12/25/2025
Christmas 2025
Twas the night before Christmas and I just had to write it:
Santa is good, but Jesus is better!
We have been lighting the Advent candles and anticipating the return of Jesus as we simultaneously prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus. As I was out and about last week, I heard the news that Santa Claus is coming to town. It suddenly dawned on me that all across the globe people are preparing for the advent of Santa and not Jesus.
You better watch out
You better not cry
You better not pout
I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is comin' to town
He's making a list
He's checking it twice
He's gonna find out
Who's naughty or nice
Santa Claus is comin' to town
He sees you when you're sleeping
He knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake
Santa Claus is comin' to town!!!
But that raises the question: which list am I on? And do I really want to answer that question? More importantly, how do I get from the naughty list to the nice list? That’s a problem!
Knowing that Santa is coming is motivation to get off the naughty list and onto the nice list, but it doesn’t really empower me to quit being naughty and start being nice. It leaves me realizing that I am just stuck being naughty.
And Santa doesn’t do anything to help me get on the nice list, other than tell me to be nice. Truth is, Santa is powerless to remake me into being nice.
So he’s coming tonight for sure, and for sure I will once again be stuck with a lump of coal in my stocking.
I like Santa, but he can’t help me get ready for his coming to town.
Praise God – Jesus is better than Santa Claus!
All advent I have been reminded that Jesus is coming again, and it feels very much like he too has a list that he is checking twice. “Two will be in the field; one will be taken, one will be left.”
I better be prepared for his coming – no one knows when, but only that he is coming! I better change my ways, lest I be left behind, unprepared and on the wrong list.
Sounds a lot like Santa Claus is coming to town.
But here is the difference: Jesus came to help me get ready for his coming! Jesus came, he was born, to save us from our sin! Christmas, Church Christmas, Gospel Christmas celebrates that Jesus came, conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, to save us from our sins and to prepare us for his second coming, his ultimate coming, when God’s Kingdom and Peace would be established in its fullness.
Christmas: Unlike Santa Claus, Jesus came to get us ready for his coming, to get us off the “slave to sin” list and onto the “new living” list.
I couldn’t get myself ready, and Jesus knew it. Nobody could get me ready. Jesus knew that too. So being the only One who could get me ready for his coming, he came and gave himself so that I would be ready for that glorious day of his ultimate advent.
Santa Claus is good, but Jesus is better!
Which list are you on? He came to get you ready. He died to help you. Just invite him to get you ready. He is coming to town and he has done everything that you might be ready.
Merry Christmas!
He has come to get us up, dressed, and ready for the Day!
Christmas Blessings!!!
Pastor Steve
