December 24, 2025
Christmas is not sentiment.
It is not decoration.
It is not nostalgia.
Christmas is the moment when the King entered history without force.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the city of David — exactly as the prophets declared. Nothing about His birth was accidental. Isaiah had spoken centuries before:
“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulders” (Isaiah 9:6).
This Child carried government before He ever carried a crown.
A King Recognized by Kings
From the very beginning, Jesus was not recognized by systems, but by revelation. Wise men — kings from the East — saw what rulers in Jerusalem did not. They brought gifts that were never meant for a child alone: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Gold for a King.
Frankincense for a Priest.
Myrrh for the One who would give His life.
Even at His birth, Heaven declared His identity.
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light” (Isaiah 9:2).
This light did not blind.
It revealed.
Not Only the Child — the One Anointed
Christmas does not end in the manger.
The Child grew into the Man foretold by Isaiah:
“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news… to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives” (Isaiah 61:1).
He came to break the works of the enemy.
He preached the Sermon on the Mount.
He revealed the Beatitudes.
He is not weak.
He is power clothed in humility.
He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah.
Grace That Is Not Earned
Six weeks ago, I came face to face with death. And I am alive today.
Not because of strength.
Not because of merit.
Not because of anything I did to deserve it.
I stood before the court of Heaven — before the Judge of the universe, Elohim — and I applied the blood of Jesus Christ, shed on the cross of Calvary. And I found grace and mercy.
This is the heart of Christmas.
Grace is not an idea.
Grace is not theology.
Grace is life given when death was certain.
“By grace you have been saved through faith… not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8–9).
The government is truly upon His shoulders — and mercy flows from His throne.
Understanding Favor Through Presence
Since 2008, my journey has taken me into the presence of earthly authority. I have met and traveled alongside presidents, prime ministers, ministers of state, crown princes, kings and queens of European royal houses — many of them still ruling today.
What struck me most was not protocol.
It was favor.
When you are in the presence of royalty, something changes — not because you are important, but because of who you are with.
In 2013, I traveled with the King and Queen of the House of Orange as part of a small group of twenty-five. The treatment was different. Being with a King is not the same as being with a Prime Minister.
In 2016, I traveled for ten days with a Crown Prince to South Korea and China. We were only four accompanying him. Doors opened. Access was granted. Honor followed — not because I earned it, but because I was in his company.
One evening in Shanghai, staying in a presidential suite, I was mistakenly awakened by hotel staff. When I raised the issue, the hotel sent gifts and a formal apology, explaining that I was an “illustrious guest” because I was traveling with the Crown Prince.
The favor was real.
And it was not deserved.
The King of Kings
If the presence of earthly royalty produces such favor, what then are the consequences of being with the King of Kings?
Jesus Christ is not only Savior.
He is King.
When you live in His presence — consciously, daily — something shifts. Not because you become powerful in yourself, but because He is with you.
“He has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6).
We are seated with Him.
We are part of His household.
We live by grace, not entitlement.
A Light That Does Not Coerce
The Gospel of John speaks of Christ as light — but not the kind that overwhelms.
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it” (John 1:5).
This light does not force allegiance.
It does not demand compliance.
It illuminates — and waits.
Christmas reminds us that God does not rule by domination. He rules by truth.
Peace Without Conditions
The angels announced peace — not through treaties or enforcement, but through reconciliation.
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men” (Luke 2:14).
This peace is not transactional.
It is not conditional.
It is given.
A Quiet Invitation
Christmas does not resolve the world’s conflicts. It reframes them.
It tells us that God did not abandon history to violence or control, but entered it personally — sharing its fragility and redeeming it from within.
The child in the manger is not a symbol of comfort.
He is a declaration: love, not power, is the final authority.
Closing Reflection
Christmas leaves us with a question rather than an argument:
If God chose humility over force, presence over control, love over domination — what does that say about how we lead, govern, obey, and trust?
The answer is not loud.
It is quiet.
And it still waits to be received.
A Final Invitation: Salvation by Grace Through Faith
Christmas ultimately leads to a decision.
Scripture is clear:
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
“If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).
Salvation is not by works.
It is by grace through faith.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith… not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8–9).
Jesus Himself said:
“Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son” (John 3:16).
A Prayer of Faith
If you desire to receive Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, pray sincerely:
“Lord Jesus,
I confess that I am a sinner and separated from the glory of God.
Your Word says that all have sinned and fall short of Your glory.
I believe that salvation is not by works, but by grace through faith, so that no one may boast.
I invite You to come into my heart.
Cleanse me from my sins with Your precious blood, shed on the cross of Calvary.
Forgive me, renew me, and write my name in the Book of Life.
I confess that You came in the flesh, that You died for me, that You were buried, and that You rose again on the third day.
From this moment on, I receive salvation according to Your Word.
You are my Lord and my Savior.”
The Messiah of Israel
Jesus is not only Savior.
He is the promised Messiah of Israel.
“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).
“He was wounded for our transgressions” (Isaiah 53:5).
“Salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22).
He is Yeshua HaMashiach — the Messiah of Israel and the Savior of the world.
A Christmas Hope
Christmas is not only remembrance.
It is invitation.
The King has entered history.
Grace has been given.
The door is open.
“Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).
Merry Christmas.