This contradiction raises an uncomfortable question: How do we reconcile celebrating someone's birth while simultaneously denying their existence or significance?

The Foundation: Who Is Jesus?

Before we can understand why Jesus came, we must establish who He is and where He came from. In John 5:43, Jesus declares: "I am come in my father's name and you receive me not. If another shall come in his own name, him you will receive."

The name "I AM" carries profound significance. When Moses encountered God at the burning bush and asked for His name, God responded, "I AM that I AM." The Hebrew people called Him YHWH—Yahweh—a name so sacred that devout Jews to this day will not write it fully or speak it aloud, using instead "Adonai" (my Lord).

Early scholars believe this name means "He brings into existence whatever exists." This is the essence of deity—the power to create all that is.

When Jesus said "I AM come," He was making an unmistakable declaration: He came directly from the Father. He is the I AM in the flesh. This is what sets Christianity apart from every other religion in human history.

The Mission: Why He Came

To Fulfill, Not Destroy

In Matthew 5:17, Jesus addresses a critical concern: "Think not that I have come to destroy the law and the prophets, for I have come not to destroy but to fulfill."

The Jewish people were understandably protective of the Mosaic Law—it was everything to their faith. They had built elaborate systems and additional regulations around the original commandments. But they were missing the point entirely.

Jesus came not to abolish the law but to fulfill it in its entirety. Every prophecy about the Messiah, He fulfilled perfectly. And here's the crucial truth: He was the only one who could. We cannot follow the rules perfectly. Left to ourselves, there is no good in us. We were born into a sinful condition, and without divine intervention, we would revert to the evil that has overtaken the world.

To Call Sinners to Repentance

In Matthew 9:13, Jesus says, "Go and learn what this means. I will have mercy and not sacrifice. For I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance."

This is the heart of the Christmas message that often gets lost amid the festivities, decorations, and family gatherings. Jesus came because every single one of us is a sinner. He came because God had mercy on us.

But what does true repentance mean? It's not simply saying "I'm sorry." True repentance is a fundamental change of mind that results in a change of life. It means turning around—altering your course from the path of destruction to the narrow way that leads to life.

Repentance means your mind says, "Turn yourself around and embrace a lifestyle change." It's not just agreeing with something in principle; it's allowing that truth to transform how you live.

To Bring Division

This may be the most uncomfortable reason Jesus came, yet He stated it clearly in Matthew 10:34-35: "Think not that I am come to send peace on the earth. I came not to send peace, but a sword. I am come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."

This doesn't sound like the gentle Jesus we sing about at Christmas, does it? But the sword He speaks of is the Word of God—a two-edged sword that cuts through flesh and bone, dividing truth from error, light from darkness.

Jesus brings peace to all who are redeemed, but not to the whole earth. He doesn't bring peace to those who refuse to recognize Him, who live in sin and rebellion. That's why they struggle, why they seek escape in substances and distractions—because there's constant turmoil when you're not following Christ, the author of peace.

When you make the decision to follow Christ, it comes with a price. Your faith may divide families. Former friends may not want to be around you anymore. They'll say you talk about Jesus too much. They'll choose separation over transformation.

But here's the critical point: if you truly believe in hell and truly love your family and friends, you'll try to bring them to the knowledge of God's saving grace at every opportunity. You'll stand your ground no matter how difficult it becomes. Light and darkness cannot coexist—this is a physical and spiritual reality.

To Be the Light

In John 12:46, Jesus declares, "I am come a light into the world that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness."

The word "abide" is significant. Jesus didn't come just to visit us in our darkness; He came so we would not live, stay, or remain in the darkness of sin. He came to give us light—to reveal the sin in our lives, expose it, and cleanse us from it.

When you read God's Word, the light of Christ exposes all the sin in your heart. He reveals it, makes you uncomfortable with it, convicts you of it—and then beckons you to give it to Him so He can cover it with His blood.

This incredible, penetrating, purifying light of God is the only thing that can make us presentable to a holy God. God is absolute holiness—there is no darkness, no blemish, no filth in His presence. Jesus presents us as lambs without spot or blemish, purified by His ever-giving light.

The Promise: He Will Come Again

The Christmas story doesn't end with a baby in a manger. In John 14:3, Jesus makes this promise: "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, you may be also."

In Revelation 22:20, the promise is repeated: "He that which testifies these things says, surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus."

The triune God who came to earth as a helpless infant came to free us from this world's disappointments, trials, sicknesses, bitterness, and hate. He came to give us deliverance and a guarantee of life everlasting.

The Response: What Now?

As we celebrate Christmas, let's not lose sight of why Jesus came. He came because the all-loving God of eternity looked at humanity—His crowning creation, more valuable than galaxies and stars—and said, "My son must come and die for the penalty of their sins."

You are wonderfully made, with thousands of miles of blood vessels, a nervous system more complex than any computer, and a brain with supercomputing capacity beyond anything mankind has developed. And God loved you so much that He sent His only Son.

If there's sin in your life, repent—truly turn around. If there's despair, you have hope because Christ came. If you're lost, He came to find you. If you're without love, know this: Jesus always loves you. You can fail Him, refuse Him, even rebuke the Holy Spirit, and He will still love you to the very end.

That's why Jesus came. That's what Christmas is truly about.