As Christmas rapidly approaches, the hustle and bustle of finding the perfect gifts often consumes us, leading us to be entangled in the commercialism of the holiday.
With each passing year, my understanding of the genuine sentiment of Christmas deepens. It transcends mere gifts, the competition for the best winter decorations, or the allure of what lies beneath the tree. I would go so far as to say it extends beyond the typical focus on family gatherings. At its core, Christmas signifies an event over 2,000 years ago that forever altered the course of history. Allow me to share a perspective beyond the conventional tale of Jesus’s birth.
I am not a reporter by any means, just a gal who knows marketing and advertising, and this insight is not just a retelling of the story; it comes from personal revelation and a heartfelt connection to the narrative. We know the story: the Angel Gabriel, God’s messenger angel, appeared to a few lowly shepherds.
What motivated these shepherds to undertake an immediate journey that biblical scholars estimate could have been nearly two days? When the angel of the Lord appeared to them, they were overcome with fear. The angel’s message was one of great joy for all people:
“Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”
The significance of these words would be best understood by shepherds. In those times, mangers were used to protect newborn sheep. Some scholars suggest that, though not explicitly stated in the law of Moses, shepherds might have used stone mangers to entomb spotless sacrificial lambs. It provided protection. When the shepherds heard that the baby was lying in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes, they knew this was the savior of the world. From birth, Jesus was the sacrificial lamb.
Every word in the Bible is intentional, painting a detailed portrait of Christ. From Mary likely entering Jerusalem on the back of a donkey due to her advanced pregnancy, to the blood shed in childbirth and Mary laying her precious, spotless baby wrapped in swaddling clothes into a stone manger for protection in a cave that once held sacrificial lambs for the temple, we witness an incredible foreshadowing of Christ’s life and death. From arriving in Jerusalem on the back of a donkey on Palm Sunday to the blood shed on Calvary and the entombment of our Savior Jesus Christ wrapped in burial clothes and laid in a tomb made of stone, the parallels of the Christmas Story are nothing short of divine.
As we approach this Christmas, my prayer is that you truly grasp the profound message it carries. For me, this year has been one of revelation, thanksgiving, and understanding that God is the ultimate author. His story is beautifully crafted and illustrates His boundless love for us.