Introduction

It’s that time of year again when everyone decorates for the holiday season. Trees and lights go up, Christmas music is heard in every business, and children tell Santa what they want. It’s also that time of year when people attempt to be more “religious” as they love to use the phrase, “Jesus is the Reason for the Season”. But is he really?

Celebrating the Birth of Christ

In Luke 2, we are given the story of the miraculous birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus The Christ. As you read further in the gospels, there is no mention of anyone celebrating his birth. Not even Jesus, himself, threw a party for his birthday with cake and punch.

It is not until centuries later that the concept to celebrate his birth on an annual basis comes to fruition by the Roman Catholic church to help combat the pagan celebration of Saturnalia (Dec. 17-24). December 21^st is the first day of Winter and also the shortest day of the year. The Romans called this the rebirth of the Sun. December 25^th was chosen as the birth of Christ to lean the celebration in a more religious nature.

From this, we get the word Christmas as it literally means—The Mass of Christ. Although the focus is on Jesus, the same kind of revelry is used. Nativity scenes are set up which, in essence, are pagan statues to honor his birth. Some go so far as to create a living nativity scene in which people dress up as Mary, Joseph, the Wise Men, and shepherds to give it more meaning. 

What about His Death?

More emphasis is place on His birth than His death and yet the “Easter Season”; Ash Wednesday, Lent, Maundy Thursday, Holy Friday, and Easter Sunday covers a lot more territory as far a dates go. So why can’t Easter be “The Season”?

Christ’ death on the cross is where forgiveness is obtained and, without it, His birth would serve no purpose. Just as there are many prophecies about His birth, there are also many about His death. If He hadn’t died as stated, He wouldn’t have been revered as the Messiah as stated in the Old Testament.

In Psalms 22:1, we have this quote, My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, And from the words of My groaning? This is fulfilled in Mt. 27:45-47, Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, “This Man is calling for Elijah!” Jesus was on the cross when He called out to God and it was shortly before He died (vs. 50).

Conclusion

If you’re going to use a non-scriptural phrase it should be, “Jesus is the reason for ALL seasons.” Don’t limit your discussions to only His birth during December. Talk about it, then turn your conversation to His death as that is where we receive our redemption. As the apostle Paul wrote, In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace (Ephesians 1:7)