He's Making A List And Checking It Twice

“Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

Luke 10:20

Fortunately for me, I don’t need a Christmas list as my wife manages that department very well. I most often only have one person to buy for and thats her. So, for me its pretty easy for me to make a list a check it twice. Thinking of Christmas and lists a song comes to mind. In the Christmas song “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” are the following words…

“You better watch out, you better not cry
Better not pout, I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is comin' to town
He's making a list and checking it twice
Gonna find out who's naughty and nice
Santa Claus is comin' to town
He sees you when you're sleepin'
He knows when you're a wake
He knows if you've been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake
Oh! You better watch out, you better not cry
Better not pout, I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is comin' to town.”


I’ve enjoyed this song since I was a small boy but even more so since coming to know Jesus Christ as my personal Savior as the song serves as a juxtapose of fiction and truth. Every time I hear it I am reminded not just of a Christmas list of names and associated gifts but of the Lambs Book of Life which contains the names of everyone throughout the ages who has come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Though the song “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” is pure fiction, the gift of eternal life is reality.

One of the joys I have at Christmas along with my wife is to make a list of people with whom we are going to buy gifts for. Made up mostly of family members and close friends, my wife makes the list and carries it with her and one by one with satisfying joy she crosses the names out until at last everyone is accounted for. On a Christmas list its a good thing to have your name marked through in red. That means you are receiving a gift! With regard to heaven you don’t want your name blotted out but rather you want your name added to the list.

Every person who has ever lived makes the Book of Life as that book records the names of every person who has ever been born. The more important list to be on is the list that makes up the Lambs Book of Life, which is reserved exclusively for those who by faith have placed their hope and trust in Jesus. You see, its not Santa, but rather its Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who is making a list and who’s checking it twice and you can rest assured He knows if you’ve been naughty or nice. And it’s Jesus whom the Bible teaches is preparing to come to town so to speak.

One day, and one day soon the Lord will appear in the clouds and gather up both the living and the dead, and all whose names are written in the Book will be ushered into the very presence of God. Those who have received God’s gift will know more joy in that moment than all the Christmases the world has ever known.

Here’s the great news today! You can get your name on the list, you can have your name added to the lambs Book of Life by inviting Jesus into your heart. Receive the gift of God’s forgiveness of your sins and have every one that you have ever committed marked out in red, blotted out by the precious blood of the Lamb. It’s true, Jesus was born into this world not to blot us out but to make a way where we could get our names on the list. Don’t miss your opportunity, open your heart to Jesus so that you too can sing with joy, Jesus Christ is coming to town!  


“Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

2 Timothy 4:8



I LOVE YOU!