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Tuesday, December 26, 2023

Should Christians Celebrate CHRISTMAS?

 


I am aware of the fact that officially the Seventh-day Adventist church does not observe Christmas as a religious event. This is mostly because of the Pagan and commercial influences on the holiday.

Individual churches however may have Christmas themed sermons around this time.

That is my only objective today.

Through the centuries some have argued for doing away with the observance of Christmas completely.

Oliver Cromwell tried to ban Christmas in Britain after the beheading of King Charles the First.

That attempt to abolish Christmas didn’t last long.

My question I want to propose to you today is rhetorical.

I am not looking for an answer, but the question I do have is,

“Since the majority of the civilized Christian world today recognizes Christmas, why not use it as an evangelical tool?”

I personally do not and never did buy into the commercialism of the Holiday. 

Even as a young child, I found it disconcerting that many people didn’t attend church at any time of the year but did celebrate Christmas!

Today, I find it just as disconcerting that many people in the Seventh Day Adventist denomination go to church on the true Sabbath, Saturday, but refuse to celebrate the birth of Christ when the rest of the world does.

Many iconoclasts, people who attack cherished religious beliefs or institutions, point to the fact that Saturnalia, an ancient Roman festival to honor the god Saturn, is the pagan origins of Christmas.

I will agree that there are certain pagan elements associated with Christmas, such as yule logs, that I do reject.

The reason for rejecting the yule log is that the custom of burning the Yule Log is rooted only in pagan rituals.

The Yule Log is traditionally thought to determine a person's good or bad luck in the coming year.

Based on the Bible, I do not think that is where our good or bad luck comes from, but that is another sermon for another time.

For me, celebrating the Lord’s wonderful birth, and the mysterious circumstances surrounding it, isn’t pagan.

The reason for this is because his origins is heavenly, and this is pointed out in the word of God, the Bible.

God’s loving acts including the mystery of the Incarnation are the true origins of “Christmas.”

The Hebrew name for “Christmas”, is interpreted in English as, “Holiday of The Birth”.

So, what are some of these loving acts that are pointed out in the Bible:

·        First, the announcement of the Incarnation by the angel Gabriel to Mary instructing Mary to name her son Yehoshua which means. “Jesus is salvation”.

 

o   Turn to Luke 1:26–31,

 

§  And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.  And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.  And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.  And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.  And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.

 

·        Second, the providential circumstances of the census in Bethlehem,

o   Turn to Luke 2:

 

§  And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed....And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.  And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David; to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.  And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.  And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

 

·        Third, the heavenly host in Shepherds’ Fields,

 

o   Turn to Luke 2:8-14

 

§  And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.  And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.  And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

 

 

 

 

·        Fourth, the Baby Jesus presented in the Temple and Simeon’s sweeping prophecy,

 

o   Turn to Luke 2:25-32

 

§   And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.  And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.  And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:  For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

 

·        Fifth, the visit of the majestic Magi from the East with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, the Holy Family’s escape into Egypt.

 

o   Turn to Matthew 2:9-11

 

§  When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.  When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.  And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.

 

All these Loving acts of God as documented in His Word captured my attention even as a young child and are worthy of adoration and contemplation and should be celebrated. 

That is what the Christmas holiday is all about.  That is why, as a Christian we need to recognize this season and tell the world the truth about what this season is about.

We are missing one of the greatest evangelical gifts given to us by God, as is clearly documented in the Bible.

So, what are the problems that some people have with celebrating Christmas.

The debate about whether Christians should celebrate Christmas has been raging for centuries.

There are equally sincere and committed Christians on both sides of the issue, each with multiple reasons why or why not to celebrate Christmas.

One argument against Christmas is that the traditions surrounding the holiday do have origins in paganism.

Searching for reliable information on this topic is difficult because the origins of many of the Christmas traditions are so obscure that sources often contradict one another.

Bells, candles, holly, and yule logs are mentioned in the history of pagan worship, but the use of these in one’s home certainly does not indicate a return to paganism.

My family celebrated Christmas ever since I can remember.  

