Why do Christians celebrate Christmas? Many reasons are he is Christ the Lord.

the Lord.” The good news of great joy is bound

given. It is the season for giving. So we buy gifts for our
loved ones—family and friends—and others who are
needy. It is the season for family reunions. So students go
home to the provinces, to enjoy a short holiday with the
family, and other relatives. It is the season for eating!
People gather for Christmas parties—in the office, at
school, in church, at the table tennis club, etc. We all put on
weight in December from overeating! But, what is the real
reason? Why is Christmas a Christian Celebration?
The real reason is from the original Christmas
story that happened two thousand years ago. It really
happened, as a historical event, in a small town called
Bethlehem, in the Roman province of Judea when
Quirinius was governor of Syria. Caesar Augustus ordered
a census of the Roman world and a carpenter named
Joseph went from Nazareth to Bethlehem to register. Dr.
Luke tells the story in his Gospel (Luke 2, verses 1 to 20).
Mary, the wife of Joseph was pregnant, and the time for the
baby to be born came but there was no room in the inn for
the couple, so the baby had to be placed in a manger after
birth. Let us read Dr. Luke’s account from verses 8 to 15.
The shepherds were terrified when the angel of
the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord filled
the night sky! I think we would be terrified too. But the
angel told the shepherds not to be afraid. Instead they
should be filled with joy, because of what happened in
Bethlehem. “Today… a Savior has been born to you;
up entirely with who the Baby of Bethlehem is. And this
good news is for all people, initially all the Jewish people,
but eventually all the people of the world. He is the Savior,
and particularly the Savior from sin. In the Gospel of
Matthew, Joseph the stepfather, was told to give the baby the
name Jesus (Matthew 1:20, 21). Mary was a virgin and
became pregnant when the Holy Spirit came upon her (Luke
1:34, 35). The name Jesus means the LORD saves! What is
wrong with the world? Economic meltdown, poverty and
hunger, degradation of the planet, corruption and inequality,
terrorism and violence. All these are true but the Bible says,
the main problem is sin. The world is fallen, out of sync with
GOD the Creator. In particular humans are sinful, rebelling
against GOD. Every person is out of harmony with himself
and with his fellow human beings. Humanity needs a Savior
from sin. This Savior is Christ or Messiah. Jews expected a
political Christ to liberate them from Roman imperialism but
Jesus said he came to give his life as a ransom from sin
(Mark 10:45). His death on the cross paid the penalty of the
sins of the world so that GOD can forgive us and welcome
us into his holy presence. The apostle Paul wrote that GOD
demonstrates his love for us by sending his Son Jesus to die
for us, in our place (Romans 5:8). This Savior from sin, Jesus,
is the Christ or Messiah who was pierced for our
transgressions and crushed for our iniquities (Isaiah 53:5).
The Savior Christ is also the Lord.

We should understand Lord as the same Lord who sent

his angel, and the same Lord who lit up the night sky
with his glory! In fact, “Lord” in the Old Testament is the

The
Greek translation of Yahweh, the name that GOD
revealed to Moses in the burning bush (Exodus ch. 3,
verses 14 and 15). The Baby of Bethlehem is Jesus the
Savior from sin, the Christ on the cross, and the Lord of
glory! That is why the good news of his birth is such good

Reason
news of great joy for all people!
What shall we do with this good news? What
shall we do with the Savior, who is Christ the Lord? We
could ignore him and live our lives like the Baby of
Bethlehem was never born. Then we will never know the
Savior who came to save us from sin, never appreciate the

for the
greatness of GOD’s love demonstrated on the cross, never
know the Lord who created us for himself so that we may
know him, love him, please him, and enjoy him forever!
On the other hand, we can say yes to Jesus. We can trust
him as our Savior and yield our lives to him as Lord. If

Season
we do this, Christmas becomes a most meaningful
celebration. We will finally understand the reason for the
season. It is Jesus!

