning of Christmas, we must first grasp the extraordinary identity of Jesus Christ, as revealed in Colossians 1:15-17: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him, all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

This remarkable passage unveils Jesus as far more than just the baby in the manger. Colossians 2:9 declares that “in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,” establishing Jesus as both Divine Creator and Sustainer of all things. This truth echoes back to Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth,” revealing that Jesus exists as eternal God, without beginning and without end—the uncaused cause of everything that exists.

Consider the implications: The same Jesus whose birth we celebrate at Christmas spoke galaxies into existence. When we gaze at the night sky—the moon, the Milky Way, Orion’s Belt, the Big and Little Dipper, or the bright glow of Venus—we’re witnessing His handiwork. The warming sun rising over the horizon each morning and the melodious chorus of doves and birds that greet the dawn are all testimonies to His creative power.

To fully appreciate why Christmas matters, we must return to Genesis, where we find God’s perfect creation and the first humans placed in an idyllic garden. As Genesis 2:15-17 tells us, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.’” In this perfect world, Adam and Eve enjoyed unbroken fellowship with God, walking and talking with Him in the garden’s beauty. But something tragic was about to happen that would change everything…, but more on that in a moment. 

The significance of Christmas, and this particular child born of Mary, becomes even more profound when we understand Jesus’s unique position as described in Colossians 1:15: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” This title of “firstborn” goes beyond Mary’s firstborn son in time and space—it declares His preeminence over all creation, establishing His authority as the self-existent one, the source of all power, knowledge, and authority.

Christmas is not just a heartwarming story of an underprivileged couple giving birth in humble circumstances. Through the lens of Colossians, we see Chrismas as the miraculous moment when the Creator of the universe, the sustainer of all things, entered His own creation as one of us. This miracle, known theologically as the Incarnation, is beautifully captured in John 1:14: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

Why Christmas Matters to You Personally

To truly grasp the personal significance of Christmas, we must trace God’s redemptive plan through Scripture’s grand narrative. Answers in Genesis calls them the “7 C’s of History”: Creation, Corruption, Catastrophe, Confusion, Christ, Cross, and Consummation.

This story begins with Creation, where God established a perfect world. In Genesis 2:17, God gave one clear command: “but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Yet this perfection was shattered through what we might call the great Corruption. Genesis 3:6 records the pivotal moment: “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.” In this single act of disobedience, Adam and Eve fell from their state of perfection and complete holiness with God into rebellion and sinfulness.

This moment changed everything—not just for Adam and Eve, but all humanity. Every person born after them would inherit this sinful nature, living under its corruption and condemnation. As Romans 5:12 explains, “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.”

Yet even in this disaster, God provided hope. In Genesis 3:15, He promised that one day, a Son of the woman would be born who would “bruise the serpent’s head.” The consequences of sin continued to ripple through history: the first murder occurred in the very next generation when Cain killed Abel. Genesis chapter 5 grimly repeats the phrase “and he died” eight times, highlighting sin’s deadly impact. By Genesis 6:5, humanity’s wickedness had grown so great that God sent a global flood, sparing only eight faithful people.

The pattern of rebellion continued at Babel (Genesis 11:3-4), where humanity’s attempt to elevate themselves led to the Confusion of languages. But God’s promise of Genesis 3:15 remained, finding its fulfillment in Christ. As 1 Corinthians 15:45-49 explains, Jesus came as the “last Adam,” a “life-giving spirit” who would restore what the first Adam had lost.

The prophets in the Old Testament pointed forward in time to the coming of Christ, the Messiah! One who would come from God to save his people from the condemnation of their sins against God! This is why we celebrate Christmas! As the angels announced: For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord! (Luke 2:11)

Colossians 1:18-20 reveals the culmination of God’s plan for redeeming mankind was the Cross: “And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.”

The personal impact of Christmas is beautifully captured in Colossians 2:9-15, which tells us that God made us alive with Christ, “having forgiven us all our trespasses by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.” Through the incarnation—God becoming man—Jesus demonstrated both His deity and His desire for restored relationship with humanity.

This profound truth is powerfully expressed in the hymn by Sovereign Grace Music, “O Come, All You Unfaithful”:

O come all you unfaithful

Come weak and unstable

Come, know you are not alone

O come barren and waiting ones

Weary of praying, come

See what your God has done

Christ is born, Christ is born

Christ is born for you

O come bitter and broken

Come with fears unspoken

Come taste of His perfect love

O come guilty and hiding ones

There is no need to run

See what your God has done

He’s the Lamb who was given

Slain for our pardon

His promise is peace

For those who believe

So come

Paul, in Galatians 4:4-5 beautifully explains the timing and purpose of God’s plan, “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” The Jesus who spoke galaxies into being entered our world and took on flesh so that He could meet the demands of God’s law through His death on the cross. As Romans 6:23 declares, “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Looking ahead, Revelation 21:3-4 promises a glorious Consummation where “God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

A Call to Response

If you feel weighted down by sin today, know that Christmas offers more than just a historical celebration—it offers you personal hope. Jesus Christ, the Creator of the universe, came to be your Savior. The invitation is clear and personal: turn from self-sufficiency and religious works, and put your faith in Jesus Christ. He stands ready to forgive your sins and restore your relationship with the Father.

This Christmas, don’t just celebrate the holiday—respond to its message. Acknowledge your need for a Savior, turn from your sin, and embrace the gift of salvation that Jesus offers. In doing so, you’ll discover why Christmas truly matters—not just historically or culturally, but personally, for you.