Jesus Christ is Coming to Town
by Oliver Carlos
When I was a little boy, I was made to believe in Santa Claus. I guess every parent then would tell their children about this big fat old guy in a red suit that keeps a list of all the good and bad things we do, and he would reward the good boys and girls on Christmas Eve. We were taught to write him a letter containing all the toys and goodies we wish to have on that magical night. My Mom also introduced to us the tradition of hanging long socks on the wall and expecting Santa Claus to fill them up with apples.
My most unforgettable Christmas Eve was when I was 4. The adults in our home woke me up at midnight and told me that Santa had just arrived, but had left immediately because he had many more good kids to visit. I was led to the living room and my eyes popped in delight upon seeing my Christmas gift. It’s not apples only that Santa delivered to me, but also a three-wheeled kiddie bicycle! I ran outside to look at the night sky and imagined Santa with his sleigh and his reindeer disappearing beyond the stars.
Sometime later, my Mom confessed to me that there’s no real Santa Claus. It’s the parents who would put apples in children’s socks. I couldn’t believe it at first. Mommy continued saying that that it was she and Daddy who bought the kiddie bike. They hid it in the bodega behind our refrigerator for several days, and pulled it out on Christmas Eve for me to receive.
Years passed, and my Mom got to know Jesus as her personal Lord and Savior. She shared to me the good news about Christmas and the only way on how to get saved. Now, everything is clear to me.
We get saved not because of the so many good things we do. They can’t even erase a single sin. The Bible tells us that we get saved because of God’s grace. It’s God’s effort, not our effort that erased all our sins. It’s when Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead after 3 days. By believing that truth and letting Jesus enter our hearts to clean all our sins, and then accepting the new life he has for us, a new life wherein he rules supreme in our whole being, that’s when and how we get saved.
Ephesians 2:8–9 (NLT) says:
“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.”
So now I’m singing a new Christmas carol:
You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I’m telling you why, Jesus Christ is coming to town!
He sees you when you’re sleeping, he knows when you’re awake, he knows when you’ve accepted him, so repent and let him reign, Oh!
