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 The Message of Christmas
Matthew 1:18-25
 
 

Matthew 1:18 through Matthew 1:25 (KJV)
18Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was 
espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the 
Holy Ghost. 19Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make 
her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. 20But while he thought 
on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, 
saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for 
that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 21And she shall bring forth 
a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from 
their sins. 22Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken 
of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and 
shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being 
interpreted is, God with us. 24Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the 
angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: 25And knew her not 
till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.
 
 
This story deals with a rather old fashioned lady, who was planning a couple of 
weeks vacation in Florida. She also was quite delicate and elegant with her 
language. She wrote a letter to a particular campground and asked for 
reservations. She wanted to make sure the campground was fully equipped but 
didn't know quite how to ask about the "toilet" facilities. She just couldn't 
bring herself to write the word "toilet" in her letter. After much deliberation, 
she finally came up with the old fashioned term "Bathroom Commode," but when she 
wrote that down, she still thought she was being too forward. So she started all 
over again; rewrote the entire letter and referred to the Bathroom Commode" 
simply as the "B.C.". Does the campground have its own "B.C.?" is what she 
actually wrote. Well, the campground owner wasn't old fashioned at all, and then 
he got the letter, he couldn't figure out what the lady was talking about. That 
"B.C." really stumped him. After worrying about it for several days, he showed 
the letter to other campers, but they couldn't figure out what the lady meant 
either. The campground owner finally came to the conclusion that the lady was 
and must be asking about the location of the local Baptist Church. So he sat 
down and wrote the following reply: "Dear Madam: I regret very much the delay in 
answering your letter, but I now take pleasure of informing in that the "B.C." 
is located nine miles north of the camp site and is capable of seating 250 
people at one time. I admit it is quite a distance away if you are in the habit 
of going regularly but no doubt you will be pleased to know that a great number 
of people take their lunches along, and make a day of it..... They usually 
arrive early and stay late. The last time my wife and I went was six years ago, 
and it was so crowded we had to stand up the whole time we were there. It may 
interest you to know that right now, there is a supper planned to raise money to 
buy more seats.....They plan to hold the supper in the middle of the B.C., so 
everyone can watch and talk about this great event.....I would like to say it 
pains me very much, not to be able to go more regularly, but it is surely not 
for lack of desire on my part....As we grow older, it seems to be more and more 
of an effort, particularly in cold weather..... If you decide to come down to 
the campground, perhaps I could go with you the first time you go...sit with 
you...and introduce you to all the other folks..... This is really a very 
friendly community.....
 
Author Unknown
 
This one woman had difficulty communicating exactly what she wanted.  Her 
miscommunication kept her from getting her message across.  Today we live in a 
world of conflicting messages.  Even about this most Holy of holidays, the 
celebration of Christmas.  
 
The world  has perverted the message of Christmas to the point where it is as 
unrecognizable as that ladies water closet.  Christmas in our society is no 
longer about Christ, but rather it is about money.  
 
An article in the Cincinnati Enquirer recently told how a federal judge ruled 
that “Christmas has become so secular that the government does not violate the 
Constitution by declaring it a federal legal holiday.”  The ruling was brought 
about because of a lawsuit saying that making Christmas a legal holiday was 
unconstitutional because it was a religious holiday.  Judge Susan J. Dlott 
determined that Christmas could be a public holiday because it has a secular 
purpose, does not advance nor inhibit religion as its primary effect, nor does 
it foster an excessive government entanglement with religion.  
 
What a sad state we are in when the celebration of Christmas is relegated to 
“just another legal holiday.”  There is a message to Christmas, and contrary to 
the advertisers and merchants, that message is not about a jolly old elf who 
parades around in a red suit doing benevolent deeds.  It’s not about buying 
gifts, and it’s not about Rudolph or Frosty, or any of their friends.  There is 
a message to Christmas, but it’s not being communicated to the world.   Today 
I’d like to talk a little about what the message of Christmas is, using God’s 
Word as our base for discussion.  The message of Christmas is a message of 
provision, promise, and of peace.
 
A Message of Provision  (Luke 1:5-26)



 
Luke 1:13 (KJV)
13But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and 
thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
 
Luke 1:13 shows us how God provided for Zacharias.  The background passage is a 
story we are familiar with, Zacharias was praying desperately for a son.  The 
angels appeared and announced to Zacharias that his prayers had been answered.  
God had provided for his needs.  Not only did this provide Zacharias’ needs, it 
also provided the fulfillment of prophecy.
 

Malachi 3:1 (KJV)
1Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and 
the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of 
the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of 
hosts.
 
This is the message of Christmas today.  God will provide.   It doesn’t matter 
what our needs are or what our circumstances are, God will provide our needs.  
He met the needs of all of mankind by sending Jesus to be born of a virgin on 
the first Christmas day.  This is the message of Christmas.  This is the reason 
to celebrate the season.  Without Christ we would have no provision.
 
A Message of Promise (Luke 2:26-38)
 
 

Luke 2:28 through Luke 2:35 (KJV)
28Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, 29Lord, now 
lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: 30For mine eyes 
have seen thy salvation, 31Which thou hast prepared before the face of all 
people; 32A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. 
33And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him. 
34And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is 
set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall 
be spoken against; 35(Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that 
the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
 
 
What a promise!  Every mother wants her child to become someone, to do something 
great, to leave his or her mark on the world.  What was revealed in this 
scripture was a message of promise.  Mary was raising the promise of the world!
 
