Why Do We Celebrate Christmas? What’s So Special about Jesus?

In the beginning, God gave mankind dominion, or better said, authority to rule over earthly affairs. See Genesis 1:26-28, Psalm 8:4-6.  Mankind rebelled against God and handed over his authority to rule to Satan.  See Genesis 3, Luke 4:5-7.  Since the time of Adam and Eve, the devil has been exercising dominion over mankind, stealing, killing, and destroying.

God could not violate His Word in Genesis 1 where He delegated authority to man by taking the authority back.  When God decrees something, it is established.  Isaiah 55:10, 11 states that God’s Word accomplishes that for which He sends it.  It does not return to Him void.  God cannot break His Word.  It is a matter of personal integrity for Him.  Thus, God had to devise a legal way to free mankind from the devil’s dominion and control.  And, of course, this is where Jesus fits in.

Jesus had the right to exercise authority on the earth for two reasons:

1)  Jesus was born a man.  Remember, God gave mankind dominion over the earth.  But being a member of mankind was not enough because mankind sinned against God and gave up their right to rule.  Mankind’s sin made them a slave to the devil.

2)  So Jesus also had to be a sinless man.  While on earth, sinless Jesus rightly exercised the authority that sinless Adam and Eve once had (which is why Jesus is called the “second Adam.”).  Jesus was not born of an earthly father (Jesus' father was God Himself through the virgin birth) so He did not receive the sin nature that we receive from our earthly fathers.  We have a natural inclination toward evil.  Jesus did not, which explains how He could remain sinless.

As a result, the devil had NO authority over Jesus.  See John 14:30, 31:

30 I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming.  He has no hold on me, 31 but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me.

God asked Jesus to use His human authority to destroy the works of the devil.  See 1 John 3:8 ("The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.").

How did He destroy the devil’s work?  By healing people and delivering people from demon oppression and possession.  See Acts 10:38 ("How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.").

Ultimately God had an even bigger plan.  Because of mankind’s rebellion against God, mankind was doomed to eternal separation from God, otherwise known as the second death, or spiritual death because God is just and He must punish sin.  So even if Jesus healed a person or delivered them from a demon, the person would still be subject to eternal punishment in hell upon natural death to pay for their sin . . . UNLESS . . .

. . . a sinless member of mankind would be willing to take the punishment in mankind's place.  God could then legally pardon all sinners.

And God asked Jesus to do this.  Why?  Because God is love, desires to show mercy, and wishes that none perish.

God, nor angels, could have taken the punishment, only a member of mankind.  Jesus was eligible.  Although God Himself, Jesus was born of a woman which made Him also human.  The genius of God’s creation is that He made mankind in His own image so that He could be born as a member of mankind to save us.  God did not have to give up His divine sinless nature.

Ultimately, Jesus submitted His own desires and will to do what God asked of Him.  He gave His life for ours.  Why is He special?  Because without Him, we would all be lost.  Remember as you celebrate Christmas the wonderful gift of God in Jesus.  Blessings friends!