Big Day. Big Message.

If you've ever been to the mall around this time of year you have surely seen the huge, elaborately decorated wrapped, gifts that seem to be sitting around the mall. These are obviously huge empty boxes that have been wrapped to look very nice, but at the end of the day are worthless because they are empty. Around Christmas time there is always a lot going on- parades, pageants, puppet shows, church activities, etc. Question: is it possible that we have wrapped Christmas up in elaborate decorations, traditions, get togethers, and left the inside of the box empty? Think about this for a minute- I mean beyond the merry christmas v. happy holidays arguments and all the other CHRISTmas arguments- is it possible that we have made the outside of the Christmas box look really good, but have left the inside of the box empty? I say yes. Here's why-

I believe we have, for the most part, missed the big picture of what Christmas is. When we miss the big picture we will always miss the big message. There is a lot going on in the Christmas story that we find in the bible- we have Mary, Joseph, the manger, no room in the inn, angels scaring the crap out of everyone they come in contact with, wise men, Bethlehem, the baby Jesus, swaddling clothes, and much more that I can't think of. There is a lot going on, but I find it very interesting that in all of this Matthew gives us a huge message that we rarely, if ever, hear during Christmas. Matthew 1:21 says, "She [Mary] will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." This is a huge message that we lose this time of year- this is the gospel, that Jesus Christ will save his people from their sins. This is the big picture- the purpose that God became flesh- to save his people from their sins. Within the big picture we are given a big message that goes along with the birth of Jesus Christ. When we miss the big picture of Christmas, we miss the big message of Christmas.