So many circumstances can lead to a lack of zeal for an upcoming holiday. A death or division in the family, an illness or financial stress can cause people to dread rather than eagerly await any “celebrations.”

Because of our Christian faith, we can always look forward to the remembrances of the birth of Christ and we can anticipate the familiar music that helps us sing praises to our Savior. I also love the fact that my family will be together, even though this year there’s one less to point us all to Christ. In the midst of our grief, there will still be decorations that inspire joy and opportunities to fellowship with others who understand the grace offered to us at the birth of Christ.

When the Lord brought me to faith in Him, it was because He had so clearly shown me my sin. After trying like crazy to relieve myself of the guilt for a couple of years (by doing exhausting good works), He reminded me of the account of the birth of our Savior in Matthew 1.

After Mary conceived and Joseph had learned about it, he was of a mind to divorce her quietly (Matthew 1:19).  Then, Matthew 1:20-23 says, “But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins’ (emphasis mine). So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us’” (emphasis mine).

Jesus is called our Savior “For He will save His people from their sins.”  This is the message we need to talk about at Christmas.  Every single person ever born must deal with his/her sin.  Romans 3:10 says, “None is righteous, no, not one.”  And Romans 3:23 says that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”  Before the Lord got ahold of me I was one who thought I was a good person that didn’t have to worry about judgment or where I would go when I died.  No one – and I was in church every Sunday for most of my life – told me that I had a sin problem.

The truth is that everyone has a sin problem.

To hear and to trust that “God is with us” is a wonderful faith. However, too many today seem to think that this means that there is nothing for us to worry about, He is here waiting to take us all to heaven. That is only true if a person has placed her faith in Jesus Christ as the One who has come to save her from her sin.

Christians, we have a responsibility to teach these things, especially to our children, but also to any “neighbor” we can involve in a conversation. Often, Christmas offers us more opportunity to communicate  engage people in conversation about what we are celebrating. It requires, for many in unbelieving families or circles of influence, a little more boldness and grace.

Sadly, in our culture the truth of the relationship of our sin and Christ’s birth is new news.  We have to remember that it is THE Good News that everyone needs to hear about. Do those in your sphere of influence —  your children, grandchildren, neighbors, and co-workers — know that Jesus came as the God-man in order to be crucified as a substitute for sinners?  If you will trust Him, His advent, death, and resurrection was to save you from your sin.

Will we be gracious truth-tellers this Christmas?