And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also sent up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And. lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
St. Luke, Chapter 2 Verses 1-20

What Does Christmas Mean To You?
By Carey Kinsolving

"Christmas is a birthday party," says Ashley, age 11. "It's Jesus' birthday. At my church, we get a big birthday cake for Jesus."

Ashley, you've got it right. Christmas is party time. It's time to celebrate God's successful invasion of planet Earth. Yes, "invasion" because the Son of God entered hostile territory. In fact, after Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph took their baby boy and fled to Egypt.

King Herod didn't like the idea of someone else being called king of the Jews. He ordered that all the male children in Bethlehem 2 years old and younger be killed, but Jesus had already escaped.

"I like to wake up on Christmas morning and pray because I know today represents Jesus' birth," says Bethany, 9. "I thank God for Jesus and my family."

How many kids (or even adults) wake up praying on Christmas morning? I'm impressed.

Kendall, 9, takes a more typical course of action: "One thing that Mom and Dad haven't gotten used to yet is us kids waking them up at 4 a.m. or 3 a.m. to open presents."

Who needs sleep when there are presents to open? "Christmas means getting clothes and stuff, and trying to wear it all on the first day back to school," says Grace, 11.

But that's not all from Grace. Christmas is also "bugging your siblings when there is nothing else to do on snowy days. It means asking your mother over and over how many days until Christmas."

It's easy to get so caught up in all the fun of Christmas traditions that we forget the reason for the season. Jesus is the Messiah that God promised. Wise men from the East knew this when they brought the Christ child gifts that symbolized his identity and mission.

In the ancient East, a person of lower position always brought a gift when approaching a superior. Gold has long been the precious metal of royalty. Frankincense was one of the spices in the incense burned daily in Israel's temple. And myrrh was used to anoint the body of Jesus for burial. Many have seen the royalty, deity and death of Jesus in the wise men's gifts.

"When I look up at the stars, I see a big star, and then it reminds me of Jesus," says Jed, 7. The wise men followed a star. At the time of Jesus' birth, spectacular celestial displays were commonly associated with the birth of someone great.

An Old Testament messianic prophecy predicted, "A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel" (Numbers 24:17). Jesus called himself "the Bright and Morning Star" and "the Offspring of David" (Revelation 22:16).

The Apostle Peter calls the prophetic testimony concerning Jesus a "light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts" (II Peter 1:19). We grope in darkness until light from the bright morning star pierces our hearts. "In Him (Jesus) was life, and the life was the light of men" (John 1:4).

"Christmas means a time of giving love and thanks that Jesus was born to die for our sins," says Ryan (age unknown). "It's a time where we get together and thank the Lord. It's also a time to show love to our families and exchange gifts."

As Ryan stated, "Jesus was born to die for our sins." This is the essence of the Christmas story. Don't miss out on God's greatest gift to us.

Point to ponder: Jesus is God's greatest gift to the world.

Scripture to remember: "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Question to consider: Have you received God's greatest gift?

Carey Kinsolving is a syndicated columnist, producer, author, speaker and website developer. To see more articles like this one, visit http://www.KidsTalkAboutGod.org/ColumnArchive.aspx The Kids Talk About God website contains free, online content for children and families. See Carey’s Kid TV Interviews. Print free lessons from the "Kids Color Me Bible" and make your own book. Let an 11-year-old girl take you on a trip around the world in the Mission Explorers Streaming Video. Print Scripture verses illustrated by child artists. Receive a complimentary, weekly e-mail subscription to our Devotional Bible Lessons.

Bible quotations in this Bible lesson are from the New King James Version.

Copyright 2006 Carey Kinsolving Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carey_Kinsolving

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