Not just about a birth

For the past couple of Christmases, this one included, Josh and I have kept ourselves busy with Christmas concerts. This is something we've really come to enjoy. This year we went to four. It's acutally become kind of entertaining working out our schedule in order to fit them all in.
This year has been different, though. It has been a sweet blessing to my heart. As a result of the teaching at the concerts paired with the great sermon from Pastor MacArthur last Sunday, I have been thinking a lot about the point of Christmas. What we celebrate and why. For maybe the first time, my thoughts have not been on the birth of the baby Jesus, or the perfect way in which God orchestrated the attendance of the shepherds and Wise Men, or even the supernatural virgin birth. I've been thinking about Jesus's death.
On Sunday, Pastor MacArthur said that a person's death is the culmination of his accomplishments. The point at which, retrospectively, one's life can be counted worthy. Though there was the promise in the Old Testament of the life Jesus would lead, every other human that was and will be born, comes to the world with no accomplishment. Nothing praiseworthy. No great work or influence. Yet, we note the births of people, even great leaders, as a means of honoring them. A day on which we have accomplished nothing.
This is why, this year I can only think about the most important death that this world will ever know. When Jesus died on the cross and rose again on the third day, he gave purpose to His birth and His life. He triumphed over death by taking on the the sins of the world, crushing Satan's head. And in His resurrection and ascension, he completed His salvation work and gave the promise of the Holy Spirit, giving sinners the opportunity to have a relationship with a most holy and just God.
A while ago, Josh and I made the decision to keep Santa Claus out of Christmas in our home. Completely. Yes, this decision does reflect each of our backgrounds and traditions, but ultimately it was a decision we came to together. A decision for our family, as a family. We know that one day our children will wonder about Santa Claus. Maybe they'll wonder why I don't have any Santa decorations in the house or why they don't take pictures with him at the mall. But after this Christmas 2008, I believe that I will have a complete answer for them.
Christmas is about one thing only and one Person only. It is the celebration of the culmination of Jesus' life. That the Son of God, who laid down His deserved glory to be born in human flesh, lived on this earth so that one day He might die for the sins of man, be raised into Heaven and returned to Glory, and offer the greatest gift there could ever be. One that is not wrapped, it's not under the tree or delivered via reindeer and a chimney. Christmas is about the gift of salvation and the majesty of a Baby that was born to provide it. And that is it. That is Christmas.