Christmas Faith

A popular Christmas poem begins like this:

‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house
Not a creature was stirring not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care
In hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there.

Is this what Christmas is all about? I am afraid that it is for many people. Most Americans see Christmas as a time to get the items on their wish list. It is a wait for the arrival of jolly old St. Nick. However, Christmas is not truly about any of that. Christmas is about the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ; it is about the coming of the Savior; it is about the coming of the King of Kings who was born and laid in a manger; it is about the coming of Immanuel, God with us; Christmas is about the fulfillment of God’s promises in the Lord Jesus Christ.

One of the most familiar promises in the Old Testament concerning the coming of Christ is found in Isaiah 7:14-16. The real issue that confronts us in this passage is having faith in the Lord’s promises. Could the Lord be trusted to do what He had promised?

In the verses preceding, Ahaz, king of Judah, is told to ask for a sign. In this case, seeking a sign from God is not testing the Lord but is an expression of faith. Ahaz is called to respond in faith to the Word of God spoken by Isaiah. Ahaz is called to act as one who believes the Lord, but Ahaz refuses and presents his refusal with spiritual words (v. 12). However, the Lord offers a sign and that is not the same as seeking a sign. Ahaz was so entrenched in his unbelief that he refused the offer. His words of response are spiritual words from an unbelieving man.

As Isaiah makes clear in v. 13, the only way we can have the Lord is to trust Him. We must trust His word and demonstrate that trust through our obedience. Ahaz was trying the patience of God. It is here that we come to this sign of the virgin birth. In its context, it is a sign not to persuade for faith but to confirm the lack of faith. It is a confirmation of God’s displeasure and the failure of Ahaz.

A virgin would be with Child and bear a son and His name would be called Immanuel, God with us (v. 14). The fulfillment is seen in Matt. 1:23 in the birth of Jesus. The Son of God would be born into this world by a virgin. He would be reared in dire poverty, eating curds and honey.

Connected to His coming is the destruction of those who do not believe (vv. 16-17). The house of David was on the brink of unparalleled disaster due to the sinful failure of unbelief. Jesus was born because the house of David failed. Jesus was born because the human race had failed. All of us have sinned and come short of the glory of God. The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Christmas is all about faith; it is about faith in Christ to do what no other could do, to bring salvation to a fallen and failing human race.