Santa

With Christmas coming up, I decided to post a program that we put on a couple of years ago. It shows some interesting things about Santa Claus that you may not have known before.

THE IMPOSTER

Pastor’s Introduction: With all the commercialization of Christmas it is sad how many have completely lost the true meaning of this special holiday. It seems in our society that Jesus has been replaced by Santa. This is actually quite a clever deception, for Santa has not only displaced our Lord, as we will find out tonight, but he has actually turned into an evil imposter. Tonight we will be reminded of who the true Lord really is.

Pray

Piano playing Christmas hymns.
Scene opens with Santa sitting in a large chair with Shopper and Mother beside him and the son on his lap. Mother then takes picture

Grandparents walk up with grandchildren.

Amanda: Grandma, can we get our picture taken with Santa Claus?

Grandma: No, I do not think that is a good idea

Daniel: Why not?

Grandpa: Well, Santa is not real.

Amanda: But I can see him, he is right there.

Grandma: What grandpa means is that he is actually an imposter

At this time Elijah pulls Santa’s beard off as Policeman walks up

Policeman: Ah. An imposter you say. It looks like your right.

Santa sits there looking embarrassed without his beard.
Mother: (looking embarrassed herself) Elijah, you come and stand by me for a while.

Elijah goes and stands by mother

Policeman: So can someone explain what’s going on here?

Grandpa: Sure. We were just explaining to our grandchildren that Santa is an imposter when that little wipper snapper pulled his beard off.

Policeman: (turning to Santa) Ok, so what’s your name?

Santa: Chris Cringle

Shopper: I heard that Chris Cringle meant Christ Child.

Santa: That’s correct- in fact, you can verify it by looking it up in Webster’s 7th Collegiate Dictionary. It calls me the religious and holiday spirit of Christmas personified, Father Christmas, the Christmas Gift, or the Christ Child.

Mother: (Rolling her eyes at Santa) He sure doesn’t look like the Christ Child to me.

Grandma: He’s not. That is why he’s an imposter.

Mother: How do you mean?

Grandpa: Actually there are a lot of ways. Jesus Christ is the true Christmas gift, not Santa Claus.

Daniel: Doesn’t Santa give kids gifts?

Elijah: I want a toy truck.

Grandpa: James 1:17 says, Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Amanda: Then that means they come from God, not Santa.

Grandma: That’s right dear.

Shopper: I find it interesting that the perfect gifts come from God, yet we tell our kids to ask Santa for stuff.

Mother: So we should have them write letters to God instead of letters to Santa?

Grandma: We could just tell them to pray.

Mother: Yah, and God knows who has been naughty or nice.

Santa: Hey, you better be nice or I won’t give you any presents.

Grandpa: Jesus Christ is the ultimate judge, not Santa and He knows all our secrets. Romans 2:16 says, “In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.”

Grandma: Have you noticed that Santa only rewards us according to our works, but Christ saves us based on the grace of God? “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8&9.

Santa: Okay, if I’m supposed to be an imposter of Christ, why am I dressed up in this red and white outfit.

Grandpa: When Christ returns He will be dressed in red and white as well. Daniel 7:9 says, “I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.”

Santa: See, His clothes are white, mine are red.

Grandpa: His white robe will be stained red by blood when He returns. Revelation 19:13 tells us, “And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.”

Amanda: Grandpa, why was it stained with blood.

Grandpa: He shed his blood for us, Amanda. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Shopper: I noticed you mentioned something about His hair being like pure wool. Would that mean that Christ might have white hair like this imposter?

Grandpa: That’s right. Revelation 1:14 explains, “His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;”

Amanda: I didn’t know Jesus would have white hair.

Grandma: Yes, even whiter than Grandpa’s. Like wool and white as snow.

Policeman: Okay, Mr. Cringle, why don’t you tell me how you got here.
Santa: In my sleigh with 8 tiny reindeer.

Mother: So Santa, why are you just sitting here? Shouldn’t you be flying around delivering gifts or something?

Santa: Oh, I don’t have to do that until Christmas eve.

Shopper: You probably should get started now. There are billions of people on this planet and if you only visited 1 billion houses in 24 hours, that would mean you would have to go to over 11,000 per second. You could not be that omnipresent unless you were God.

Grandpa: Correct again. Furthermore, Christ is able to be present in more places that one. Daniel can you share that verse you just learned?

Daniel: For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Matthew 18:20

Mother: Yah, that whole thing about Santa flying around with reindeer and giving gifts is obviously fake.

Shopper: Yes, but the idea of Jesus doing so is not. “But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.” That is found in Eph. 4:7 & 8. You see the gifts Jesus gives are even better than toys.

Santa: Okay, I’ll agree the reindeer and sleigh thing is a little far fetched, but did you know that some stories have me on a horse instead?

Grandpa: I am not waiting for you to come on your horse, but I am waiting for Christ to come on His. Let me read from Revelation 19, “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

Grandma: That tells me we should be waiting for Jesus, not for Santa. Amanda can you share the verse you just learned.

Amanda: “He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” Revelation 22:20

Mother: That Christ you were reading about- He sounds really powerful- even more powerful than Santa Claus.

Grandpa: Yes, way more powerful. “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” Matthew 28:18
The similarities between Christ and Santa are astounding. I believe they were both considered carpenters who made things. If it were not for the fact that Santa replaces and takes attention away from Christ, he could be a great reminder of who Christ is, but I want to be reminded by the real thing not some counterfeit who sits on his throne in the shopping center receiving worship that only belongs to God.

Mother: Yah, “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.” and that comes from 2 Corinthians 11:14.

Shopper: As we celebrate this holiday season, let us remember who is really the one with power and judgment at Christmas time. It is the Lord Jesus Christ, not Santa. Let us pray to Him, worship Him, and think of Him during this time, not the imposter.

Policeman: Yep, I’m convinced. This guy is an imposter. You’d better come with me.

Santa: Wait. I’m not really Santa. They’re right, he’s just a fake. I’m just a teenage kid with a side job here. Besides, I want to know the true Christ. I don’t want anything more to do with this counterfeiter. pulls hat and fake hair and beard off.

Amanda: Grandpa, thank you for telling us the truth about Santa and not lying to us and telling us he is real. I know I can believe you when you tell me that Jesus is real because you never lie to us.

Daniel: I don’t like Santa anymore because he is a fake, but I love Jesus because he is real.

Santa: Me too

Elijah: Me too

Pastor: Perhaps you are here today and once believed in Santa as a child and realized he was a lie and no longer believe in him. Perhaps you have taken a similar approach with Christ. There is one big difference. Jesus Christ is real. Hebrews 9:27 says, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” Jesus was born into this world to pay the penalty so that you could be forgiven when that judgment comes. Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
You may have been lied to about Santa Claus, but God will not, and has not lied to you, and He gives us hope of eternal life. Titus 1:2 “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;” So trust Christ if you have not do so already.