The True Origin of Santa Claus

Let me tell you an ancient Christmas story.
 
Once upon a time in the 4th century A.D., when Christianity first became legal, the first council of Biblical scholars was called. It took place in Nicea (Modern day Turkey). It is where we get the Nicene Creed. A creed we still recite to this day.
 
The important idea that was being settled at Nicea was the nature of Jesus, the Son of God, in his relation to God the Father. There were more than 300 scholars in attendance including one named Nicholas. Yes, it was the Nicholas that would be the basis for the Santa Claus myth. There was also another, less popular scholar in attendance named Arius.
 
A heated debate began over an iota, a singular Greek letter. To be fair, the iota held a lot of meaning. Arius argued that Jesus's nature was “homo-i-ousios." Meaning that Jesus was of a similar substance to the Father. In other words, Jesus was really, really special, but not God. In fact, Arius believed that Jesus was a created being and not eternal (John 1 wants to have a word Arius). And he wouldn’t shut up about it.
 
You see, the rest of the council said that Jesus was “homo_ousios” (No iota). This meant that Jesus was the same substance as the Father. I.e. Jesus was not only really important, but the eternal God himself. Jesus was and is the second person of the Triune Godhead.
 
Jolly old Saint Nicholas had enough. The legend goes that he stood up walked over to Arius, and said, “I came to give presents to kids and slap heretics, and I just ran out of presents.” Ok, that's not a direct quote, but that's how I imagine it. Nicolas punched Arius in the face saying, “It’s Homoousios!"

Arius was shut down, and Nicolas began his reputation as a staunch proponent of the nature of Christ and the incarnation, and, after Jesus, became the symbol of Christmas.

Arius was making the mistake a lot of people have made. He was making the mistake of the religious leaders of the first century. He was making the mistake a lot of us make. He was trying to create Jesus in his own image. Arius wanted to morph Jesus into something more understandable, relatable, and palatable.
 
Tomorrow we are going use the carol "O Come All Ye Faithful" to look at the unexpected first Christmas. It was Christmas how we might imagine it, but it was the Christmas that God designed. It was upside-down and beautiful in its own way. It was this Christmas that would give the world a glimpse of who Jesus would become, what his ministry would look like, and what his ultimate mission was. Worship with us tomorrow!