What If Jesus Isn’t the Reason for the Season?

An invitation for the unfaithful to come behold the newborn king.

During a visit to the dry cleaners one early December, a festive banner caught my eye. Displayed prominently in the front window, it proclaimed in bright red and green letters: “Jesus is the Reason for the Season!”

While I understand the motive behind such a statement and commend the shop owner’s desire to challenge the commercialization of the season, if we apply a bit of biblical theology, we’ll see that Jesus isn’t the reason for the season.

Yes, Jesus is the focus of the season. But he isn’t the reason for the season.

You see, if we had not been unfaithful sinners in need of rescue, Jesus would not have had to be born.

Unexpectedly, we discover that we are the reason for the season.

O Come, All Ye Unfaithful

This is why Christmas is good news for the unfaithful.

Yet, one of the most celebrated hymns during Advent tempts us to assume Christmas is for the faithful.

You know the lyrics.

O come, all ye faithful, Joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;