From my earliest years, the birth of Jesus was at the center of everything we did during the Christmas season. 

Every Christmas Eve we went to the Church to honor Christ’s birth.

It was always pointed out why we gave each other gifts, it was a way to honor His birth, the way the Magi did.  

In the spirit of giving a gift to someone else, we bring joy into their lives, the same way the gift God gave us on Christmas day, His only begotten Son, brings joy into our lives. 

This was a gift to us directly from God’s hand, and some Christians refuse to honor this Gift?

Traditions of Christmas are Biblically factual.

A star is placed on the top of a Christmas tree to remember the Star of Bethlehem that led the Magi to Jesus.

The gifts that are exchanged remind us of the gifts the Magi gave to Mary and Joseph to honor Jesus, the greatest gift of God to mankind.

There are many more traditions associated with the true meaning of Christmas which is the birth of the Savior of the world in the city of Bethlehem.

Bells are played to ring out the joyous news.

Candles are lit to remind us that Christ is the Light of the world:

Turn to John 1:4-9,

In him was life; and the life was the light of men.  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.  There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.  He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.  That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

Another argument against Christmas is the Christmas tree, and the false belief that the Bible forbids bringing trees into our homes and decorating them.

The passage often cited is Jeremiah 10:1-16, but this passage refers to cutting down trees, chiseling the wood to make an idol, and then decorating the idol with silver and gold for the purpose of bowing down before it to worship it.

The passage in Jeremiah cannot be taken out of its context and used to make a legitimate argument against Christmas trees.

My family had a Christmas tree in our house ever since I can remember and I never remember my parents, or any friends or relatives ever bowing down to the tree and worshipping it. 

Usually by New Year’s Day my dad was happy to unceremoniously take it down and get rid of it by putting it is the trash!

Does this sound like something anyone would do to something they worshipped?

Christians who choose to ignore Christmas point to the fact that the Bible doesn’t give us the date of Christ’s birth, which is certainly true.

December 25 is not the time Jesus was born, and arguments for this idea are legion.

Some relating to the climate in Israel at that time of the year, the practices of shepherds in winter, and the dates of Roman census-taking.

Some see this as proof positive that God didn’t want us to celebrate the birth.

But that is the same argument made by false religions that deny Christ altogether, as well as religions such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses who deny His deity altogether.

If any of this made any type of practical sense’ then we should not celebrate Thanksgiving either.

The event that Americans commonly call the "First Thanksgiving" was celebrated by the Pilgrims after their first harvest in the New World in October of 1621. 

We celebrate it on November 25.

Christians who do celebrate Christmas, use this opportunity as an evangelical tool to proclaim Jesus Christ as “the reason for the season” to all nations and to those trapped in false religions.

There just is no legitimate scriptural reason not to celebrate Christmas unless you take scripture out of context and use it to promote your own agenda.

At the same time, I will say that there is no biblical mandate to celebrate it, either.

In the end, whether to celebrate Christmas is a personal decision.

Whatever Christians decide to do regarding Christmas, their views should not be used as a club with which to beat down or denigrate those with opposing views, nor should either view be used as a badge of honor inducing pride over celebrating or not celebrating.

James 1:5 says, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally…”.

So, before you start to cast stones at those who do not share your views on Christmas, consider an important instruction given by the Apostle Paul in Colossians 2: 16:

“Do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, or a Sabbath day.” 

Colossians 2:16 is such an important verse to hang onto when people start to bully you because you worship the Lord on a Saturday instead of a Sunday, or if you eat non-kosher food, or meat, or if you celebrate the Lord’s birth on a certain date. 

Paul assures us of the liberty we have in the Messiah, and so we can celebrate the Lord’s birth any time and how we seem fit.

I also like Colossians 2:17 concludes the thought:

“So don’t put up with anyone pressuring you in details of diet, worship services, or holy days. All those things are mere shadows cast before what was to come; the substance is Christ……”

But, you might ask…. what about Santa Claus?

Although St. Nicholas was an historical figure with a reputation for secret gift-giving, the “Santa Claus” and Father Christmas narratives of today are stretching the truth to say the least.

