Christmas is a very important holiday for Christians because it celebrates the birth of their savior. Can we doubt that the shepherds had something worth telling? Why, to their sheep obviously. Y The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. Home On the day of the firstfruits, when you offer a grain offering of new grain to the Lord at your Feast of Weeks, you shall have a holy convocation. Finally, in chapter 1, verse 7, Paul indicates that the only solution to the problem lies in receiving peace from God: "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ." Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. What a cause for amazement! One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. In 1872 an edition in 2 volumes was printed for private subscription by A.B. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. The Bible says that when Jesus was born, a multitude of angels appeared suddenly and erupted in joyful praise to God, saying: "Glory in the heights above to God, and upon earth peace among men of goodwill." ( Luke 2:13, 14) However, it is noteworthy that nowhere in the Bible is there even a suggestion that Jesus' birthday should be celebrated. Now, just as the Bible speaks of peace with God so it also speaks about a peace of God, and this is quite different. The shepherds, wise men, and angels celebrated the birth of Jesus with gifts, songs, and prayer. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Colossians 2:16 Verse Concepts Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day Psalm 95:2 Verse Concepts Of course, you can and you should! Ponder on its meaning. Proud member D Christmas is not Christian because it is associated with many pagan birth mythsand Dec. 25 was not the date of Christ's birth. Jesus was born to be our Savior as the carol says: Christ was born to save! They aren't all thinking of God or Jesus as they stand spellbound at the presents and tree on Christmas morning. Second, there is the strong possibility that the persons may not be in harmony but that they will want to make a pact between themselves in order to settle their differences. He loves you so much that He gave His life for your salvation. This is the peace spoken of by the Apostle Paul in the first verse of the fifth chapter of Romans: "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." However, by the late fourth century it was generally celebrated in churches. It is a time where they remember the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. He would say that He was the way for a world that was lost. He was to save His people. Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. This is what the shepherds did. There are a few Bible verses that seem to suggest that Jesus did not want people to celebrate his birth. And they know that as a result of this faith, they are at peace with one another. The time of fulfillment has come! Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. There are a few theories. The development of Christmas was a kind of affirmation of God's interest in the world and in human lifebirth as well as death." He added this. Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. The verse quoted was translated from Latin to English by Frederick Oakeley, 1841. Oh, it would have been quite a puzzle to Mary! Just as we celebrate our children's birthdays every year, I believe it's entirely appropriate for us to celebrate the birth of God's own Son, Jesus Christ, every year. Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. If anyone would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed. There is the peace of God, which is personal. There are two kinds of amazement. Have you recognized yourself as a sinner? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. ( Egypt Today .) After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was made bright with his glory. Greet also the church in their house. Nevertheless, this is the day that most people, Christians and non-Christians alike, observe as His birthday, and if we are to mark it at all, this seems to be the only realistic time to do it. What is the solution? They had no thought about spiritual things at least we are not told that they did and they certainly didn't expect the miracle. Thus, the message to Joseph centers primarily on that great work which Jesus, the Messiah, was to do. There is peace with God. This, of course, is monstrous. This can be a very trying experience. God gave Israel many celebrations in the Old Covenant such as the Feast of Booths, year of Jubilee, etc. And yet this is what we often do with Jesus. Will Graham Devotion: The Criminal on the Cross. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. Copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. It is the message of Christmas. Why not join every year with the shepherds on that first Christmas, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen (Luke 2:20)? How Should We Celebrate the Birth of Christ. Most people think that the day of one's birth is special. 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. He would say that He was the truth for a world that was dreadfully confused. I covet that kind of joy for you. This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. As a sinner I need a Savior. After this type of amazement has run its course nobody gives the cause of it a second thought. And the dead in Christ will rise first. How could their tongues be silent when they had heard such music? Is there such a verse? "Love Divine, All Loves Excelling" Words: Charles Wesley, Hymns for Those That Seek and Those That Have Redemption in the Blood of Jesus Christ, 1747. On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward. But how should a Christian celebrate Christmas? The messages of the angels do not reinforce our secular views of Christmas. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? F All Joseph could have thought was that Mary had been unfaithful. Reprinted by Moody Press, 1969. If you have, then you understand your need of a Savior and are at the place where you can receive Jesus as the One who died to save you. of Jesus is coming! God is "able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us" (Ephesians 3:20). Allow it to stretch your mind, and learn that there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamed of in any human philosophy. The birth of Jesus Christ is traditionally celebrated on December 25, although "around 37% of Orthodox Christians, mainly in Egypt and Russia, celebrate the Nativity of Christ on January 7th," owing to a difference in how their calendars were devised. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. It is selfishness and pride, plus the lack of individual peace and contentment. S This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com. When a person is at peace with God judicially and is experiencing increasingly in his own life that peace of God which transforms him and gives him tranquility even in the midst of great emotional turmoil and misunderstanding, then there is a firm foundation on which to overcome those interpersonal tensions that upset families, churches, cities, governments and the world. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. P Let's consider four reasons why Christmas doesn't meet the criteria of being "Christian.". Christmas is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. In this verse the word "learn" is a Greek word from which we have derived our word mathematics. Let me illustrate this by a story from the life of Dr. Ralph L. Keiper, who was a professor of English Bible at Conservative Baptist Theological Seminary in Denver, Colorado, and who was for many years associated with Dr. Donald Grey Barnhouse in his ministry. 10. A Psalm of David. Let the people of Israel keep the Passover at its appointed time. "Come unto me and I will give you rest." We find peace by praying. You do not have, because you do not ask God. 