Christmas is not Christian because it is associated with many pagan birth mythsand Dec. 25 was not the date of Christ's birth. This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast. 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. Greet also the church in their house. It is not just brooding or getting into a pious frame of mind. He came to earth and became a man but kept fully the divine nature in Himself. On the fourteenth day of this month, at twilight, you shall keep it at its appointed time; according to all its statutes and all its rules you shall keep it. So Moses told the people of Israel that they should keep the Passover. However, by the late fourth century it was generally celebrated in churches. And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. 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. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Glorify and praise God for what was done that first Christmas. My family likes to read these together on Christmas Eve, right before we go to bed. God did not forget! What Does the Bible Say About Rejoice At A Death Cry At A Birth? Anybody who knows good news is authorized to tell it, particularly when it is news that will be the means of salvation of others. Is December 25 Really the Day Jesus Was Born? What the Bible Says About 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. Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, It shall be to you a Sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict yourselves. 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. When all the people of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of the Lord on the temple, they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Then the king and all the people offered sacrifice before the Lord. Systematic Theology. As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 1 Billy Graham Parkway, Charlotte, NC 28201 Let the wonder of that first Christmas fill your life todayand every day. Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. Matthew 1:18-25 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. 52 Bible verses about Celebration - Knowing Jesus What Does the Bible Say About Celebration? - OpenBible.info Christ was born to save! That is what Jesus Himself said: "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? Each year when I read the Christmas story, I am impressed with the role that the angels play in it. He is able to deliver you from whatever your particular sin may be alcoholism, unlawful sex, a bad temper, gossiping, pride, selfishness whatever it is. What are they? Therefore you shall observe this day, throughout your generations, as a statute forever. His works were first collected in one volume in 1858, by William Barclay Turnbull. And the herald proclaimed aloud, You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. If anyone would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed. At best she might have guessed that the child that was born to her might possibly be the Messiah. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. Perhaps you are one who longs for the Lord's return. Of course they did! But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. It is one of the great words of the Greek language. 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. If we are honest, we must admit that many persons, even Christians, celebrate it most by buying presents, decorating their houses, visiting relatives and friends, or watching football games on television. 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. Now I am an old man, and I haven't any reason to believe that there is any truth in that text at all. We find peace by praying. But the problem is that what God means by the phrase is not what men generally mean when they use it. 1. Therefore encourage one another with these words. It refers to what we would call "peace of mind" or a "peace of heart." It is celebrated on December 25th. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to celebrate. Jesus fulfilled that promise when He died for your sin and rose again for your justification. Should Christians celebrate birthdays? | GotQuestions.org Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. Copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. In the New Covenant, he has given us the Lord's Supper and baptism. But how should a Christian celebrate Christmas? Reprinted by Moody Press, 1969. It struck me, as I began to read this story once again, that apart from the angels, no one would have understood what the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ meant not the shepherds, not Joseph, not even Mary. I know that Christmas is a busy time. Looking at the verse closely, we find that it uses the word "rest" twice. "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. Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.