Christmas cannot remain a mystery.

Matthew 1:21-23

1. The mystery of Christmas is the Word of God becoming flesh and dwelling among us. Christmas is the day God came into this world in human form, revealing the profound mystery that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” This was not just a physical birth; it was the Son of God coming in human likeness to save humanity trapped in sin and death. This miraculous event took place when Mary confessed, “Let it be to me according to Your word.”

Today, the same miraculous work happens in the lives of those who, like Mary, confess, “Let it be to me according to Your word.” Through the work of the Holy Spirit, the reality of Christmas becomes alive in their hearts. This is because the Lord desires for us to be in Him and for Him to be in us. Through this union, we become one with the Lord and are called children of God.

As a result, like Jesus, we are called to love our brothers and live a life that saves others from sin. For a long time, I found it incredibly difficult to make the confession, “Let it be to me according to Your word.” But I realized that if I couldn’t make such a confession, I was living as a hypocrite. So, to be honest with myself, I finally said, “Let it be to me according to Your word,” and my spirit was set free.

This led me to experience the joy of living in Christ—a life I had never known before. Wouldn’t you make the same confession today? “Let it be to me according to Your word.”

2. The Message of Christmas: Two Names—Jesus and Immanuel

The message of Christmas is found in two names: Jesus and Immanuel. The name “Jesus” means “the one who will save His people from their sins,” and “Immanuel” means “God with us.” Jesus came to save us from sin and death. Sin is not merely a collection of wrongful actions; it stems from a heart that does not believe in or revere God. Those who revere God live in truth and love, while those who remain bound by sin live in hatred and falsehood depending on their circumstances.

Through Christmas, Jesus forgives our sins and empowers us to live a new life. Moreover, because God is invisible, people often fail to recognize that He is with us. Yet, by taking on flesh, Jesus revealed to us that God is indeed among us. After Jesus’ resurrection, He continues to make His presence known through His church, allowing us to experience Him walking with us even today.

Dear believers, may people look at you and confess, “Now I know that God is with us because I see Him in you.” I pray that through your lives, others will be able to make this heartfelt confession.

3. The True Meaning of Christmas

The meaning of Christmas can no longer be confined to a mysterious event. People often think of concepts like love, truth, and light in abstract terms, assuming they understand them. However, their lives may be far removed from these ideals. Yet Jesus revealed God’s love in a tangible way, His actions embodied truth, and His light shone into the darkness for those lost in it.

Now, the church is a community that reveals Jesus, the Word made flesh, to the world. As the body of Christ, the church must follow His example by demonstrating love, truth, and light in ways that are concrete, relational, and experiential. Therefore, we must not fall into the folly of relegating Christmas to a mere mysterious event. As we celebrate Christmas in 2024, let us earnestly desire that the love, truth, and light of Jesus are authentically revealed in our lives.

Therefore, the mystery of Christmas is not merely an event of the past but a living, breathing reality in our lives today—a marvelous work of God revealed to the world through us.

Yesterday, I had a conversation with Hanson Joe, my neighbor. I had thought he lived with his daughter and grandchildren, but that wasn’t the case. While involved in prison ministry, he came across a woman whose husband was incarcerated and, moved by her difficult situation, invited her to live in his home. It was because Jesus lives within him that he could do such a thing. Jesus was present in Hanson Joe, and like Mary, he lived out the confession, “Let it be to me according to Your word.”

May we all make the same confession: “Let it be to me according to Your word.” Let us love one another in truth, live as children of the light, and be filled with the Holy Spirit.

I pray that this Christmas will be one where the Jesus who lives within you is shown to those close to you—your family, friends, and neighbors. Amen!