The Christmas season, and especially the big day itself, evokes all sorts of thoughts and feelings ranging from the purely secular to the intensely religious. Regardless of the actual date of Christ’s birth, or how we ended up having a holiday to celebrate that birth, it IS the reason for the season.

Our thoughts of Christ’s birth are filled with nativity scenes, angels making announcements, wise men following a star, peace on earth and good will toward men. During the Christmas season, most of us become kinder toward family members, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and complete strangers. We might send a larger donation to our favorite charity, or volunteer to serve at a local soup kitchen or homeless shelter. After all, God gave us His Son so we should give more to others and do our little bit to make our world a more peaceful place.

In the midst of all these wonderful thoughts, I wonder how often we think about the ‘rest of the story’, as Paul Harvey would say. While we might speak of Christ coming to earth to die for sin, how often do we consider that He came for that very purpose, that he came to die. The Father sent His own Son to earth on a mission to die – for OUR sin.

Php 2:6-8 tells us this about Jesus:

“. . .who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, 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.”

That Christ would die for our sins was in the mind of God before creation. At some point in His human life Jesus also realized His mission and ‘set His face toward Jerusalem’ and the very cross upon which He would die. During His life, Jesus spoke often about His destiny, along with his resolute obedience to the Father’s will. Many to who He spoke would not really understand until later, after the Holy Spirit came and brought clarity and understanding.

I am not saying that to focus primarily on the birth of the Christ Child is somehow wrong. I am merely drawing attention to ‘rest of the story’ that is at times forgotten or set aside, and encouraging anyone reading this to take advantage of the many opportunities to not only share the real meaning of Christmas being Christ’s birth, but to also include ‘the rest of the story’ in that sharing.

May you all celebrate a wonderful and meaningful Christmas as you share the precious Gospel!