Now that the presents have been exchanged (unless you're like my family and we still have a couple parties left with extended family), I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the gift of this baby, Jesus.

He is the center of our religion: the entire Old Testament points toward Him and the New Testament reflects on His life and how it so dramatically changes our own. And while many of you have probably heard me say this before, it needs to be said in every season: Christmas, and the life of Christ, is good news, not good advice.

By nature we want to earn our salvation, to earn God's approval, to achieve goals and accomplish things that make us feel valuable, but the Gospel is hard to swallow because the first principal is you can't outdo Jesus, you can't earn God's favor, you are completely incapable.

Which puts us back on our heels a bit. Sure, we want to work hard as unto the glory of God (1 Cor 10:13), and we want to honor God in the bodies He's given us (1 Cor 7:23), and we want to create a culture that extends His goodness and grace into the world (Gen 1:28), and we want to follow His commands, but it all must come from a place of love and adoration, otherwise it's fake, rejected by God.

The good news of Jesus's advent is mind-numbingly powerful. The first church wrote a song about His condescension and it's recorded for us in Scripture.

Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil 2)

At the name of Jesus, every knee will bow--including yours and mine. Our names will be lost in the roar of the ages as billions and billions of people shout His name. Some will shout it in anger and bitterness and some will in joy and profound praise.

The good news of Christmas is God hasn't given up on His creation but has taken it upon Himself to set everything back aright again. The best news of Christmas is that He has invited us in, like the shepherds. He says, "Come and worship the newborn King."

"Come and worship." That is our religion, that is the core of our faith. Because only in Jesus are we transformed into His righteousness, into His love, His joy, His perfection, His beauty. If there is any good in us, it is because of Him. Turn your minds and your hearts, your strength, and your souls to Him today.