All is Bright: Sacrifice

All is Bright: Sacrifice

Do you believe in Santa Claus?

Saint Nicholas of Myra was a Christian bishop from the 4th century who became one of the most venerated saints in Christianity.

His life and legacy have inspired numerous traditions, including the modern figure of Santa Claus. Here’s an overview:
Born: Around CE in Patara, a city in Lycia (modern-day Turkey).
Death: December 6, 343 CE, in Myra (present-day Demre, ).
Position: Bishop of Myra, known for his deep faith and charitable acts.
Legacy of Generosity: Nicholas was renowned for helping the poor and protecting the innocent, earning him the title of a miracle worker. Many legends are associated with his acts of kindness.

One of the most famous stories of Saint Nicholas involves him saving three innocent soldiers (or citizens) who were falsely condemned to death. The governor of Myra had been bribed to condemn the men without a proper trial. As the executioner prepared to carry out the sentence, Nicholas intervened, physically stopping the sword and confronting the corrupt governor.
He exposed the injustice, demanded a fair trial, and secured the release of the innocent men.

Saint Nicholas lived a life of influence outside of his church: a life of meaning. Isn’t that what we want?

The folklore of this great Christian leader led to the adoption and creation of a fictitious character who would care for all…!

Did you ever wonder where this “Santa Outfit” came from? It was a fashionable play on the liturgical vestments worn by the Bishops and Cardinals of the church.

Church will often wear red to symbolize the martyrdom of saints, and the fiery encounter of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2.

Church wear red to symbolize their willingness to die for their faith.

Saint Nicholas’s reputation as a defender of justice, combined with his acts of , solidified his status as a beloved figure in Christian tradition and a patron saint of many causes.

The life of this saint has continued to influence people the world over to care for the plight of others…that our lives would result in more than the acquisition of things but rather care for those outside of our homes, friendships, and common social spheres.

In the Jewish traditions from the Talmud and Tanakh, the color red represents life and atonement.

The Jewish traditions state that blood is life: In the Law:

And if any native Israelite or foreigner living among you eats or drinks blood in any form, I will turn against that person and cut him off from the community of your people, for the life of the body is in its blood. I have given you the blood on the altar to purify you, making you right with the Lord. It is the blood, given in exchange for a life, that makes purification possible. That is why I have said to the people of Israel, “You must never eat or drink blood—neither you nor the foreigners living among you.” Leviticus 17:10-12 (NLT)

Yes, becoming a vampire was not God’s plan for us!

Did you catch the correlations of blood and redemption?

We are choosing to wear red today to signify the color of sacrifice…the sacrifice of Christ for His people.

When we live like our lives cost Jesus His life-blood, we live life differently! Sacrificially!

Something sacrificial happened to an apostle of Christ. Paul, a Pharisee, a student of Gamaliel: a highly respected Pharisee and a teacher of Jewish law. Gamaliel was a member of the Sanhedrin, the ruling council of the Jewish people, and was renowned for his wisdom and leniency in interpreting the Torah. If anyone could speak to the religious elite and influence them directly it was a theologian and Rabbi who was zealous and mighty in intellect and education.

But get this: Paul was called by God to bring the Gospel to regular people who were not Jewish!

Because of his obedience, Paul was often in trouble with the religious leaders and the Roman government.

Paul did not consider his life his own. He trusted God to use his voice to change his world!

If I may assemble a title to Paul the Apostle of Jesus, I would call him the patron saint of great writing! His writing is fantastic…speaking through the power of the Holy Spirit to the people of God in ways few if none could.

Here is what Paul wrote for the church in Philippi while in Roman chains:

For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live. Philippians 1:20-24 (NLT)

Paul was full of immense gratitude for what Christ had done for us. He felt his life was a win-win situation as an offering to the Lord! He was not only willing to die for the Lord, he was willing to live a difficult yet eternally significant life for the Lord!

Red is also a great representation of ! Is not Christmas a love letter of God to His people?

Jesus is the living gift!

The altar was a place where dead animals were given to the creator: meal

A living sacrifice was true and literal atonement/attunement to the life God requires

Living blood is red…dead blood is purple…

What God wants from us is

The death He asks for is to leave the things that don’t produce spiritual abundance behind…allow them to stagnate and die alone. Don’t grant them your company or your custody

God’s sacrifice wasn’t on the cross alone: It was the gift of Christ’s birth

For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son… (LIFE) that whoever would believe in Him should not perish but receive everlasting life!

Jesus is alive! His life brought light…that produced abundant life!

Will You Life for Him!??