Ask this question of a random group of people and answers will be all over the place.
One person may say, "I guess it's kind of a nice story, but I can't relate. I mean, this is the 21st century. How does a story about a baby in a manger have any meaning for us today?"
Another may say, "I think all religions are pretty much the same, so what difference does it make? We're all headed for the same place, no matter how we get there. Isn't that the bottom line?"
For millions of people around the world who come to faith in Jesus, the story of that first Christmas is life-changing.
Here's the true story of one such man, who found this to be true
I heard about a businessman, "Kevin," who years ago had to spend some time overseas. He noticed he was scheduled for a free day in the same city his college roommate called "home." After a lengthy Internet search he managed to find current information and arranged to meet with his old friend.
Kevin and "Abbud," met in a quiet cafe and found a table toward the back. They immediately slipped into the easy comfort of good friends reunited and talked for hours. Kevin mentioned he always knew his friend came from a non-Christian background, but back then he hadn't known how to talk about it.
Abbud carefully looked all around the space, then lowered his voice to almost a whisper and said, "That was true then, but no more. Believe me, I do not say this to many people. You see, at home my wife 'Alika' and I find ways to hear and to watch broadcasts and telecasts from the West. We are very, very careful, of course.
"When first we heard the good news of the Gospel we right away gave our hearts to Jesus.
Kevin said nothing for awhile, then cleared his throat and murmured, "This is an answer to prayer, my friend. It didn't seem important those years we shared a room and really, I thought I needed the 'right' words to talk about faith. All these years I've wished that I said something. I have prayed for you and now, your words make me glad."
The two men sat quietly, sipping their coffee. Then Kevin asked, "Would you mind telling me what differences you find between the two religions?"
Abbud answered quietly, but without hesitation, "It is night and day! We all were taught that God is impossibly far from human beings, but still we must try our hardest to reach toward Him through being faithful in our spiritual practices.
"Imagine what it means to know that in Jesus, God came to earth as an infant, just so he could live among human beings. Among people like us!
"It still amazes me every time I think that God came to us!
"You probably don't remember, but the last day of school you gave me a little Bible and told me I should read it on the long flight back home. I never opened it, just tucked it into my bag and I kept it hidden all these years. Now I searched it out and could not stop reading. The more I read, the more I was amazed. In Exodus it tells how God dwelt with His people, the Israelites, there in the wilderness. God went before them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. He even spoke to Moses directly!
"Then Alika and I read it was God's plan all along to send His Son to earth. He came to pay the price of all our sins. He came to set us right with holy God. We could live free from fear, free from condemnation. Right away I felt lighter, as if someone unlocked my heavy chains.
"Jesus did it all! For me! I will never be the same. No matter what comes next, I have peace in my heart--and so does my wife."
Abbud's dark eyes shone as he said, "So for us, this is what's different about the Christian faith. Knowing that Jesus is for us and with us sets our hearts at rest."
Christmas is nothing less than a miracle of God
In the Bible Jesus often is called the Word, as in John 1:1-5, 14; 3:16-17:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. he was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
The Christian faith is not about a far-off, distant god or a monument
Nor is it about magnificent temples or cities where followers must go and worship to prove their faithfulness. It's not even about living up to a list of dos and don'ts.
The Christian faith is all about our Lord being up close and personal for every one of us. Our Savior and best Friend. Our Comforter. Our strength. Our Deliverer. Our Peace. Our Joy.
That's why God came to earth, born as a human baby to a human mother, there in Bethlehem. Fully human and fully God.
He came for you.
For me.
And for all the world.
That's the heart of what we call the Christmas story.
Dear Reader, whoever you are and wherever you may be, may your heart be filled with the peace and joy of Jesus this Christmas and every day of the New Year!
Lenore
