Christmas means many different things to people.

When I was a child, I thought as a child. And the thing I looked forward to the most was a break from the schedule of school life. When my children were all small, I enjoyed the season through their innocence.

Maybe your Christmas season is focused on your favorite foods, sales, gifts, and presents. But, “maybe Christmas doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more” (the Grinch, Dr. Seuss). Yes, Christmas means so much more than things that come from a store. The first six letters should matter more than them all.

Without the recognition and worship of Christ, the Christmas season quickly digresses from the holiness of Advent to just another event.

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The good news is that the real meaning of Christmas is found in Christ and His Word.

Christmas means anticipation.

To anticipate is to eagerly look forward to something. In your mind, you enjoy the experience before it actually happens.

Think about how a child looks forward to Christmas day. Anticipation sets their imagination on fire.

Think about the anticipation of the young Virgin Mary. Anticipating her Savior’s birth, she said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior” (Luke 1:46-47).

However, we cannot stop with joy-filled anticipation because Christmas means more.

Christmas also means identification.

God chose to identify with mankind in the most human way possible. He wrapped Himself up in human flesh and moved into our neighborhood. Indeed, “the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John. 1:14).

Jesus identified with the likeness of our frail humanity. He was “touched with the feelings of our infirmities,” and was “in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). BUT “God made Jesus who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Jesus identified with our sinfulness so we could be identified with God’s goodness. He became one of us, so He could become one with us.

The identification of Christmas leads us to the most important meaning of all. It was the intent “from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8).

Christmas finds its ultimate meaning in reconciliation.

Romans 5:11 says, “we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.”

Reconciliation is a relationship word. It means to heal and restore a broken relationship. Once reconciled, harmony exists.

Jesus’ death purchased our salvation and made our reconciliation with God a reality.

Reconciliation is also a banking term. When the bank’s statement balance doesn’t agree with yours, it cannot be ignored. The balances must be reconciled.

My soul was indebted with sin beyond my ability to repair. But Christ is the Great Reconciler and love settled (balanced) my account long ago.

Because of His love shed abroad in our hearts, we tell others. God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting people’s sins against them and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we beg you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God (see 2 Corinthians 5:19-20).

Everyone you know needs this peace-with-God message to for their soul’s reconciliation.

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God has given us the gift of meaning. It’s simple. Let’s not complicate Christmas with materialism.

Reconciliation is what our virgin-conceived, barn-born King was aiming for all along. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). He came “to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).

The Son of God became the Son of Man so that the children of men could become the children of God. And that, my friend, is the greatest love story ever told. It is the meaning of Christmas.

To hear the audio of how I actually preached this content, simply click here.