Jesus and Santa: Are they connected?

As Christmas is just around the corner, I thought I might share a couple of musings with you. One could be fooled into thinking that Santa and Jesus share something in common. They do both seem to be celebrated over the Christmas period. But, is there really a substantial connection between the two, or is it all just coincidence?

Growing up, I always thought Jesus and Santa must be connected. I believed that Jesus was born the King of Israel and Santa brought presents to celebrate his birth. If I was good, like Jesus wanted, I would receive a present from Santa. Perhaps, that is the connection between Jesus and Santa? Santa is Jesus' kind of henchman, delivering presents to 'good' god-fearing people, right? 

Obviously, this connection is not the case. Jesus and Santa, as you will clearly see, share nothing in common and I would like to demonstrate how. Let’s do a comparison between the two:

Jesus	Santa
Jesus died on the cross to give eternal life to those who don’t deserve it.	Santa gives gifts to only those who are good, those who deserve it; he gives coal to bad people.
Jesus teaches that all are unworthy (essentially evil).	Santa teaches that some of us are good and some are bad.
Jesus is loving towards those who don’t deserve it.	Santa is judgemental and intolerant.
Jesus is a historical figure. He lived, died and rose again to bring his followers to worship God.	Santa is a myth, perpetrated by and proclaimed to bring glory to the false god of consumerism.

Clearly, Jesus and Santa, theologically and ideologically speaking, are opposed to one another. And, obviously, no one actually follows Santa, religiously speaking, unlike Jesus. But, each year, children are, I'll label, indoctrinated into waiting for this big fat man to arrive. They are taught that if they are good, they will receive a gift. Whereas Jesus calls on us to rely and trust in him. Santa is worshipped as some sort of hero, thus robbing Jesus from his glory and honour. It sounds a little extreme, but just consider these things for awhile. 

So, who will you celebrate, or encourage your kids to celebrate this Christmas? Will it be a historical, generous man, who gave his life for you? Or will it be a big, fat, intolerant, judgemental man, who does not really exist?

In conclusion, Jesus offers to those who don’t deserve it eternal life; that’s you and me!! The error in the thinking or ideology behind “Santa” is the same error the Religious Leaders of Jesus time fell into, that being that God only accepts good people.

Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?"(John 5:45-47)

In Moses, you have the Ten Commandments. No one can keep these, but in Jesus, the God-Man, we can be rescued by his death on the cross. Why not, this Christmas, celebrate the birth of your saviour, Jesus, the King of the Universe!

A Tale of Two: Scandal, Sex and Payouts

Sadly, when we pick up the newspaper or switch on the news, our ears and eyes frequently witness the travesty of children, who have murdered their parents, or the crazed individual, who has murdered their partner, all for the pleasure of inheriting the pot of gold, their parent’s or partner’s belongings, superannuation or large insurance payout. Of course, our emotions are mixed, but the thoughts that rush through our minds play the tune of, “How could they?” What sane person would do it, right?

Jesus tells us of the parable of two sons, who have worked hard for their father most of their lives. One of the sons, which I’ll call the ‘rebellious son’, approached his father and demanded his inheritance. The father calculated each of his two son’s inheritances and gave them their portion. The rebellious son, the following day, packed his bags in haste and departed for the ‘big smoke’.

By demanding for his inheritance, which had been set aside for him in the future, the rebellious son was essentially saying, “Father, I wish you were dead!” A grand kick in the face for a loving father, wouldn’t you agree? On one level, this replicates the travesties of our society, but on another, I guess we can see this slyly weaved in our lives.

Returning to the story, the rebellious son arrived at the ‘big smoke’ and participated in “wild living”. Not only had he wished his father were dead, but now he was dishonouring his father’s name, something prized in that time. Eventually, the rebellious son’s money ran out and a famine struck the land, causing the rebellious son to plunge into poverty. Jesus explained that the son was so hungry the he yearned to eat pig’s food. He had fallen from high society to the very bottom of the barrel.

At this point, the rebellious son’s conscience returns to him and pricks his memory of his father, whom he had proverbially punched in the face and dishonoured. “Oh what a mistake I have made”, he says to himself. After realising how horrible he was to his father, the rebellious son returns to him and fearfully pleads for mercy. The father accepts his son back and throws a huge party to celebrate.

This story can be found in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 15, verses 11 through 32. We pause for a moment to soak up the sheer loving mercy of the father. How cruel and evil the son was to abandon and dishonour his father and waste all his inheritance.  Yet, the father forgives him. Being the bible and a story of Jesus’, we know the son is us and the father is God, who accepts us back through Jesus’ cross. But, it would be a grave mistake to stop reading now, for the punch line is still yet to come.

Remember, there were two sons? The rebellious son, who returned to his father, and there was the, we’ll call, the ‘faithful son’. While the party raged into the night, the ‘faithful son’ heard the commotion in the house and went to inspect. Upon arrival, he found his stupid brother being held high by his father. This is the moment where we take a glimpse into the ‘faithful sons’ heart. This is the crunch point; the point Jesus is trying to emphasise.

The ‘faithful son’ is repulsed and violently rejects the situation. He pulls his father to the side, a dishonouring thing to do in that time, and proceeds to tell his father what to do. He reasons with his father, “I worked for you like a slave, I always obeyed you”, and so on. The father responded, “Look, your brother is back!” But the ‘faithful son’ didn’t care. His eyes were on the wealth; “You took the fattened calf for him and served it”, a big and expensive thing in that time. The ‘faithful son’ wasn’t on-board with his father. Why?

At first reading, it seems as though the ‘rebellious son’ is the only one using his father for his wealth, but after his return and the joyous celebration that ensues, it is revealed that the ‘faithful son’ is no different. He too, sees his father as an opportunity for wealth and fame. “Where was my fattened calf?” asked the ‘faithful son’. “I’ve worked hard for you; where’s my payment”. Like his brother earlier in the story, he is essentially saying where is my money? He wasn’t working hard because he loved his father, but rather, was working simply to gain wealth and fame. But what was it that the father desired? He desired that his two sons love him.

Where do you sit with God? He created you, sustains you and provides for you. He, like the father in the story, loves you and desires to have a relationship with you. Possibly, you, like the ‘faithful son’, haven’t killed anyone or stolen anything, yet you use God for the treasures of his creation. Perhaps, you store up your God given money and enjoy the God given relationships given you by God. Yet, you never turn to listen or follow him.

Some may say now, I follow God in my own way. But, so did both sons in the story. God created us, yet we reject him. We live our lives without honouring God. This is sin. Like the father in the story, God yearns to have a relationship with you. He loves you so much that he sacrificed himself on the cross to pay for all of your rejection.

There are so many travesties in the news, but there is a greater travesty at play today, the travesty that you and I are a part of, the rejection and ‘murder’ of our Father and creator, God. Turn now, and follow his Son Jesus Christ. See your spiritual poverty and return to your loving Father, who waits for you with open arms.

If you have questions, I would love to try to answer them and guide you to Jesus Christ.