What’s the best part of the Christmas story?

• Is it angels appearing everywhere?
• Is it Mary’s response to the angel?
• Is it Joseph’s willingness to walk by faith and do the honorable thing?
• Is it that God chose shepherds to be the first to hear about the birth of Jesus? (They were on the low end of the socio-economic scale.)
• Is it angels singing in the heavens?
• Is it wise men worshipping Jesus?
• Is it words like peace, joy, and good news?

While these are all wonderful parts of the Christmas story, they are not the best part of the story.

The best part of the story is recorded in John 1. We usually associate the Christmas story with Matthew 1-2 and Luke 1-2. But John 1 records the most profound statement in the Christmas story. It’s the statement that changes everything.

The best part of the Christmas story is summed up in one sentence in John 1:14.

So the Word became human and made his home among us.

Literally, the first phrase reads, “The Word became flesh.” Jesus became one of us. He lived in a human body. And the second phrase literally reads, “set up his tent among us.”

Jesus became one of us!

The implications of that are far reaching. He became human so He could die as our substitute. God the Father required a sinless sacrifice to pay for our sins. But in order for someone to be a substitute for us, He had to be one of us. Jesus came to save us from our sin.

Additionally, because Jesus became human, He understands us. He understands our struggles, our hurts, our pain, our temptations, our anger, and our joy. He literally has been one of us.

There is so much richness in the Christmas story. But don’t forget the best part. Jesus set up His tent among us! 

Whatever it takes,

Jerry