We all recognize that lying is a sin.

I’m grateful that I was brought up in a Christian home by parents who didn’t lie to us.

But, let me ask you this, when a four-year-old asks you where babies come from do you give him or her all the clinical details on how a baby is conceived, or do you give them information that a four year old can understand and handle without traumatizing them for life.

With my children, I chose the latter, and I DID THE SAME with the idea of Santa Clause.

When I read them the poem, “The Night before Christmas,”, it was not to lie to them, it was to protect their innocence.

When they grew older, they knew it was just a story, and Santa wasn’t a real person and reindeer really can’t fly, just like they knew in cartoons, that Donald Duck or Bugs bunny were not actually depicting real animals that could talk.

Through the years we made good use of Christmas celebrations as opportunities to share Jesus, the Gospel and God with our kids.

We also used it as a time to teach our kids of the idea of reaching out to the poor and needy and to share.

Whenever Christians focus on the manger scene, we have to take this opportunity to share the bigger picture.

Christmas celebrates God giving us a gift and that gift is His son who died for our sins.  

Jesus is coming a second time, not as a meek and mild lamb but as the roaring lion of the tribe of Judah! 

In the Book of Revelation we’re permitted to see the high court of heaven, and in Revelation 5:5 Jesus is called the lion of the tribe of Judah.

The first time Jesus came: his glory and majesty were veiled in the form of a helpless child.

Turn to Luke 2:7

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

Only a few attended His arrival.  Turn to Luke 2:15-18:

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.   And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.  And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.  And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

Jesus came as a sacrificial lamb. But make no mistake about it, the next time Jesus comes, He will be recognized by all.

The Bible says every eye will behold Him and every knee will bow.

If there were wonders when Messiah first came, there will be greater wonders when He comes the second time!

During the Christmas season, I encourage you to marvel at the incarnation of Messiah in the virgin’s womb but also remember that He’s alive and he’s getting ready to return.

Along with His birth we do need to preach what was the purpose of the Lord’s first coming?

Hebrews 9:28 says that He “was once offered to bear the sins of many.”

This is the foundation of the Gospel.

Messiah was born as a gift to die for our sins.  God’s holy law has been violated by humans and death is required as a penalty.  But the Messiah died in our stead.  

That is our true Christmas gift and Christmas is the perfect time of the year to spread this news.

That’s the doctrine of the Atonement.

Benjamin Franklin once said, “There’s nothing certain but death and taxes.”

But, I say there’s one thing even more certain—and that’s the gift of Jesus Christ and His Second Coming.

1 Thessalonians 4:16;

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

He will gather those of us who wait for him unto salvation.

His promise in John 14 is,

“if I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again to receive you unto myself, that where I am you may be also.”

This is what we should use the Christmas season to proclaim.

The baby in the manger is a very important part of the picture, because God become flesh and dwelt amongst us, but the baby in the manger is not the final picture.

In Acts 1, the disciples asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the Davidic kingdom to Israel?”

His answer startled them. He said that before he returns and sets up rule in Jerusalem, FIRST his disciples must preach the Gospel to all nations!

Yes, all this is part of the Gospel message and we should spend the lions share of our evangelical efforts to proclaim this message, but Christmas day, today, is the perfect time of the year to get the message of the birth of Jesus across to the entire world, because the entire rest of the world is tuned in on this single day in the year. 

Maybe this day is when we could hold their attention the other fifty two weeks of the year.

There’s a Christmas carol called titled:  “I’ll Give him my heart, it goes like this;

What can I give Him poor as I am

If I were a shepherd, I would bring Him a Lamb

If I were a wise man, I’d sure do my part

So what can I give Him?

I’ll give Him my heart!

Spend this time of the year doing that.

Remember:

This is Christ the King,

Whom Shepherds guard and Angels sing.

Hast, haste to bring Him Laud,

The Babe, the Son of Mary.

We need to do this on Christmas day.

Oh come let us adore Him,

Christ the Lord.

 

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY.


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