Around this time every year, we celebrate Christmas. A holiday which encompasses giving, family, joy, and memories that last for generations. We also tend to focus on the “reason for the season” if you will and that is Jesus. Specifically though, we celebrate the birth of Jesus. Preachers and ministers everywhere prepare sermons to speak about the birth of Jesus and many classic Christmas songs reflect this time of history. We cannot ignore the fact that the birth of Jesus was absolutely necessary and important. Sometimes, however, we forget just what exactly this baby Jesus did and what he grew up to be. We spend a lot of time celebrating his birth, but do we know what his birth means? In this study, we are going to look at just that. We are going to look at what Jesus did as a man that made his birth so important. Let us begin this wonderful study. 

The birth of Jesus brought many things to all people. One of the blessings of the birth of Christ was he became the perfect sacrifice to remove our sins. Hebrews 10:10 tells us, “And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” We are sanctified, we are made clean through the sacrifice of Christ. The question still remains, however, as to why he had to come to take away our sins? The answer is that the law and the old sacrificial laws put in place by God were not sufficient. Not that God had made a mistake and didn’t institute a good enough system for his people, but that the law was a shadow of things to come, which was Christ. Let’s look at Hebrews 10:1-4 which says, 

“The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming-not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.”

The law was a shadow leading up to Christ. Since it was impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins, Christ came as the perfect sacrifice needed to take away sins. What beautiful thing. 

If Christ was never born, we would not have forgiveness of sins or eternal life. Ephesians 1:7 says, “In him, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace”. Because of the sacrifice of Jesus, we are able to have forgiveness of our sins. What an amazing thing. The birth of Jesus  shows God’s love and grace for his creation. 

We also receive the gift of eternal life through the resurrection of Christ. Jesus says in John 14:6, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus is the way, he is the truth, and he is the life. 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 says, “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.” When Christ returns, those who have been saved and have passed on will be raised to life, spiritually and we will enter eternal life. All because of his sacrifice and resurrection and all because of his birth. 

These are just a few priceless gifts that the birth of Jesus brought to all mankind. His birth brought us the removal of sins, further forgiveness of our sins, and the hope of eternal life. There had never been and never will be a more important birth in the history of mankind. As we celebrate the Christmas season, let us remember not only his birth but what his birth meant and all the wonderful blessings he brought.