'From whence,' he asks, 'come wars and fighting among you?' The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. But she could not have known that for sure. The answer is in chapter 3, verse 17: "And the way of peace they do not know." So do that. Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. Because of the gospel, Christians understand that the peace of God is only for those who acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior. Together these verses teach that men are not naturally at peace with God but that God has acted to make peace through the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 14:5-6 - One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Trust Him! And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins. 4. But the significance of it would have passed her by. And they kept the Passover in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at twilight, in the wilderness of Sinai; according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so the people of Israel did. The God who did not forget us in Christ's first coming will not forget us in His second. What, for instance, is the difference between that wholeness experienced by a member of the church in the course of a counseling session with his minister and the wholeness gained by an atheist as the result of his session with a reputable but non-Christian psychiatrist? Salvus means "healthy" or "whole." Anybody who knows good news is authorized to tell it, particularly when it is news that will be the means of salvation of others. Music: In Dulci Jubilo, 14th Century German melody; harmony from Christmas Carols Old and New, 1871. Be amazed at the event itself. The Bible says, But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). There had been revelations from God in the past. So the question is not "where did God say not to ." It is always the question "where did God say to ." See: Holiday Observances. There are two answers. 6. Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? Jeremiah 10:2-4 ESV / 302 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful. Well, peace with one another results from having peace with God and with finding the peace of God personally. And we need to understand exactly what the biblical meaning of these words is if we are to understand this part of the angel's announcement. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Wesley was praying for the second of these rests, the peace of God that Paul was writing about to the Philippians. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. But our time is poorly spent if we allow the bustle of Christmas to eclipse our times of Bible study and of pondering upon God's Word. So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. Permissions Tillich, Paul. The Truth! One theory is that the early church decided to celebrate Christmas on December 25th in order to oppose the pagan celebration of Sol Invictus. It implies a diving beneath the surface. A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. Things seem to go as they have been going from the beginning, and you want something better. So everyone who knows of Christ and has become a Christian can tell others of Him. But in the message itself, as well as in the context, the emphasis is upon the fulfillment of prophecy and upon the underlying truth that God is faithful. Because it came from God and was centered in the birth of the Savior. Salem Media Group. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. However, there is no evidence that Christmas was originally . Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Contact Us. But now, for over four hundred years, the prophetic voice had been silent. I will recount the steadfast love of the Lord, the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord has granted us, and the great goodness to the house of Israel that he has granted them according to his compassion, according to the abundance of his steadfast love. Rather, He enables us to face them with a quietness, a calmness and confidence, which makes it possible to find a solution" 10 This is the peace that Edward Bickersteth wrote about in the late nineteenth century, in a verse which has since become one of our great hymns: The first way in which we find this peace, then, is by learning of Jesus. There are many reasons why Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. We need to think about each of these ways. And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. Do you know that you have fallen short of God's standards and that nothing within you will ever be able to move up to the fulfilling of them? Moreover, since acknowledging His true worth is the essential meaning of worship it means to acknowledge God's worth to glorify God is to worship Him by words. Then, you can think about these things and allow God to teach you more about Himself. So begin with amazement be amazed at the fact that you have not suffered the just punishment of your sin, that God has loved you, that Jesus came and died for you, that God called you to faith in Himself when you were yet without hope of salvation, and that you are now God's child and are secure in His love. To do so is to worship God both by words and in song. Love never ends. Christ the Lord. T Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. But that is not what the Bible is talking about when it talks about salvation. Now I am an old man, and I haven't any reason to believe that there is any truth in that text at all. 7. Our children's gift to us is their example of amazement which will lead us to recapture our own sense of amazement at the incarnation. In the Christian religion, Jesus Christ is believed to be the son of God. The Greek word for peace is eirene. It comes from a verb which means "to reconcile" or "to bring back into harmony." What had happened to these men? But it does not mean that God has forgotten. BGEA is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. But over against this dying world was Jesus. It is not this way with joy. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Ecclesiastes 7:1-4 ESV / 156 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful. K Q Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! But the writer of this epistle had a deeper insight into humanity. But their amazement is fitting to Christmas - it's a sample of what Christmas amazement should be for those who understand the Christmas story. If these four means of celebrating Christmas are new to you and if you are now desiring to put them into practice, I suggest that you begin not with the first verse, verse 17 of Luke 2, but with verses 18, 19, and 20. The appearance of an unnamed angel to Joseph to explain the virgin birth and to name the Child. There is one kind of amazement which is merely a tickling of the fancy. Have you confessed them to God and to others? The other kind of amazement is a holy wonder in response to those acts of God which are beyond human comprehension. On December 25th people the world over will celebrate the birth of Lord Jesus Christ. Of course He should. N Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. To what did they return? The world of the shepherds' day was much like our world today, in which the lamps of knowledge and culture seem to be slowly flickering out. It is in this emotional center of man, called by Scripture 'the heart,' that James says war begins, when the lusts within a man strive together." It is an attempt to take what you know and then by an exercise of the mind to build upon it. So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. It is the way mentioned in the book of Philippians. cit. Now when you acknowledge a person's true worth or express a proper opinion of him, you may be said to be glorifying him.
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