Along that line--here is an email I received from a cousin today:
Jesus is Better than Santa Santa lives at the North Pole. JESUS is everywhere. Santa rides in a sleigh JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water. Santa comes but once a year JESUS is an ever present help. Santa fills your stockings with goodies JESUS supplies all your needs. Santa comes down your chimney uninvited JESUS stands at your door and knocks.. and then enters your heart. You have to stand in line to see Santa JESUS is as close as the mention of His name. Santa lets you sit on his lap JESUS lets you rest in His arms. Santa doesn't know your name, all he can say is "Hi little boy or girl, What's your name?" JESUS knew our name before we did. Not only does He know our name, He knows our address too. He knows our history and future and He even knows how many hairs are on our heads. Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly JESUS has a heart full of love. All Santa can offer is HO HO HO JESUS offers health, help and hope. Santa says "You better not cry" JESUS says "Cast all your cares on me for I care for you. Santa's little helpers make toys JESUS makes new life, mends wounded hearts, repairs broken homes and builds mansions. Santa may make you chuckle but JESUS gives you joy that is your strength. While Santa puts gifts under your tree JESUS became our gift and died on the tree. It's obvious there is really no comparison. We need to remember WHO Christmas is all about. We need to put Christ back in Christmas.
With a almost 10 month old son who went to see Santa or I as I refer to him as Ole St. Nick, and risking being called syncretistic let me assure your readers my son will know the true meaning of Christmas and why Santa is propagated in our current culture. http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=23
Remember even the Puritans and many Reform Christians opposed the celebration of Christmas finding the celebrations to pagan and steeped in Roman Catholicism. So too is St. Nicholas and the modern day Santa Claus.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas
Knowing that my son shall be taught and shall know the Gospels and be raised in a Reform faith at Redeemer Presbyterian I do not fear my son will confuse the two.
Yes, my son there was a St. Nicholas, we refer to him as Santa Claus, but that is Roman Catholicism mixed with Mythology. The true meaning of Christmas can be found in and throughout the entire Bible and just as I would introduce anyone to the Bible let us begin with the Gospel of John 1:1-18 May we hear the inspired and infallible Word of the Living God.
The Word Became Flesh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) 16 And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.
And may God speak to us with His Holy Word and May His name be forever praised! Amen.
4 comments:
Are you trying to tell me that you are the real Santa? Talking about heresy! “Yes Tony, I do believe!”
Along that line--here is an email I received from a cousin today:
Jesus is Better than Santa
Santa lives at the North Pole.
JESUS is everywhere.
Santa rides in a sleigh
JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water.
Santa comes but once a year
JESUS is an ever present help.
Santa fills your stockings with goodies
JESUS supplies all your needs.
Santa comes down your chimney uninvited
JESUS stands at your door and knocks.. and then enters your heart.
You have to stand in line to see Santa
JESUS is as close as the mention of His name.
Santa lets you sit on his lap
JESUS lets you rest in His arms.
Santa doesn't know your name, all he can say is "Hi little boy or girl, What's your name?"
JESUS knew our name before we did. Not only does He know our name, He knows our address too. He knows our history and future and He even knows how many hairs are on our heads.
Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly
JESUS has a heart full of love.
All Santa can offer is HO HO HO
JESUS offers health, help and hope.
Santa says "You better not cry"
JESUS says "Cast all your cares on me for I care for you.
Santa's little helpers make toys
JESUS makes new life, mends wounded hearts, repairs broken homes and builds mansions.
Santa may make you chuckle but
JESUS gives you joy that is your strength.
While Santa puts gifts under your tree
JESUS became our gift and died on the tree.
It's obvious there is really no comparison.
We need to remember WHO Christmas is all about.
We need to put Christ back in Christmas.
With a almost 10 month old son who went to see Santa or I as I refer to him as Ole St. Nick, and risking being called syncretistic let me assure your readers my son will know the true meaning of Christmas and why Santa is propagated in our current culture. http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=23
Remember even the Puritans and many Reform Christians opposed the celebration of Christmas finding the celebrations to pagan and steeped in Roman Catholicism. So too is St. Nicholas and the modern day Santa Claus.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas
Knowing that my son shall be taught and shall know the Gospels and be raised in a Reform faith at Redeemer Presbyterian I do not fear my son will confuse the two.
http://ricksan67.blog.friendster.com/category/religion/adventchristmas/
Yes, my son there was a St. Nicholas, we refer to him as Santa Claus, but that is Roman Catholicism mixed with Mythology. The true meaning of Christmas can be found in and throughout the entire Bible and just as I would introduce anyone to the Bible let us begin with the Gospel of John 1:1-18 May we hear the inspired and infallible Word of the Living God.
The Word Became Flesh
1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) 16 And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.
And may God speak to us with His Holy Word and May His name be forever praised! Amen.
Merry Christmas to All and to All a Good Night!
I'm reminded of that quip by H. L. Mencken that Puritanism is "The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy."
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