Kaysersberg © French Moments - Christmas 95
  • Home
  • Blog
  • This is the True Message of Christmas

Last Updated: 18 November 2023

For some people, Christmas is all about Santa, presents, Christmas trees and decorations. This is a festive season when it’s time to rejoice and gather together around a delicious dinner with turkey and chocolate. We can get extremely busy in the days before Christmas. Busy shopping the perfect gifts. Busy attending Xmas shows at school or collations at work. And busy organising family gatherings. So much that sometimes we just need to learn to slow down. To Relax. And understand the true message of Christmas

 


Have you seen this video above? Yet, in the middle of all this joyful sound and events, there is something I’d like to show you… Let me tell you the greatest story of all. The essence of Christmas.

For this let’s open the Bible. Before the appearance of all our great Christmas traditions was the original story of the Nativity. The birth of Jesus-Christ. Yep, that’s the story Christians ought to tell you. Jesus was born in a manger, in complete poverty… but stay with me for there’s more!


This is the true message of Christmas

When Jesus was crucified on the cross some 33 years after his birth, He would save humanity.

This is how much God loved the world:

He gave His Son, His one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed. By believing in Him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.

God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again

[from The Message Bible].

It’s time to celebrate Christmas for what it really is!

So, because of who Jesus is and what He did for us is reason enough to celebrate His birth on Christmas day! This message of Christmas is also a chance for people to reflect on life and celebrate friends and family and be generous to others.

Christmas day was certainly not the exact day when Jesus was born. The real date of his birthday is not known and has not been communicated by Luke in his gospel. According to Isaac Newton, it may have been chosen sometime in the 4th century to correspond with the date of the winter solstice on the ancient Roman calendar.

Let’s now turn our Bible to the Nativity story – the true message of Christmas!


Luke 2:1-20 (New International Version)

The Birth of Jesus

1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.

2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)

3 And everyone went to his own town to register.

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.

5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.

6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,

7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.

9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.

17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,

18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.

19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

New International Version (NIV)

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica

Strasbourg Christmas Market © French Moments
The Nativity scene inside the cathedral of Strasbourg © French Moments

Want to read it in French?

Here it is!!

Luc 2:1-20 (La Bible du Semeur)

La naissance de Jésus

1 En ce temps-là, l’empereur Auguste publia un édit qui ordonnait le recensement de tous les habitants de l’Empire.

2 Ce recensement, le premier du genre, eut lieu à l’époque où Quirinius était gouverneur de la province de Syrie.

3 Tout le monde allait se faire recenser, chacun dans la localité dont il était originaire.

4 C’est ainsi que Joseph, lui aussi, partit de Nazareth et monta de la Galilée en Judée, à Bethléhem, la ville de David: il appartenait, en effet, à la famille de David.

5 Il s’y rendit pour se faire recenser avec Marie, sa fiancée, qui attendait un enfant.

6 Or, durant leur séjour à Bethléhem, arriva le moment où Marie devait accoucher.

7 Elle mit au monde un fils: son premier-né. Elle lui mit des langes et le coucha dans une mangeoire parce qu’il n’y avait pas de place pour eux dans la pièce réservée aux hôtes.

8 Dans les champs environnants, des bergers passaient la nuit pour garder leurs troupeaux.

9 Un ange du Seigneur leur apparut et la gloire du Seigneur resplendit autour d’eux. Une grande frayeur les saisit.

10 Mais l’ange les rassura:

-N’ayez pas peur: je vous annonce une nouvelle qui sera pour tout le peuple le sujet d’une très grande joie.

11 Un Sauveur vous est né aujourd’hui dans la ville de David; c’est lui le Messie, le Seigneur.

12 Et voici à quoi vous le reconnaîtrez: vous trouverez un nouveau-né dans ses langes et couché dans une mangeoire.

13 Et tout à coup apparut, aux côtés de l’ange, une multitude d’anges de l’armée céleste qui chantaient les louanges de Dieu:

14 Gloire à Dieu au plus haut des cieux!

Et paix sur la terre aux hommes qu’il aime.

15 Quand les anges les eurent quittés pour retourner au ciel, les bergers se dirent l’un à l’autre:

-Allons donc jusqu’à Bethléhem pour voir ce qui est arrivé, ce que le Seigneur nous a fait connaître.

16 Ils se dépêchèrent donc d’y aller et trouvèrent Marie et Joseph avec le nouveau-né couché dans une mangeoire.

17 Quand ils le virent, ils racontèrent ce qui leur avait été dit au sujet de cet enfant.

18 Tous ceux qui entendirent le récit des bergers en furent très étonnés.

19 Marie, elle, conservait le souvenir de toutes ces paroles et y repensait souvent.

20 Les bergers s’en retournèrent, louant et glorifiant Dieu au sujet de tout ce qu’ils avaient vu et entendu: c’était bien ce que l’ange leur avait annoncé.

La Bible du Semeur (BDS)

Copyright © 1999 by Biblica

Nativity Scene in Kaysersberg © French Moments
Nativity Scene in Kaysersberg, Alsace © French Moments

I pray this Christmas time will bring you a whole new revelation about the true meaning of the festive season. The message of Christmas is in fact a simple one. It changed my life and I hope it’ll change yours too! 🙂


 

Christmas in Paris ebook
Journey to the Land of Christmas
About the author

Pierre is a French/Australian who is passionate about France and its culture. He grew up in France and Germany and has also lived in Australia and England. He has a background teaching French, Economics and Current Affairs, and holds a Master of Translating and Interpreting English-French with the degree of Master of International Relations, and a degree of Economics and Management. Pierre is the author of Discovery Courses and books about France.

Like it? Leave a comment!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

{"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}

Transparency: Some blog posts and pages may contain affiliate or sponsored links. If you are planning a trip, the use of these links helps us to run the site. There is no additional cost to you. All you have to do is click on the link and any booking you make is automatically tracked. Thank you for your support!

Escape to France with every email! Get insider insights, travel guides, cultural gems delivered and exclusive offers to your inbox twice a week. Your journey to Paris and France begins when you sign up!

SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER AND GET THE FREE EBOOK

20 OFFBEAT PLACES IN PARIS

Ebook 20 amazing offbeat places in Paris front cover