Life gets complicated.
Anyone who has ever opened a dollhouse on Christmas morning without reading the instructions knows this: tiny pieces, confusing steps, a whole lot harder than it looked on the box.
Life works the same way.
Getting married? Complicated.
Figuring out whose family you celebrate with? Complicated.
And for all you newlyweds sitting there looking good—matching reindeer sweaters, holding hands like a Hallmark commercial—just a word from an older brother: when you asked her what she wanted for Christmas and she said “nothing,” don’t believe her. She meant it… But it will get complicated on Christmas morning if she has nothing to open.
Life gets complicated fast.
So here’s the last thing we need to do on Christmas: don’t make the Christmas message complicated.
The message of Christmas is simple. Ancient. Clear.
It doesn’t even start in Luke 2.
It starts in the beginning—when God created man, breathed life into him, and gave him a wife, because a lonely man is a dangerous thing. Adam and Eve lived in paradise, in perfect relationship with God… until they rebelled. And everything fractured. From car crashes to cancer, the world broke.
But God made a promise.
In Genesis 3:15—the first good news—God promised a Rescuer. A Deliverer. A Serpent Crusher. A Redeemer.
The entire Old Testament is one long announcement: He’s coming.
Then Malachi says the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in His wings. Then 400 years of silence.
And finally, God says to the angels, “Go tell them.”
And who does He tell first?
Not kings. Not priests. Not the put-together crowd.
Shepherds.
Outcasts. Unclean. Misfits.
That’s good news—because if you peel back the layers, we’re all a bunch of misfit toys.
Write this down:
The gospel is for messed-up, dysfunctional, sinful people like us.
If your life feels broken right now, Christmas is good news for you.
If your life looks great on the outside but feels empty at the soul level, Christmas is good news for you too.
Because you weren’t created for stuff. You were created by God and for God. And nothing else will fill that God-shaped hole in your heart.
The angels didn’t bring advice.
They brought an announcement.
Not “go do something,” but “something has been done.”
Religion says: behave and get to God.
The gospel says: Behold what God has done for you.
That’s why it’s called good news of great joy.
Joy is deeper than happiness. Happiness depends on happenings. Joy is soul-level settledness—being fully known by God and fully loved by God.
And the heart of that joy is this:
A Savior has been born.
Not a life coach. Not a therapist. A Savior—because we don’t just make mistakes, we need saving.
At Christmas, we remember this:
Jesus takes our guilt and gives us His righteousness.
Our “naughty list” goes on Him.
His “nice list” goes on us.
That’s why there’s joy.
So this Christmas, before the candles and the carols, remember:
The message isn’t complicated.
It’s grace.
It’s Jesus.
It’s good news for all people.
Merry Christmas.
Pastor Chris Williams
To learn more about Pastor Chris and his teachings, visit us online at fcfamily.org and be sure to subscribe to receive these weekly encouragements in your inbox.
