Why is Christmas so important? Why is this time of year so special?

Christmas is celebrated around the world, even in countries where other faiths prevail. Christmas is different since it is truly a holy holiday, one without borders.

It celebrates something so supernatural and profound that it takes the revelation of God to begin its understanding. Christ's birth opened the doorway to anyone on this earth for the past 2,000 years to have a personal relationship with God.

It was the immediate forerunner to Christ's blood sacrifice that paid the price of redemption for every sin of every degree and depth that has been or will be committed until the end of the world as we know it. Christ, God incarnate, God in the flesh, flesh like ours, gave his life, the only life that could cover all that sin.

I paused to ponder the words I had written above. I was struck by their enormity and my conviction that as enormous and unlikely they might seem, they are nonetheless true. The Bible states that there is no other name given among men under heaven by which we may be saved. Christmas celebrates the birth of this Jesus, our savior, redeemer, healer, king and provider.

Christmas brought the kingdom of God to the earth, to you and me. The Bible tells us that the savior came to us but we knew him not. His life on earth was followed by 2,000 years of men and women who met the savior, and became his witnesses.

I met him 47 years ago. My testimony is that I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he will keep that which I have committed to him against that day when we are together forever.

The Bible states that the preaching of the cross, Christ's death and resurrection, is foolishness to them that are perishing, but to the believer, to those of us who are saved, its preaching is the power of God to salvation. The Apostle Paul wrote that the believer has the mind of Christ, that the believer is a new creation, that all things have become new, and that old things and thoughts have passed away. We belong to the kingdom of God.

In the past century, nearly a billion people all across the world responded to this Jesus as he passed by with open hands and touched each of them. God in Christ is reconciling people from every nation and tribe to himself in numbers never seen before. And those touched call him savior, wonderful counselor, deliverer, king, my Jesus.

All this started on that first Christmas Day.

H. Murray Hohns of Makiki is an associate pastor at New Hope Christian Fellowship. The Expressions of Faith column welcomes submissions from leaders in faith and spirituality. Contact: faith@honoluluadvertiser.com, 525-8035.