Santa-Jesus
December 20th, 2011 by Kristi Stephens
- Image via Wikipedia
“Santa’s coming this weekend! Have you been good?”
The question has been posed to my children time and time again over the past days and weeks. Last night as I rolled out pie crust and listened to the Christmas music filling up my playlist, I wondered… how often do we try to make Jesus into Santa Claus?
We want Jesus to fill our outstretched hands with fabulous things. We will gladly supply Him with a wishlist – and often do, sometimes in the form of long and drawn out prayers attempting to convince God to give us what we want need.
To add another complex layer to our confusion, many of us have convinced ourselves that getting on his ‘good side’ depends on our good behavior. Works for Santa, right? Just stay off of the naughty list, that’s all he asks of you!
But the amazing, stunning, scandalous truth of Christmas is this: Jesus is nothing like Santa Claus.
He does see you when you’re sleeping, and He does know when you’re awake – but He knows the truth: none of us are good. We are inherently tainted with sin from birth, and then have chosen to rebel against Him time and time and time again. It is impossible for us to “be good for goodness sake.”
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. – Romans 5:8
While we were yet sinners. While we were utterly incapable of reaching out to Him, even with our feeble attempts at goodness, He loved us enough to humble Himself, wrap Himself in flesh, and present Himself as the ultimate gift on a cross-shaped tree.
The scandalous truth of the Gospel is this: Jesus is nothing like Santa Claus. He’s not looking to reward good behavior. He’s not interested in you trying harder. He’s watching you – but it’s with an eye of tender mercy and compassion. He sees us in our sin and desperation and failure – He sees what we really are, deep inside, the shameful secrets we try to hide.
Instead of waiting for you to get your act together, He came. He came offering the most priceless gift we can imagine, the one we could never, ever earn – He offers the gift of Himself.
While we were yet sinners.
Yes, Jesus is nothing like Santa. The Gospel is gloriously scandalous – you are more deeply broken and sinful than you could ever dare to admit, and you are more lavishly loved than you will ever comprehend. Stop trying to be good, friends, and come to Him in your brokenness. What He offers you in exchange will take your breath away.
- 12 Comments »
- Posted in Grace
December 20th, 2011 at 7:47 am
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December 20th, 2011 at 8:57 am
Amen! The world is trying to impart Jesus’ goodness, truth and righteousness on Santa however. Santa is fictional, Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Light (or Life).
December 20th, 2011 at 9:03 am
Scandalous truth – to be sure! But oh, the grace – while we were yet sinners, He came!
Merry Christmas Kristi. Beautiful message here!
December 20th, 2011 at 9:18 am
I LOVE THIS.
Whereas we’ve all written about how Santa is not Jesus, (myself included, and I was planning on writing more even this week..) yours is the first post I’ve read about how JESUS is not like SANTA! You’ve hit the nail on the head, as usual. Thanks Kristi!!
December 20th, 2011 at 12:28 pm
Oh I love this insight Kristi. Thanks for sharing!
December 20th, 2011 at 12:39 pm
Kristi ~ I absolutely LOVED this post! Loved how you said, “The Gospel is gloriously scandalous – you are more deeply broken and sinful than you could ever dare to admit, and you are more lavishly loved than you will ever comprehend.”
Beautifully written! Tremendous truths!
December 20th, 2011 at 1:49 pm
Thankful for you… and God’s word!
December 20th, 2011 at 2:05 pm
Amen! I really like this! I wish more folks would see that Jesus is NOT Santa, Santa isn’t Jesus, and stop making the red fat guy into our Lord and Savior! Don’t get me wrong, I like the pics of the Victorian age and prim santas–but I know the fat guy isn’t Jesus, and have taught the kids that too. The red guy is an imaginary character, with a once historical background, and absolutely has no place being given the same attributes as Jesus!
December 20th, 2011 at 2:12 pm
It struck me the other day that we talk about “being good” in order to “earn” gifts from Santa, when true gifts cannot be earned. So thankful for grace, and thankful for this reminder!
December 20th, 2011 at 2:17 pm
Love this! He loved us when we were still stinners. He loved us in our sin and died to save us from that sin…something that Santa can never do with all of his gifts.
December 20th, 2011 at 9:26 pm
Amen.
December 21st, 2011 at 11:10 am
[...] Santa-Jesus (while most people talk about how Santa is not like Jesus, my friend Kristi tackles how JESUS is not like SANTA.) [...]