So why did God send His Son into the world?

The short answer is to bless it, to bring forgiveness of sin. But then what is that forgiveness for? It is about more than merely removing the stain of sin. Jesus came to reconnect us permanently to the living God. The very first evangelistic speech after Jesus’ death tells us why He came. Peter noted that the resurrection has returned Jesus to the right hand of God, where He gives the Spirit to indwell those who rejoice at His coming and receive what He offers by faith (Acts 2:33). The gospel is ultimately about not merely living forever, but coming to know and experience the Creator God in His goodness and grace. What makes the good news great is that God sent His Son, who is both Lord and Christ, to bring us back to Himself and reconcile us permanently to Him.

So when we celebrate the birth of Jesus, it is important to think about where the manger takes us. It takes us into the very courts of heaven. For those who embrace the hope Jesus brings, it takes us into God’s very presence, making us citizens of heaven (Colossians 3:1–4). His birth ultimately is about our rebirth. The Father through the Son gives us His Spirit, making us His holy saints through the gracious work of His Son. That is where the birth of Jesus finishes—with our entry into eternal life by faith, a life not just of duration, but of quality.