A popular talk show host once said, “Let me share with you my story of Christmas. To me, Christmas is not about the birth of the baby. It is about what that baby grew up to become, how He decided to live His life and the choices and the sacrifices He made in the end. To me, Christmas points to the redemption, the redeeming power of that man.”

Listening to that show, I initially said to myself, He’s really getting it – the redemption of Christ.

But then he continued by saying, “It’s about starting over.”

And then I thought,”Uh oh.” He went on to suggest that his listeners use the season to start over, wipe their slates clean, and become “who you really are!”

Now I’m not here to criticize, but the story of Christmas is not about starting over. Yes, the Christmas story is about God’s love and grace and the humility and servanthood of the little baby that was born. But that baby grew up to be a man, and He came to redeem for our Heavenly Father what is rightfully His in the first place – us.

Jesus came to pay the greatest price for our redemption – His life – by dying for our sins on the cross.

The story of Christmas doesn’t stop at the manger. It continues through His perfect, sinless life, His death on the cross, and His resurrection from the dead.

The truth of Christmas is that the Father desires for every single one of us to be redeemed. Our part is to accept His gift of redemption in faith.

And that’s how we can truly celebrate the story of Christmas.