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What
does it really mean after all and How should we celebrate
it?
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A season for all! No can escape the worldly Christmas
celebration and all its associated intoxicating music,
festivities, games, dinners etc. Well, you don’t even
have to believe in Christ to get into the holiday spirit!
The “Christmas Season” is celebrated all over the world,
usually without Christ in mind.
It is common knowledge that December 25 is not the day
on which He was born and that pagan festivities predate
Christmas celebrations on that very day. However, the
exact date of His Birth is not at all important as the
truth that He did come into human history to redeem with
His sinless Blood our Adamic race from all of our sins.
The simple fact is
that this is the day in which almost universally, Christian
and non-Christian people celebrate Christmas.
Now, Christmas means different
things to different people. For some, it doesn’t
feel like Christmas unless there is snow on the ground
making it a, “White Christmas.”
For others, it means gift giving and receiving of gifts
and a dead, decorated tree and Santa Claus. To others,
it is a time for parties and drinking and a host of other
wicked activities honoring the devil and very obviously
displeasing Christ. For others still it is a time to attempt
to be at peace with their fellow man and to pray for world
peace. But what does it really mean?
Christmas
is the celebration of the birth of the most important
Person in history: Jesus Christ. God
manifest in the flesh, born of a virgin, a human body
yet fully Divine, formed by the Holy Spirit.
This is the Christ child born
into this wicked world in order to die for it so that
it may be saved from the wrath of God for all its sins.
The right way to celebrate
it is to receive Jesus into our heart and honor Him from
our heart, especially as we remember His Holy birth.
There are many sermons
about the commercialization of Christmas. How it is a
mad rush to spend inordinate amounts of money on a host
of gifts, many of which are not necessary or useful in
the end. Of course this is true for most people especially
in the western hemisphere. Now it seems it is catching
on all over the world as well.
Nativity scenes all around the world and entertaining
decorations; fake gold and foil from tinsel town with
the rust of atheism underneath it! Once again
this year the theme and emphasis will be on family and
unity of man or universal brotherhood of man. Christ is
only an accessory you see.
How then can we wish anyone who is not truly born again
and following Christ, a “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Christmas”
with a clear conscience? We ought to be saying, “God help
you to repent” or at least, a diplomatic, “(May) God Bless
You” when they wish us greetings in a parrot-like manner.
Then perhaps when they look at us odd for not returning
the same greeting, we can explain the real meaning of
Christmas to them and their need for the Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ in their life.
To participate in Christmas activities or exchange Christian
greetings with the heathen without attempting to lead
them to the Lord and a burden for their soul, is as meaningless
as having prayer meetings in their home where they are
mocking the Savior year after year. But they claim to
love Christian things and Christmas festivities because
it makes them feel, “warm” inside! Well, the simple truth
is that a cup of coffee or a sentimental tune can make
a even a murderer feel, “warm” inside while on the way
to his next victim! Vanity of vanities indeed! What kind
of peace or goodwill or unity is there when unconverted
men, women and children try to invent world peace during
a, “peaceful” holiday season.
How will you spend
this Christmas? Will it be in a sentimental way with “holiday
cheer” and in the, “holiday spirit?” Or will it be employed
as an opportunity to offer gifts to the Master, the Lord
Jesus Christ in Whose Name it is supposed to be celebrated
in the first place. Certainly, it is more blessed to give
than to receive. Also important however, is to whom we
give and with what motivation. Surely, He that searcheth
the hearts will test our thoughts as well as our words
and actions on the Great and Terrible Day of Judgment.
Better to be found without blame on that day.
Can you resist the
temptation to buy for yourself or for those who can repay
you and spend for those who cannot repay as the Lord said
in Luke 14:12 – 14,
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“Then
said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest
a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy
brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours;
lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made
thee.
13 But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the
maimed, the lame, the blind:
14 And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense
thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection
of the just.
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Christmas a time to celebrate and remember the Lord’s
Birth, His Wonderful entry into the world in order to
save it or is it a time to remember each other and give
gifts to one another? And even that of course, not in
a sacrificial way but in a selfish and carnal way. How
ridiculous to give gifts to everyone but the very person
on their Birthday? What would you think if that happened
to you? How many Christians give to the Lord a gift on
His Birthday (or at least the day dedicated to celebrating
His Birth) by giving even to the least of His Brethren?
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Matthew 25:31- 40
records Jesus saying,
31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all
the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne
of his glory:
32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he
shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth
his sheep from the goats:
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the
goats on the left.
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand,
Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared
for you from the foundation of the world:
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty,
and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me
in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited
me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord,
when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty,
and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked,
and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto
thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily
I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of
the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. |
We have all the other days of the
year in which to give gifts to one another. We have especially
our own Birthday in which to receive gifts and greetings
from others who will rejoice with us. On the one day in
which we choose to remember His Birthday, instead of giving
to Him, do we add ourselves on the gift recipient list
also? Whose day is it after all?
Imagine for a moment if others also wanted to receive
gifts on your birthday also? Would it not render the meaning
of your Birthday as useless and without distinction?
Well, we ought to break away from this foolish, self-serving
and vain tradition of man and train ourselves as well
as our children to give the day and our gifts entirely
to the Lord. The way to do it is to give to the persecuted
brethren around the world and/or the destitute in our
community who cannot pay us back. This is the right thing
to do.
Oh, there is nothing wrong in putting up a bit of decoration,
but let it be for honoring the Lord in your heart and
for the remembrance of the least of His brethren. Teach
the children to participate in the projects designed to
minister in Jesus’ Name to the ones the Lord directs us
to. You can have a special, holiday meal but share your
substance, in love with the destitute and outcasts of
society. You can sing carols but pray for and bless with
your gifts those who are suffering in other parts of the
world. In short, do everything for the Lord, by unselfishly
blessing others this Christmas season. Take a stand and
let relatives and friends know in advance of your decision
to honor Christ truly and not man. Let them know if need
be, that you want to follow the Lord’s Word about giving
to those who cannot repay you.
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you let the truth search
you out, burn away blind tradition and selfish vanities
even if it is painful and join with us in honoring the
Lord on His Birthday this Christmas. Why don’t we celebrate
Christmas in a Christ honoring way by giving to Christ
(Who gave Himself to us unreservedly) and not to ourselves?
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From now on let us make a vow to
truly please Him according to His Will, especially when
we remember and rejoice at His humble and miraculous entry
into the world during this holiday season!
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