I wonder what Christmas means to a mother who has lost her husband, who must take care of three or four children, working every day, never quite getting everything done, never making ends meet. What does Christmas mean to her?

I wonder what Christmas means to the little man in Zimbabwe, 80 years old, living in a hut, who knows nothing of shopping malls or Christmas trees. What does Christmas mean to him?

I wonder what it means to little Korean children with smudges on their cheeks and sparkling eyes that look up in wonder as you walk past. What does Christmas mean to them?

I wonder what Christmas means to missionaries half a world away from families and friends who sacrifice so much to take the precious gospel message to others who have never heard it. What does it mean to them?

I’m sure that it means different things to different people.

To merchants it is the busiest time of the year. Stores stay open longer and hire extra people to accommodate all the shoppers. It means more profit, hopefully enough profit to see them through lean times ahead.

For some employees it means a Christmas bonus, a little more money in their pockets to do things that they want to do.

For many teenagers and adults it is a time of fun and parties. For children it is a time of impatience, with time seeming to pass so slowly as they wait for Christmas morning.

What is Christmas to you? Christmas should be about family and friends and, of course, giving, but far above all else Christmas is about our Lord Jesus Christ and His miraculous birth.

But think about Christmas without Jesus. Without Jesus’ birth there would, of course, be no Christmas and without Christmas there would be no Cross. Without Christmas there would be no resurrection. Without Christmas, there would be no salvation, no forgiveness for our sins, and no hope for heaven.

Without Christmas there would be no Bible, there would be no churches, there would be no pastors. Without Christmas there would be no deacons, no Christmas carols, no Christmas trees, decorations or presents. Without Christmas there would be no choirs, no Christian colleges or hospitals, no missionaries or Christian missions.

What is Christmas then? It is everything because He is everything to us.

John 1:14: “And 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 1:3-4: “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.”

Watch sermons and read sermon texts and other articles on www.tomahawkmbc.com. Listen to Pastor Jack’s sermons on WSIP FM 98.9 every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Watch his sermons on Facebook by going to his page.