UP Christian Community
Christmas 2010
We should understand Lord as the same Lord who sent
his angel, and the same Lord who lit up the night sky
with his glory! In fact, “Lord” in the Old Testament is the

The
Greek translation of Yahweh, the name that GOD
revealed to Moses in the burning bush (Exodus ch. 3,
verses 14 and 15). The Baby of Bethlehem is Jesus the
Savior from sin, the Christ on the cross, and the Lord of
glory! That is why the good news of his birth is such good

Reason
news of great joy for all people!
What shall we do with this good news? What
shall we do with the Savior, who is Christ the Lord? We
could ignore him and live our lives like the Baby of
Bethlehem was never born. Then we will never know the
Savior who came to save us from sin, never appreciate the

for the
greatness of GOD’s love demonstrated on the cross, never
know the Lord who created us for himself so that we may
know him, love him, please him, and enjoy him forever!
On the other hand, we can say yes to Jesus. We can trust
him as our Savior and yield our lives to him as Lord. If

Season
we do this, Christmas becomes a most meaningful
celebration. We will finally understand the reason for the
season. It is Jesus!

UP Christian Community
Christmas 2010

Why do Christians celebrate Christmas? Many reasons are
given. It is the season for giving. So we buy gifts for our
loved ones—family and friends—and others who are
needy. It is the season for family reunions. So students go
home to the provinces, to enjoy a short holiday with the
family, and other relatives. It is the season for eating!
People gather for Christmas parties—in the office, at
school, in church, at the table tennis club, etc. We all put on
weight in December from overeating! But, what is the real
reason? Why is Christmas a Christian Celebration?
The real reason is from the original Christmas
story that happened two thousand years ago. It really
happened, as a historical event, in a small town called
Bethlehem, in the Roman province of Judea when
Quirinius was governor of Syria. Caesar Augustus ordered
a census of the Roman world and a carpenter named
Joseph went from Nazareth to Bethlehem to register. Dr.
Luke tells the story in his Gospel (Luke 2, verses 1 to 20).
Mary, the wife of Joseph was pregnant, and the time for the
baby to be born came but there was no room in the inn for
the couple, so the baby had to be placed in a manger after
birth. Let us read Dr. Luke’s account from verses 8 to 15.
The shepherds were terrified when the angel of
the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord filled
the night sky! I think we would be terrified too. But the
angel told the shepherds not to be afraid. Instead they
should be filled with joy, because of what happened in
Bethlehem. “Today… a Savior has been born to you;
he is Christ the Lord.” The good news of great joy is bound
up entirely with who the Baby of Bethlehem is. And this
good news is for all people, initially all the Jewish people,
but eventually all the people of the world. He is the Savior,
and particularly the Savior from sin. In the Gospel of
Matthew, Joseph the stepfather, was told to give the baby the
name Jesus (Matthew 1:20, 21). Mary was a virgin and
became pregnant when the Holy Spirit came upon her (Luke
1:34, 35). The name Jesus means the LORD saves! What is
wrong with the world? Economic meltdown, poverty and
hunger, degradation of the planet, corruption and inequality,
terrorism and violence. All these are true but the Bible says,
the main problem is sin. The world is fallen, out of sync with
GOD the Creator. In particular humans are sinful, rebelling
against GOD. Every person is out of harmony with himself
and with his fellow human beings. Humanity needs a Savior
from sin. This Savior is Christ or Messiah. Jews expected a
political Christ to liberate them from Roman imperialism but
Jesus said he came to give his life as a ransom from sin
(Mark 10:45). His death on the cross paid the penalty of the
sins of the world so that GOD can forgive us and welcome
us into his holy presence. The apostle Paul wrote that GOD
demonstrates his love for us by sending his Son Jesus to die
for us, in our place (Romans 5:8). This Savior from sin, Jesus,
is the Christ or Messiah who was pierced for our
transgressions and crushed for our iniquities (Isaiah 53:5).
The Savior Christ is also the Lord.