It’s December! So that means it is time for Christmas music! Last week during my older two boys’ guitar lessons, their teacher asked which song they wanted to learn this year. My oldest son quickly chose, “Here Comes Santa Claus.”
After his lessons, he was attempting to play the song again. Realizing it was much harder than he thought it would be, he said, “Man, why did I choose this song?”
I responded, “I was wondering the exact same thing. Why did you choose that song?”
He said, “Well, I was thinking I could change the lyrics and make it point to Jesus.”
Then he started singing it saying, “Here comes Jesus. Here comes Jesus…” It was interesting.
Then he got to the part of the song that says, “He sees you when you’re sleeping. He knows when you’re awake. He knows if you’ve been bad or good. So be good for goodness’ sake.”
My wise 12-year-old said, “Yeah this just isn’t going to work. That’s not why Jesus came. Jesus doesn’t care about your works. He cares about your heart.”
Yes! Yes, my son! Being good is not what saves you! It’s Jesus. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:8-10).”
So many times, I think people would prefer for God to be Santa. Bringing us gifts because we deserve it…I mean you were good… mostly… It’s more like we want God to be like Santa- Happy and Jolly and never actually giving us that lump of coal we deserve.
I know it can be easy to think that good works equals a good eternal outcome. `Well, I am a mostly good person. So, I deserve to go to Heaven someday.’
Actually, that’s not what the Bible says at all. The Bible says we all sin and fall short of the glory of God! AND the punishment of sin is death. Romans 6:23 states, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Yes, you read that correctly- God loved us so much He sent Jesus to take our punishment and die the death we deserve. AND 3 days later He rose- conquering death and proving He was exactly who He said He was!
The Gospel is a message of hope and faith in the One and Only Lord who can save us! And on Christmas we get to celebrate that.
Hope came down from Heaven, humbly. In the form of a poor baby boy, the Savior of the world came!
So, it’s not- be good and earn the gift of salvation.
It’s more like-the gift of salvation has been given through Jesus; you have to accept it!