Vince Prentz says: 
  About a year and a half ago, I bought a new navy blazer at Nordstrom. It was 
one of those cases you may have gone through where you buy an item of clothing 
and the more you wear it, the more you realize you don't like it. My blazer 
wasn't the right color, and to make matters worse, it attracted lint like it was 
going out of style. After wearing it pretty regularly for six months or so, I 
stuck it in my closet and didn't wear it for a long time. 
   Tucked away in the back of my mind all the while was that famous Nordstrom 
unconditional-return policy. I thought, I've had this thing for a year and a 
half. I've worn it lots of times, and there's just no way they're going to take 
it back. About two weeks ago I decided I had nothing to lose. I pulled the 
blazer out, threw a lot of lint on it to make it look bad, and took it down to 
Nordstrom's men's department. I walked in, and immediately I felt nervous. I 
felt like I was about to pull a scam of some sort, but I played it straight. I 
walked right up to the first salesman I saw and gave this little prepared 
speech. I said, "I am about to put your famous unconditional-return policy to 
its ultimate test. I have here a blazer. I've worn it lots. I've had it for a 
year and a half. I don't like it. It's the wrong color, and it attracts lint 
like it's going out of style. But I want to return this blazer for another 
blazer that I like." Then I stood there. 
   I couldn't believe it. This guy with a big handlebar mustache just looked at 
me and shook his head. He said, "For heaven's sake, what took you so long? Let's 
go find you a blazer." Ten minutes later I walked out with another blazer that 
was marked seventy-five dollars more than I paid for the one that I brought in. 
It was perfect for me. Didn't cost me a penny. God is like Nordstrom. 
   God makes all sorts of outlandish promises that we cannot bring ourselves to 
believe. Can we? When we get up enough courage or we're desperate enough, we 
finally take him at his word. He looks at us and he shakes his head. "For 
heaven's sake," he says, "what took you so long?" 
 
   -- Vic Pentz, "A Twinge of Nostalgia," Preaching Today, Tape No. 88.
 
We need a promise today that we can count on.  Agreements are broken as a matter 
of course in today’s society.  Families are torn apart when the promise to stay 
together falls through.  Consumers lose money when merchandise doesn’t perform 
as promised.  It seems that today it’s rare to take a man at his word, but the 
promise symbolized in Christmas is a promise we can count on.
 
Our eternal promise is found in Christmas.  Jesus is the promise to fulfill all 
promises.  He was promised to Israel, and that promise has been extended to us 
as well.  The message of Christmas is a message of promise.
 
A Message of Peace (Mat 1:18-25)
 

Matthew 1:19 through Matthew 1:21 (KJV)
19Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a 
public example, was minded to put her away privily. 20But while he thought on 
these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, 
saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for 
that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 21And she shall bring forth 
a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from 
their sins.
 
Long ago a man sought the perfect picture of peace. Not  finding one that 
satisfied, he announced a contest to produce this masterpiece. The challenge 
stirred the imagination of artists everywhere, and paintings arrived from far 
and wide. Finally the great day of revelation arrived. The judges uncovered one 
peaceful scene after another, while the viewers clapped and cheered.
The tensions grew. Only two pictures remained veiled. As a judge pulled the 
cover from one, a hush fell over the crowd. A mirror-smooth lake reflected lacy, 
green birches under the soft blush of the evening sky. Along the grassy shore, a 
flock of sheep grazed undisturbed. Surely this was the winner.
The man with the vision uncovered the second painting himself, and the crowd 
gasped in surprise. Could this be peace? 
A tumultuous waterfall cascaded down a rocky precipice; the crowd could almost 
feel its cold, penetrating spray. Stormy-grey clouds threatened to explode with 
lightning, wind and rain. In the midst of the thundering noises and bitter 
chill, a spindly tree clung to the rocks at the edge of the falls. One of its 
branches reached out in front of the torrential waters as if foolishly seeking 
to experience its full power.
A little bird had built a nest in the elbow of that branch. Content and 
undisturbed in her stormy surroundings, she rested on her eggs. With her eyes 
closed and her wings ready to cover her little ones, she manifested peace that 
transcends all earthly turmoil.
·        A Wardrobe from the King, Berit Kjos, Page 45-46
Joseph was surrounded by turmoil much as this bird was, but the Angel gave to 
him a promise that allowed him to feel peace in the midst of his difficulties.  
Peace seems to be more a matter of wishful thinking these days than an actual 
reality.  Our armed forces are stretched thinner today than they have ever been 
in our history, including during wartime.  We are in numerous countries “keeping 
the peace.”  But can we keep peace?  Can we bring peace to this fractious world 
in which we live?  
We cannot, but Christmas is the promise of peace.  Christ, who is at the center 
of Christmas, will bring peace.  First to our hearts, then to our world.  
This year at Christmas, remember the true messages.  Christmas is a message of 
provision, a message of promise, and a message of peace.
 
 
Contact revmims@claimthevictory.org 
Copyright © 1999 Claim The Victory Ministries
South Peninsula Baptist Church
Daytona Beach, FL