Matthew 1:22-23

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

Psst…. We are NOW fully able to focus on Christmas. Thanksgiving is past. Black Friday has come and gone. Halloween candy is still populating a big bucket in your house. NOW Christmas gets center stage. It’s time to decorate. Put up the tree. Hang the lights. Blast the Christmas music on KOSI 101.1 or Spotify. If you have been holding back, now is the time.

But if you have already been dabbling in Christmas music, perhaps turned on a twinkly light or two, or have even (gasp!!!) put up the tree, good for you! I fully approve. You know why? Because Christmas is a big deal.

Matthew 1 tells us exactly why Christmas is a big deal. God is with us now. God has promised for hundreds of years he would send his Son as the Savior of the world. People waited and waited. And then he came, just as God promised he would. He came bursting into this world in the same way you and I came into this world. He was born. He was born of a virgin. God’s Son put on a garment of flesh and blood to become one of us and to be with us. That’s a big deal. That’s worth celebrating.

Jesus’ birth into this world means God is with you always. He’s with you when you face struggles in life. He’s with you in every valley of life and not just on the mountaintops. He’s with you when you are alone and facing all that the world throws at you. God is with you now and always.

So yes, string up the lights, put up the tree, and blast the Christmas music. Jesus is born. God is with you. Let’s celebrate!