Monday School

Jesus vs St. Nicholas (Santa Claus)

I have been reading the work of a poet that goes by the pen name ‘just a guy’. A recent poem titled ‘Parade’, he is able to stand on his back porch and watch his towns Christmas parade go by. At the end of the parade is Santa. That jolly man in a red suit. ‘I opened my back door

and shouted at that fat jolly man

“You’re not real!”

He couldn’t hear me

The firetrucks were all honking.

He just kept waving to the children who ran after him

with wide eyed wonderment.’

If everything I’ve read about St. Nicholas is true, he was a good person. ‘Much admired for his piety and kindness, St. Nicholas became the subject of many legends. It is said that he gave away all of his inherited wealth and traveled the countryside helping the poor and sick. One of the best-known St. Nicholas stories is the time he saved three poor sisters from being sold into slavery or prostitution by their father by providing them with a dowry so that they could be married.’

Jesus gave gifts as well. He made the lame to leap, the deaf to speak, and the blind to see. He chased away demons and calmed a raging sea.

So why does it seem Santa, (Today, Santa Claus is now a common image of Christmas who still carries on the spirit of giving that St. Nicholas started centuries ago and his likeness is known across the world.) has won the popularity contest? In one word, marketing. Santa sells. Just as DeBeers did a marketing campaign that men should spend 10% of their income on an engagement ring. Satan has used marketing to sweep Jesus under the rug at Christmas.

What sells better than someone who gives you presents? You don’t have to do a thing. Santa spews presents from his sack. You can even sit on his lap and ask for what you want.

Jesus doesn’t sell well. He has some strings attached in the form of expectations. ‘To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). Mark 12:30-31 NIV “30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Just a couple examples.

And Jesus had some hard truths for us as well.  You know the golden rule; do unto others as you’d wish them do to you. Matthew 7:12 NIV “12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” “Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?” Jesus responded, “I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:21–22). Just a couple examples.

When we accept the free gift of Jesus, we have to do all the work. Salvation is free for the asking. The Bible expects us to use our gift, share it. But with Santa, all we have to do is exist.

Santa brings temporary joy. From the poem above, can you just see all the children ‘who ran after him’? After Christmas Santa is gone. Until July. Jesus lives on. Year round.

The Bible

https://www.history.com/topics/christmas/santa-claus

https://www.vintageisthenewold.com/game-pedia/is-santa-more-popular-than-jesus#:~:text=Despite%20the%20proliferation%20of%20Santa,wield%20more%20influence%20than%20Jesus.

The Engagement Ring Story: How De Beers Created a Multi-Billion Dollar Industry From the Ground Up

Parade

The Modern Santa Claus