Area Presidency Message
Remembering the Babe in Bethlehem
In commemorating Christ’s birth, we in effect remember the crowning achievement of Christ’s ministry—His Atonement.
On every December 25th, people of many nations, different races, and even differing faiths commemorate the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It is celebrated as Christmas with Nativity scenes, songs of adoration, readings, reenactments, Christmas carols and good food.
Why is this so? Let us consider for a moment what we know about the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
The exact day, month, or year of Christ’s birth is not certain. We do know that He was born more than two thousand years ago and that it was probably in the spring months of March or April and not during the month of December as is generally supposed by many.
What is certain is that He was born of a Jewish mother named Mary in the town of Bethlehem in Judaea. Mary, a virgin and a miraculously expectant mother, was betrothed to Joseph. Both came from the same town, Nazareth, which was located about 30 kilometres southwest of the Sea of Galilee and some 150 kilometres north of Bethlehem (see Matthew chapter 1, and Luke chapters 1 and 2).
Further, although it is true that this babe in Bethlehem was born to a humble family, it would be incorrect to suppose that Christ’s birth into mortality was an obscure, unannounced event. Early prophets were taught through revelation and prophesied of the coming of a Messiah who should rise from among the House of Judah to redeem all mankind (see, for example, Isaiah 7; 1 Nephi 11:13–20; Isaiah 9; 2 Nephi 19; Micah 5:2). Then shortly before, during, and after the Saviour’s birth, divine manifestations were given to those who were worthy (Mary, Joseph, Simeon and Anna), to those who were humble (the shepherds in the field watching over their flocks), to those who sought for the sign of His birth (including the wise men from the east and the righteous Nephites and Lamanites in the west) as well as to many others (see Matthew chapter 2; Luke chapter 2; Helaman 14:3–7; 3 Nephi 1:12–21).
Before the foundation of this world, it was made known by our Heavenly Father, the Father of our spirits, and agreed upon by each of us, that Christ, the premortal Messiah, the great Jehovah, would be born into this world. The purpose of His life would ultimately be to defeat death, sin and finally Satan, and to reconcile us to God, the Father and Himself, Jesus Christ—holy Beings who reside in a place of perfect purity, joy and peace; a place of holiness—heaven —the celestial kingdom (see Psalm 22; Isaiah 53; Mosiah 14–15; 1 Nephi 11; 2 Nephi 25:26).
If this babe in Bethlehem had not been born, every single one of us would have been separated from the Father and the Son throughout the eternities. We would have been denied eternal joy, and instead, mankind would have been banished to a state of perpetual misery.
Gratefully, this was not to be, as Christ, through His perfect life, His loving teachings, saving ordinances, empowering covenants, and manifestations of great and infinite power—first in Gethsemane, then on the cross, and finally, in His Resurrection as He ascended to the Father, as our Saviour, Redeemer, Judge and Advocate—reconciled us to God, and fulfilled the great plan of happiness (see 2 Nephi chapter 9, Alma chapters 11 and 40).
More than at any time of the year, Christmas is the season when almost everyone is drawn into a deep longing, even a thirst, for belonging to a family and for sharing Christmas and its celebrations with them.
God’s plan began with a family—first, our Heavenly Father’s, eternal heavenly family (to which all of us once belonged), followed by Mary and her family, and finally, each of our own, individual, families. Though not all of us in mortality are blessed with marriage and children, or with happy, united families, it is nevertheless true—if we truly desire it and conform to God’s plan—that these blessings will be ours, in the good time of the Lord.
If we think of it, Christmas is really a celebration of families, for families. In commemorating Christ’s birth, we in effect remember the crowning achievement of Christ’s ministry—His Atonement. Through His infinite Atonement, conditions were established which enabled humanity to be blessed with perpetual joy and happiness in the presence of our Heavenly Father. As President Russell M. Nelson taught in a talk entitled, “Family Success Comes from Following the Saviour”, given during a trip to Kenya, “the single purpose of forming families and having those families sealed together in holy temples is so [that] we would be qualified to dwell in the presence of God after we graduated from mortality.”
Our prayer, during this blessed season, is that you may enjoy Christmas with your family and loved ones in sacred remembrance of our Lord Jesus Christ’s blessed birth, life, ministry, and Atonement as our Advocate with His Father—the Father of all.
Merry Christmas!
Christoffel Golden was called as a General Authority Seventy in March 2001. He is married to Diane Norma Hulbert; they are the parents of four children.