In the store the other day, I was looking for some Nativity decals for my windows. I went down both aisles of Christmas decorations and there was not one Nativity anything to be found! There were plenty of Santas, reindeer, snowmen, tinsel, all sorts of decorations, wrapping paper, etc. However, there wasn’t a single item depicting the reason for the season — the birth of Jesus Christ! It’s Advent!
Having no kids, I stopped celebrating Christmas some time ago. Years ago, I gave my little tabletop tree away along with all the decorations I’d collected over the years. The only thing I have is a small, Nativity manger scene. I have a little “Charlie Brown” Christmas tree and put a red bow on it. A friend gave me her Christmas lights — which actually bring a little joy to my front porch and balcony. But, that’s it.
It’s not in the Bible. Who started this tradition?
It wasn’t until the 4th century when Constantine converted the whole Roman Empire to Christianity that Dec. 25th, became the day when Jesus’ birthday was celebrated. The Romans still wanted to keep their party-hardy pagan holiday of Saturnalia (honoring Saturn the god of agriculture and harvest) and the winter solstice (celebrating the sun god) so, the Christian Church decided to use that date to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
Jesus was probably not born in the winter. The shepherds tend their flocks in the fields between April and October.
However, it is rumored that the wise men (astrologers from the East) saw the star and arrived in Bethlehem when Jesus was a few months old to a year old. The conjunction of planets and a star that led their way happened on Dec. 25 in the 2nd or 3rd Centuries.
But it seems that today’s society is tending to go back to its pagan origins. They still want to party hardy and they forget that we’re supposed to celebrate the birth of God’s greatest gift to us – Jesus our Savior.
There are Christians who won’t celebrate Christmas because of its pagan origins and it’s not in the Bible. But why not? There’s nothing wrong with giving gifts as long as they are given in the spirit of love.
There shouldn’t be any anxiety to get everyone the right gift or getting something for someone who gave you a gift and you didn’t have anything for them.
Personally, I think Jesus’ birthday should be celebrated in August. He may have been born then and August has no major holidays!
But who’s going to fight traditions that are over 1600 years old? As long as we remember that “Jesus is the reason for the season” there’s no harm in celebrating it on Dec. 25th.
What is Faith?
Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.
Hebrews 11:1 NLT
We also need to recognize that our Faith needs to be based on His Saving Grace and nothing else! John wrote… (And I recently did a study on his letter)
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
1 John 4:9-10
Jesus told us…
16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
John 3:16-17 NLT
John told us…
10 He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. 11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.
John 1:10-13 NLT
True faith is acknowledging the fact that we are all sinners and can never meet God’s standards for getting into Heaven on our own. Nothing that we can do on this earth by ourselves can save us, sanctify us or justify us. We are saved by God’s Gift of Grace, by Faith, THROUGH JESUS. That’s it! That’s the Good News!
What is Christmas without Christ?
I heard this song on the radio today, “What is Christmas?” by Kutless. The video is embedded below. While I was listening to it, I had a thought… Christmas without Christ is just “mas”. Furthermore, we know how useless the Catholic Mass is when it comes to actual salvation. Ironic, isn’t it? The Roman Catholic Church completely removed the reason that Jesus came into the world as a babe in a manger — salvation.
Jesus was born so He could die
The purpose of Jesus’ birth as a human being was so that He could die, taking our sins away. Then, God, the Father, would raise Him from the dead defeating death. Peter told us…
32 “God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this. 33 Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today. 34 For David himself never ascended into heaven, yet he said,
‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit in the place of honor at my right hand
35 until I humble your enemies,
making them a footstool under your feet.”’36 “So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!”
37 Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”
38 Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:32-38 NLT
How do you get into Heaven?
If you’re not sure if you’re saved or not, if you truly want to be born again and have the assurance of salvation, receive the Holy Spirit, feel His Shalom — a peace that surpasses all understanding, and get a 1-way, non-stop ticket to Heaven after you die, or that you won’t be left behind at the Rapture, which can happen at any moment, this is what you have to do…
Believe. Repent. Be Baptized. Receive the Holy Spirit.
- Believe — have Faith — that Jesus is the Christ and He died taking your sins away forever and that He rose from the dead 3 days later.
- Repent of your sins — stop sinning! Do a complete 180-degree turn in your life and surrender your life to Him. When you ask Jesus to forgive you He will. ALL your sins will be wiped clean — past, present, and future! And All means ALL!
- Be Baptized by water baptism — show the world and yourself that you have died to your old life and are born again in Christ.
- Receive the gift of Holy Spirit in your heart.
