Every year, December arrives with the same familiar sights and sounds. The advertisements begin early, the songs return to the charts, the lights go up, and homes are filled with presents, plans, and preparations. For most, the reason to celebrate Christmas is to be a time spent together with family and friends.
Yet for the church, Christmas must always be more than atmosphere or those sitting around the tree.
If we are not careful, even as believers, we can easily find ourselves swept up by the distractions and festivities of the season, celebrating Christmas while gradually drifting from its true meaning. We can soften the story of the incarnation, and in doing so separate the baby was laid in the manger from the reason He came.
But Christmas exists for a far deeper reason. And it is this reason that calls the church not merely to celebrate in the festivities, but to worship.
Hebrews 2:14–15 gives us an clear summary of the gospel, and in doing so, it reminds us why the coming of Christ demands our adoration:
“Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.”
Hebrews 2:14-15
These verses draw our eyes beyond the surface of Christmas, beyond the presents and lights, and remind the church what was truly taking place when the Son of God entered the world.
Humanity Shares in Flesh and Blood — and in Sin
The writer of Hebrews begins with a simple but weighty truth: humanity shares in flesh and blood. Whether you’re Jew or Gentile, man or woman, religious or not. This is what it means to be human. From Adam onward, every person has shared in the same humanity, the same blueprint, the same nature, the same inheritance.
Genesis 1 tells us that mankind was created as the crown of God’s creation. Made in the image of God, men and women were given dignity, purpose, and the privilege of knowing and relating to their Creator. God declared His creation very good because humanity was designed to reflect Him, live under His loving authority, have dominion over the rest of creation, and fill the earth with His glory.
This was how humanity was meant to live.
Until, Adam and Eve believed the lie of the serpent and rejected the word of God. Sin entered the world, fellowship with God was broken, and death became humanity’s destiny. What was lost was not merely innocence and a place in the garden, but communion with God. And because we all share in flesh and blood, we also share in sin and the consequences of that fall.
The incarnation only makes sense in light of humanity’s rebellion. If there was no fall, there would be no need for the manger. If sin were not serious, the cross would be unnecessary.
God’s Gracious Response: He likewise partook of the same things
Yet Hebrews does not leave us in the darkness of Genesis 3. It moves immediately to the wonder of God’s response:
“He himself likewise partook of the same things.”
This is the heart of Christmas. The eternal Son of God, who existed before all things, willingly entered into the world He created; taking on humanity. Humanity shares in flesh and blood by nature; Christ shared in it by choice.
The incarnation was not symbolic or partial. Jesus did not merely appear human. He became fully human. He experienced hunger and weariness, grief and temptation, pain and loss. The Creator stepped into His creation. God humbled Himself to the lowest rung of human existence, entering the world in the most vulnerable and defenceless state in the womb.
This isn’t merely something to admire – it is something to rejoice and adore in. At Christmas we are reminded that God did not rescue us from a distance. He came near. He intervened. He entered our condition so that He might represent us.
Jesus Was Born to Die
But the story of Christmas does not end at the manger. Jesus wasn’t born simply to share our humanity, but to give His life for humanity.
Hebrews tells us that Christ partook of flesh and blood “that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.” The incarnation was always moving toward the cross. This was not a contingency plan or a tragic accident. This was the plan since before creation.
The sentimental images in our heads and on Christmas cards can soften this truth. The nativity scenes are peaceful and tidy, but the reality is far more costly. The child laid in a manger was born to be laid on a cross. The hands that reached for Mary would one day be pierced. The Son given at Christmas would give Himself fully at Calvary.
This is central to our worship. We don’t gather in December to celebrate a baby detached from His mission. We worship the Lamb of God who came to take away the sin of the world.
Our Perfect Representative and Sacrifice
By becoming fully human, Jesus became the perfect representative humanity needed but couldn’t produce. Hebrews 2:17 explains that Jesus had to be made like His brothers in every respect so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest. Unlike every priest before Him, He was without sin. Unlike every sacrifice offered under the law, His sacrifice was sufficient once and for all.
At the cross, Jesus stood in our place. The judgement we deserved fell upon Him. The wrath of God against sin was satisfied. When He died, the curtain in the temple was torn, declaring that access to God had been restored to His people.
What or who else could offer this guarantee? What could the world offer that is better than restored humanity? There is nothing to return to, and nothing to add. Christ has done everything necessary for our salvation.
What appeared to be the devil’s victory was, in fact, his defeat. Through Christ’s obedience and sacrifice, the power of the devil was broken, his accusations has been silenced, and his power of death has been disarmed.
The passage continues to tell us that Jesus came to deliver those who lived in fear of death and slavery to sin. For the church, this is the grounds of our confidence and joy. Because Christ has risen, death no longer holds authority over us. What was once our greatest enemy has become a doorway into eternal life with Him.
Christmas is a reminder to believers that our hope is secure. The same Christ who was born in humility now reigns in glory. The Lord Jesus who shared in our flesh and blood now intercedes for us as our faithful high priest.
A Call for the Church to Worship
So why does the church have reason to worship?
Because we share in flesh and blood, the Son of God likewise shared our humanity. He was born in the manger to die on the cross. Through His sacrifice He has defeated the devil and delivered us from the fear of death.
Our salvation was planned before the foundation of the world and accomplished in Christ at the exact right time. In a season full of noise and distraction, the church must lift its eyes again to the wonder of the incarnation. Christmas is not merely a time to remember an event, but to respond in worship.
“O come, let us adore Him” We adore Him not simply because He was born, but because He was born with purpose, died to redeem us, and rose to reign in glory.
May our celebration be deeper than traditions, louder than distractions, and rooted firmly in the gospel. May we proclaim the joyful news that Jesus Christ has come, and He is worthy of all our worship.
