Saturday, December 22, 2012

I Used To Like Santa Claus


 
When I was a kid and you asked what Christmas was all about I would say it was Jesus’ birthday … and … presents!  I don’t know if I believed in Santa or not back then and raised my kids to know that Saint Nicholas was someone who lived … and died … a long time ago. 

Saint Nicholas was born in the late third century to wealthy parents in the Greek village of Patara in what is now Southern Turkey.  His parents raised him to be a devout Christian but died while he was young.  Nicholas had read the scripture that admonished to sell all he had and give it to the poor.  Unlike Ananias and Sapphira he did it without fanfare or lies.  The Romans were sweeping through the land persecuting Christians and by this time and according to tradition a young Nicholas was made a Bishop of the town of Myra. 

After the turn of the century Nicholas was arrested by the Roman emperor and it was said that there were more bishops, pastors and priests in prison than murderers, thieves and robbers.  After his release he attended the council of Nicaea in 325 and died on December 6, 343 in Myra. 

Tradition holds that a type of Manna formed on his grave that had healing powers.  One said that there was a poor family with three daughters who could not wed without a dowry and without one would be sold as slaves.  In the middle of the night bags of gold were thrown through the window to land in stockings and shoes hung by the fire to dry.  There are several more of these stories of gold given.

After his death he became the patron saint of lost, kidnapped or murdered children.  One child kidnapped by Arabs was supposedly restored miraculously to his parents by the appearance of the saint. 

I am aware that the Catholic Church had little to do with the deity and power of our Risen Savior, especially back in its early years.  We are the body of Christ and ought to be the hands and body of our Lord Jesus on this earth.  Everyone who names the name of Jesus as their Savior is a saint and child of the Most High God.  My only real problem with Santa Claus is that many of his supposed miracles occurred AFTER his death which makes him a replacement of our Lord rather than merely a son who served his Heavenly Father until his death and then retired to be with our Lord.

We ought not pray to Mary or ask Saint Nicholas to protect us.  Our schools were places of safety and learning until WE chose to take God out of them.  People thought twice before killing someone because even if you weren’t caught by man you knew God would judge you.  Evil men sought tame priests who would bless them and give them some vain religious formula to follow to temper the fires of Hell in their future.  One didn’t commit suicide quite so readily because you knew there was another door you had to go through after you left this world.  Judgment follows death.  Death has NEVER been the end.

Nicholas lived for God during his life and one day died to join his Lord.  He doesn’t travel around the earth giving gifts to children or rescuing them from evil men.  There were many crimes evil men feared to commit before because of eternal judgment but we no longer warn them of this absolute which hovers over all mankind.  Judgment ALWAYS comes and without the blood of Christ so does justice.  Only Jesus can free a man or woman from the bondage and price of sin.  Only repentance can open the door to this grace.

Stores and businesses warn employees to refrain from saying Merry Christmas.  You can say happy holiday because that could mean anything from Kwanza to Hanukah to Christmas to Ramadan.  We as Christians have allowed ourselves to buy into the lie of separation of church and state.  The constitution of this country was written to protect the church and limit the state.  The State could NOT become or support a particular church but the church members had every right to let the State know what they wanted.

Just a few days before Christmas and I have never heard so much anger and frustration over Anne getting more presents than Susie, or John didn’t like what he got.  Nicholas’ parents DIED while he was yet a young man and he felt so strongly about his Lord and Savior Jesus that he sold everything the wealthy parents had and gave it to the poor.  What an awesome young man!  He spent his life giving out of the abundance of a willing heart.  The people around him in their ignorance began to pray to him rather than to God because he was someone who made things happen.

Shame on us.

We as the church are supposed to make things happen for the Lord.  He will empower us.  He will lead us.  He will make whatever we do successful but we must work the work.  The miracles will be real and the power and authority too but we MUST show ourselves strong for our Lord.

I don’t believe Nicholas ever asked to be worshipped but rather like Paul in Acts 14:14 would have stopped them immediately.  As much as we all like to be recognized we nevertheless must turn all that recognition back to the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.  Nicholas knew he was a man of weakness who did good things in the power of the Lord.  We must do what we do in the power of the Lord as well. 

I pray we won’t merely remember the reason for this season but will celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior with passion and excitement.  Why have we allowed Sears, Toys R Us, Amazon, Penny’s, Macys, Apple, Microsoft, Walmart and more to stain the reason for this season?  Our Lord was born, He lived and after being put to death HE rose on the third day. 

Angels came to the shepherds watching their flocks in the field and cried out that the Messiah was born.  Men of great wisdom followed a bright star in the heavens to bring Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh as gifts to our Lord.  He lived a life of miracles and died a greater miracle still.  He arose and led captivity captive and HE gave gifts to men.  His gifts are spirit and they are life.  Shall we celebrate THOSE gifts during this wondrous season? 

Hanukah is celebrated for God’s people throwing off the yokes of bondage.  We celebrate Christmas to celebrate our savior’s birth and the beginning of true freedom from bondage. 

Beloved, I pray you will take time this Christmas season to consider your souls.  Are you free?  Can you in all honesty cry out Abba, Father?  Do you rejoice in the birth of your salvation?  We can take back OUR holiday if we choose to do so but the devil and his lies will not go quietly into that darkness.  He will fight us.  Rejoice for the child born in a manger.  Rejoice for the gold, frankincense and myrrh which enabled his parents to flee the devil’s wrath and kept them safe in Egypt until they could safely come back home.  Rejoice for parents who raised him to be a Rabbi and kept him safe until the appointed day. 

Today you cannot have a manger scene in front of a public park.  Tomorrow they will try to prevent you from having one in your store window and after that it will be illegal to have them on your lawn. 

Stand and be counted.  Some of you today will be jailed for your faith, even in America.  It won’t be because you have sinned or killed or done evil but because of your faith.  This future is becoming more and more clear.  The days of persecution are coming.  We have an opportunity to slow them down if we press NOW.  Evil must come for the end to arrive but I would rather preach the gospel every moment I can until that time.

Do not fear death for it has no sting.  God’s grace is sufficient to keep you safe no matter the indignity you have suffered.

I applaud my brother Nicholas for the life he lived but Santa Claus will NEVER take the place of my Lord.

Have a blessed Christmas.

Bishop J

2 comments:

  1. good reading bishop Jay thank you for taking your time to educate me

    ReplyDelete
  2. Bishop,
    I knew a little bit about St. Nick (since teaching kindergarten, I have learned a lot!! lol) but not all the details you have included. This will be a message I will save for future classroom use. Thanks!!
    We all miss you at RFT.
    Blessings to you and your wife.
    Cassandra

    ReplyDelete