why Jesus came
Christmas teaches us many things, but one of the most important is easy to overlook. Behind the beauty and wonder of the season lies the question:
Why did Jesus come at all?
If you read the stories of life at the time of His birth, you find people living under pressure, fear, and uncertainty. Rome was in control. Taxes were crushing. The promises of God to His people felt distant. People longed for a better life, but could not create it on their own.
In short, the world was tired.
And that is the world Jesus entered.
what people were hoping for then
Many believed God would send someone strong and politically powerful to rescue them. Someone who would fix everything around them. Someone who would make life fair again.
Their expectations of this person sounded something like this:
Someone who would restore what has been taken.
Someone who would fix the brokenness they saw every day.
Someone who would make sense of what felt confusing or unfair.
These hopes were not wrong to have. They were human. And they are all too familiar today. They are the same hopes many of us carry even if we do not say them out loud.
the problem beneath the problem
The Bible points, though, to the deeper issue that sits underneath these hopes and dreams. It tells that the brokenness around us is not only “out there.” It is also inside us. Our decisions, desires, motives, and reactions shape the world just as much as systems and circumstances do.
This is why Jesus came.
Not only to change the world around us but to change the world within us.
Not only to restore what is broken outside but to restore what is broken inside.
Before He ever healed a body, He healed a heart.
Before He ever calmed a storm, He calmed a soul.
The prophet said it plainly:
“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light” (Isaiah 9:2).
Light reveals. Light helps you see. Light shows you the way forward.
Jesus came to bring that kind of light.
the rescue we still need
If you talk to friends, coworkers, or even people sitting in church, you hear similar themes:
Life feels heavy.
The world feels unpredictable.
Relationships feel fragile.
The future feels unclear.
We do not only need better plans or clearer goals. We need a source of hope that does not depend on our circumstances. That is what Jesus brought with Him.
He described His purpose in many ways. One of the clearest is found in His own words:
“I came that they may have life and have it to the full.”
(John 10:10)
A full life is not the same as an easy life. It is a life with purpose, direction, and a relationship with God who knows, sees, and walks with us.
what Jesus came to do
Here are a few things Jesus did that people did not expect:
He came close.
Not as a warrior or politician, but as one of us. Accessible. Human. Near.He told the truth about God.
People wondered what God was like. Jesus showed them.He showed a better way to live.
Not by force but by love, forgiveness, and humility.He gave His life so we could have a restored relationship with God.
The cross was not an accident. It was the plan from the beginning.He rose again to offer hope that goes beyond the limits of this life.
Every part of His life answers the question: Why did He come?
Because God refuses to give up on the world He made.
And He refuses to give up on you.a small reflection as the season begins
christmas is an invitation, not an event
We tend to approach Christmas the same way people approached the Messiah long ago. We want something to happen for us, but God wants something to happen in us.
When Jesus stepped into history, He did not just fulfill prophecy. He opened a path for relationship with our Creator. He made it possible to know God, not just know about Him. To walk with Him, not just try to impress Him.
God may not meet your expectations this season. But He may meet your needs in deeper ways than you imagined.
you do not need perfect faith to begin
The people who first met Jesus did not understand everything. Most didn’t understand much at all. They took one step toward Him, then another. And that was enough.
Faith does not begin with certainty.
Faith begins with openness.
A simple prayer. A small yes.
A quiet desire for God to do something real in us.
Maybe that’s the invitation this Christmas: not to get everything right, but to let God draw near in ways we may not expect.
scripture to carry with you
"The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world." John 1:9
questions for reflection
Where have your expectations of God felt unmet, and what deeper need might He be addressing?
When has God met you quietly rather than dramatically, and how did it shape you?
What is one simple prayer you can offer this week as an act of openness rather than certainty?
Paige Peacock Vanosky brings a deeply personal and communal approach to biblical teaching, influenced by her formative years under the mentorship of Dr. Buckner Fanning at Trinity Baptist Church in San Antonio.
Her foundational principle - drawing circles instead of lines - has shaped her ministry and led to the creation of a Bible study that embraces diverse religious perspectives. This study laid the groundwork for The 30-Minute Bible, designed to provide an objective and approachable exploration of the Bible's narratives, making the text accessible to seekers and believers from all walks of life.