Merry Christmas! A greeting, a statement shared with another that they might experience fresh joy this season. Merry Christmas!

But is it true? Does Christmas make us any merrier, happier? Why should Christmas be a greeting of joy? Often we hear that Christmas and Christianity has caused such pain and problems in our society, culture. Let me submit to you one primary insight about how Christmas and its good news has made this world better, happier, and merry.

Our modern-day value of human life was rooted in the teachings of Christ and the actions of early Christians who rescued newborn babies abandoned in the streets and in the trash heaps of Rome. Early Christians founded the first hospitals, orphanages, and feeding programs combating the pervading view of the time that it would be better to just let the sick, the poor, and the orphans die.

Modern medicine and medical treatments were developed and established by Christians. The world class top hospitals of today began as Christian charities because, back in the 1800s, there were no hospitals as we know them today. The best (and most expensive) doctors only made house calls, which meant that only rich people could afford to see a doctor. The poor had to go without doctors. And so Christians, motivated by Christ’s teaching to “care for the least of these,” began building hospitals where the poor could receive the medical care they could not afford. Many of these hospitals were established by Christian physicians. For example, Harvard University’s Massachusetts General Hospital was fostered by John Bartlett, a Christian pastor who served as chaplain for a charity to the poor in Boston.

The evidence reveals an overwhelming Christian presence in the founding of modern hospitals and modern medicine as we know them today. Think of it, because of Christmas and Christ’s teaching, his followers went forth and through the years established life giving and life-saving stations of healing across the world - Baptist, Presbyterian, Seventh-day Adventist, Lutheran, Catholic, and so forth.

I have mentioned here just one quality benefit that has come from Christianity. We could go on with overwhelming facts about how the establishment of universities, colleges, agencies for feeding the hungry and care for orphans, hospital ships, and many more Christian organizations have made a global impact to the quality of life and continue to shine joy into this world.

Luke: 2:10 “But the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people”

We can say it with conviction and confidence - Merry Christmas!