God's Coaching #358

God's Coaching #358

What’s all this nonsense about Santa Claus being unathletic, overweight, and only willing to travel in first-class reindeer sleighs? Bah! Humbug! Every Christmas Eve, Santa and some of his holiday buddies (who all look curiously like people in costumes) put on a chilly water show at the National Harbor Marina in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

The 2010 event, which marked the show’s 25th anniversary, was performed in mid-30-degree weather and 34-degree water. Hope good ol’ St. Nick wore his wet suit. With chattering teeth, Santa water-skied for the crowd while reindeer rode kneeboards, elves performed flips on hydrofoils, and a mischievous Grinch zigzagged on a jet ski. Frosty the Snowman even made an appearance in a slow-moving dinghy. The whole event makes you wonder if Santa & Co. is preparing to enter the annual Water Ski World Championships in the summer. Well, everybody but Frosty. Rumor has it he can’t stand the heat.

What’s the Score?

It’s impossible to get through Christmas without being bombarded by TV specials, songs, mall sightings—and even winter water-skiing shows—that feature Santa Claus. But often lost in all the modern Christmas mythology is a story so improbable and incredible that it makes a silly tale about a jolly, white-bearded man on a one-night, worldwide toy-distribution mission seem believable. In fact, Jesus Christ coming to earth is the most amazing story in history.

Did God really become man? Yes, he did! Some 2,000 years ago, Jesus came to earth in human form to save us from our sins. Think for a moment how astounding this is. John 1 tells us that Jesus—God the Son—has existed for all time and was active in creation with God the Father and the Holy Spirit. Then at the Father’s appointed time, the Son came to earth as a baby. His birth was not by normal human conception, but an indescribable miracle. As Matthew 1:23 says, he took the name Immanuel, which means “God is with us.” Fully God and fully man, Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life and died a sinner’s death so that we might receive eternal life by trusting in him. Then he rose from the dead and returned to heaven, where he is preparing an eternal home for all believers. That’s an amazing story, and it’s the one Christmas story you can believe in!

On the Ball

Read the account of Jesus’ birth in Matthew 1:18–2:23.

Coach’s Comment

Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means “God is with us.” Matthew 1:23