This year Christmas is different. The place where Jesus was born in Bethlehem is not as lively as before because of the war in Gaza Palestine between Hamas & Israel. The place where Jesus grew up, lived, ministered to others in Israel and Palestine are now having war. This Christmas season suppose to be celebration of Jesus Christ birth with many tourist pilgrims going to Israel & Bethlehem. But now with the war ongoing, is not possible. Do the people living in Israel and Palestine know Jesus? Do they believe He is God, son of God? Even though Christianity originates from Israel yet majority of Israelis don’t believe in Jesus. Israel most of them are Jews. Palestine most of them are Muslim. They don’t believe Jesus is God. They don’t know the real meaning of Christmas.

Today, I am going to share why it is important for them and people around the world to know who Jesus is. The significance of Christmas. Christmas is about Peace, Love, Joy. God wants you to have peace, love and joy not hatred, not war, not death, not darkness. He wants you to have light.

Do you believe in prophecy? Jews, Muslim, Christian believe in prophecy. But the Jews, Muslim didn’t realize that what was prophesy many years ago by the prophets were fulfilled with Jesus Christ birth & life while in this earth. The Bible is a living prophecy of many things that was said by many prophets and come to be true. One of the prophet is Isaiah. He prophesy of Jesus birth. He said in Isaiah 9:2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.

This prophecy was fulfilled with Jesus birth at night when it was dark in Luke 2:8-12. 8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

From these verses, we know that Jesus birth was at night during watch night where shepherds were keeping watch over their flocks from predators. Jesus birth was not during the day light. Have you ever wonder why Jesus birth was not during day time? Why at night? Is because God wants us to remember His birth, He is the Light in Darkness. He came to become Savior for the world. That night the glory of His light shine brightly with the angels appearance to the shepherds telling them of His birth & there was shining bright light star guiding them in the darkness leading them to where Jesus birth location was in a manger.

Now let’s look at Why is Jesus name call Jesus? What’s the significance? Jesus means Savior saving people from their sins. God had sent an angel to appear in Joseph dream telling him to accept Mary’s baby and name him Jesus in Matthew 1:20-21 20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”.

In difficult tough times full of darkness where the people were suffering, God sent his son Jesus to come down as a baby, growing up to become man to experience the hardship, pain, suffering with His people. He is with us. He is Immanuel meaning God with us.