Santa Claus = bad news

You better watch out

You better not cry

You better not pout

I'm telling you why

Santa Claus is coming to town

Now here's a good reason to be thankful that Santa Claus does not exist! According to this song, he would be out to get you...

Listen to John Piper explain why Santa is bad news and what the good news of Christmas really is:


Because we are all bad and sinful, Santa Claus would be bad news for us. But thankfully, Santa has nothing to do with the true meaning of Christmas. There is much better news...

Because we are all bad and sinful, Jesus Christ is good news for us. Jesus came to earth to save us from the bad news. The bad news is that we have all sinned and rebelled against God and deserve His eternal judgment. And there is nothing we can do to save ourselves. We were hopelessly lost and condemned to an eternal hell as the just punishment for our sins against an infinitely holy and righteous God.

But it was on that starry night in Bethlehem some 2,000 years ago that the good news of Christmas was proclaimed by the angels to the shepherds:

Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11)

Jesus Himself is the good news of Christmas. The Son of God became a man. He did not come to judge us for our sins. He came to save us from our sins. How? By dying on a cross and taking God's divine wrath on sin on Himself as our substitute.

Because of His sacrifice made once and for all, Jesus Christ now offers you the free gift of salvation, forgiveness of sins and eternal life.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (John 3:16-17)

This is the good news. This is the gospel. This is why we celebrate Christmas.