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Is it possible to write something new about what brings us together with Christmas? Isn’t everything already known? There is no Christian festival, that is loved so much as Christmas. There are many habits and traditions connected to it. Their origin and meaning we know from the history.

In the first three centuries Christians only celebrated the Easter festival in the Christian world. First, they started in the fourth century in Rome on the 25th of December to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. The original Latin name sounds like “dies nativitatis, natalis”.

The German word for Christmas is “Weihnachten” that means “blessed night”. This name relates back to the twelve nights after the winter – sunturn. As Christians, we celebrate the festival of the incarnation of our Lord and Saviour. That is why we also speak of the ‘holy night’.

There is a history before Christmas begins. The actual happening starts with the report of the birth of John the Baptist. During his service in the temple, an angel said unto Zacharias “Thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son” (Luke 1:5-25). When Elisabeth his wife, who was also well stricken in years, was six months pregnant, the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, a virgin in Nazareth and said, that she will through the conception by the Holy Ghost bear a son (Luke 1:26-38). Mary visits Elisabeth and stays with her for three months (Luke 1:39-56). Elisabeth brings a son into the world, whose name is John (Luke 1:57-66).

The birth of Jesus (Luke 2:1-20): Because of a taxation registration under the emperor Augustus, Joseph and his pregnant wife Mary have to go to Bethlehem where his grandparents had lived. The child was born there under the most poorest circumstances, his cradle was a feed trough.  Angels proclaimed this happening to the shepherds    in the field. The shepherds find the child in the cradle and they carry on the happy message.

This is what we have been told from the Bible of the birth of Jesus. Is everything already known? No history anymore for the present? Sure, we know this from our earliest youth and also: Christmas tree, Christmas present, Christmas meal, Christmas carols, Christmas service and Christian sons. Maybe on Christmas eve, many still read the well-known Christmas story in many families, what have we learned from this happening in the stable of Bethlehem or what did we make out of it?

The reaction of the people, who witnessed the Christmas story for the first time, was: “They praised the Lord and gave the Lord the honour”. With that they fulfilled the first part of the message.

The gift from the Almighty – the peace monarch for the people – is up to today unchanged. He is still here for everybody; Who wants, can experience it!  Who really hears and believes this message and relates it to his or her personally, who will and has to use his powers, so that these through Christ given peace on the matters of his or hers, is working and stays, and this peace comes to stand under all people. – Yes, peace between man and God! It is every generation an obligation to carry this out. We cannot hide ourselves behind the fact; that here and there in the past big mistakes have been made.

Today we are being called to be peacemakers. Today’s people around us are in need and not at peace!

This Christmas festival with its happy message will give us courage to go to work with hope and tell all people, that there is a God, who loves them and that they all have a future. The Christmas message is meant for every human being and for all nations on earth!

The child in the cradle, Jesus Christ, is for us the security, and the Holy Ghost is the big divine Guarantee that the door to the Father’s house is wide open for us! We all can come at Christmas and turn back to God!

Praise to the Lord, O my soul, Christ in His great love for thee

Heals all thy ailments, and promised eternal life to me;

Peace upon earth, this call is everywhere heard;

Honour to God in the highest.