Christmas: Birth of the King and the Freedom to Rejoice [Bible Study]
- Rev. Bruce A. Shields
- 11 minutes ago
- 5 min read
Bible Study Title: Christmas: Birth of the King and the Freedom to Rejoice
SCRIPTURE FOCUS
Luke 1:26–33
“Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming in, he said to her, ‘Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.’ But she was very perplexed at this statement, and was pondering what kind of greeting this was. And the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and there will be no end of His kingdom.’”
OPENING QUESTION
When you hear Christians argue against celebrating Christmas, what concerns or questions surface in your own heart?
BACKGROUND
The birth of Jesus Christ is not presented in Scripture as a sentimental detail but as a decisive moment in redemptive history. Luke anchors the event in real geography, real people, and divine initiative. God sends a messenger, not to a palace, but to a young woman in Nazareth. Christmas is not the invention of culture but the announcement of the incarnation. The Son of God enters human history to reclaim a throne, fulfill covenant promises, and establish an eternal kingdom.
KEY POINTS
I. GABRIEL, THE MESSENGER OF UNDERSTANDING
Who is Gabriel?
Gabriel is an angel, a messenger sent by God. Scripture uses the term “angel” for both heavenly beings and human messengers, but Gabriel’s identity is clarified by his repeated appearances across redemptive history.
Gabriel first appears in Daniel 8 and Daniel 9 to explain visions that Daniel cannot understand on his own. Revelation is not grasped by intellect alone. Understanding comes by grace, mediated through God’s appointed means, and received in humility.
James 4:6 “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
When Gabriel appears to Zechariah and later to Mary, his role is consistent. He explains divine action that transcends human categories.
Luke 1:19 “And the angel answered and said to him, ‘I am Gabriel, who stands before God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.’”
The word translated “stands” carries the sense of waiting in attentive service before a superior. Gabriel is not autonomous. He is a created being, sent by God, serving God’s purposes.
Though Gabriel appears in human form and is described as sounding and looking like a man in Daniel 8:16 and
Daniel 9:21, angels are spiritual beings.
Hebrews 1:14 “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?”
Angels are genderless in essence. Masculine appearance reflects manifestation, not nature. This differs from the symbolic visions of seraphim in Isaiah 6:1–3 and cherubim in Ezekiel 1:1–12, whose forms communicate theological meaning rather than human familiarity.
Even so, Gabriel’s presence inspires fear. Daniel falls facedown. Zechariah is startled. Mary is perplexed. Divine revelation humbles human pride.
II. THE MESSAGE ABOUT JESUS
Gabriel’s announcement reveals who Jesus is before He is born.
He will be great.He will be called the Son of the Most High.He will receive the throne of His father David.He will reign forever.
Both Joseph and Mary belong to the house of David. Legally through Joseph and biologically through Mary, Jesus fulfills the Davidic covenant. He is fully man, sharing our bloodline, and fully God, sharing the divine nature.
This union is not God diminished, but God incarnate. Finite minds struggle with this mystery, yet Scripture affirms it plainly. The birth of Jesus is the necessary beginning of redemption. Without incarnation, there is no cross. Without the cross, there is no new covenant. Christmas celebrates the arrival of the Redeemer who would later shed His blood to reconcile sinners to God.
III. IS CHRISTMAS PAGAN?
The accusation surfaces every year. Scripture offers clarity rather than suspicion.
The word “pagan” originally referred to rural villagers, not a unified religious system. Modern paganism traces largely to nineteenth and twentieth century movements, not ancient cohesive worship. Christmas, by contrast, is historically Christian, recognized as early as AD 336 in Rome and widely celebrated by the ninth century.
Symbols do not belong to Satan by default. God is Creator of all things. Paul addressed similar fears in Corinth.
1 Corinthians 8:4–6 “So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that ‘An idol is nothing at all in the world’ and that ‘There is no God but one.’ For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.”
Objects are not defiled by association. They are defiled by devotion. What is offered to false gods is sinful. What is offered to the Lord is sanctified.
Paul addresses this again in Romans.
Romans 14:14 “I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is defiled in itself.”
If a day is observed for the Lord, it is not sin. If food is eaten with thanksgiving, it is not corruption. Christmas, when observed to honor Christ, is an act of worship.
IV. REMEMBERING CHRIST, NOT FEARING ACCUSATION
St. Nicholas of Myra was not folklore but a historical Christian bishop known for generosity, orthodoxy, and courage. He suffered imprisonment for his faith and stood against Arianism at Nicaea, where the truth of Christ’s deity was defended and confessed.
The Nicene Creed arose because the Church refused to surrender the truth that Jesus is God. Christmas rests on that same confession.
Satan has always attempted to counterfeit what belongs to God. Marriage, creation, even the rainbow have been distorted. Scripture warns that deception will increase, not decrease. Yet believers are not called to retreat from good gifts, but to reclaim them for the glory of God.
APPLICATION
How you celebrate matters less than whom you celebrate. Christmas is an opportunity to proclaim incarnation, redemption, and kingdom hope. Refusing to celebrate does not make one more holy. Celebrating Christ faithfully brings glory to God.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Why does God consistently send messengers to explain His actions rather than leaving humanity to speculate?
How does Gabriel’s description of Jesus guard against denying either His humanity or His deity?
What does Romans 14 teach us about Christian freedom and responsibility?
How can Christmas be used intentionally to share the gospel rather than merely preserve tradition?
MEMORY VERSE
Romans 14:17–18 “For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who in this way serves Christ is pleasing to God and approved by men.”
PRAYER FOCUS
Give thanks for the incarnation of Christ. Ask for wisdom to use freedom faithfully. Pray for boldness to proclaim the gospel during the Christmas season, and for humility to walk in love toward fellow believers.
CLOSING SCRIPTURE
Colossians 3:23–24 “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. Serve the Lord Christ.”
CONCLUDING THOUGHT
Christmas is not about defending tradition. It is about declaring truth. The Son of God was born, lived among us, died for us, rose again, and reigns forever.
Merry Christmas.
ENDNOTES
The Holy Bible, Legacy Standard Bible, Luke 1:26–33; James 4:6; Hebrews 1:14; 1 Corinthians 8:4–6; Romans 14; Colossians 3:23–24.
Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies, Book III, Chapter 11.
Britannica, “Christmas,” historical development and early Christian observance.
Comments