The Spirit of Christmas-
The holiday season is here and I look around and observe the meaning behind Christmas through the eyes of others around me and in society in general. The commercialism, greediness, and traditionalism that is exhibited is truly a disgrace and I hate that for my Lord. The Christmas season is here and as the day approaches where everyone surrounds around their Christmas to open up presents, I would like to take the time to share with you all the Christmas in me.
The celebration of Christmas actually stems from a pagan celebration of the winter solstice. Over time it is easy to see how we as Christians have taken Christmas, just as we have done with Halloween and turned it into fall festivals and open the church doors to pass out candy and bring giving and thankfulness into what for years has been a celebration of spirits and related festivities, and Easter being about the rabbit and chocolate, we have taken the winter solstice and put Christ in it. It is easy to do the math, and it is now common knowledge, or should be, that Jesus Christ was not born on December 25th. He was not born in the winter. December 25th was being celebrated centuries before the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus in Bethlehem. The celebration of Sun gods - Sun worshippers are spoken of throughout the Holy Bible. Atheists celebrate Christmas all over the world, putting up their trees, adorning them in gold and silver and cover the skirts with presents. We are warned about this many times in the Old and the New Testament, for now I will reference the book of Jeremiah Chapter 10 v 1-15 King James Version
2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers,that it move not.
5 They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.
6 Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great, and thy name is great in might.
7 Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee.
8 But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities.
9 Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder: blue and purple is their clothing: they are all the work of cunning men.
10 But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.
11 Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.
12 He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.
13 When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.
14 Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.
15 They are vanity, and the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.
In the New Testament book of Mark chapter 7 Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees – I will reference only scripture but will recommend reading the whole chapter to grasp the whole context.
13Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
I could sit here and pull scripture out all day, instead I will urge you to go to the Holy Bible and just read.
As Christians, we should celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ throughout the year. It isn’t about what gifts you get or how many. I can’t imagine my Lord and Savior making a birthday list of things he wanted, yet we continue to rear our children up of making those lists of I WANT WANT WANT and somehow justify it as representing the gifts that were brought to Jesus when He was born in a manger in Bethlehem, and through commercialism enter Santa Claus. St. Nicholas has a history. There are many images and statues of him showing him carrying three bags of gold that he is known for dropping down the chimney of a poor man in his village so the daughters would not be sold as slaves. He was kind and generous and gift giving throughout the year. He didn’t wait until the month of December to mount his sleigh and give gifts to kids after checking his list to see who has been naughty and who has been nice.
Each day of the year we should be humbled at what our Jehovah God did for us, not just in the month of December. We should be humbled by the dedication and faith that Mary had and for Joseph’s love and endurance to see them through. We should be humbled that God gave His only- HIS ONE AND ONLY SON- to a world that at the end of the day would only forsake Him for traditions and ways of the world, all so we could have a choice to spend eternal life with Him. We are His flock, he is our Shepherd. He calls those to Preach- our Pastors are called to be our Shepherds, the congregation is the flock looking for that leadership, guidance, knowledge, seeking nourishment.
Our society rolls over to the many false religions all day long every day. Major stores refuse to allow employees to say Merry Christmas because we as Christians have put Christ in Christmas. All these people running around making excuses for those of other religions pulling out the Freedom of Religion card- while you sit there and allow and promote our rights to be taken from us really need to wake up. This is America last time I checked and there is such a thing as Freedom of Speech as well as Freedom of Religion and it applies to American Christians too. We too are warned of this in numerous books of the Holy Bible. Yet Christians will flock to these same stores and support them financially more than they tithe to their own church to help the homeless and spread the word of the birth of Jesus Christ. I don’t see Christ in that. I don’t see St. Nicholas in that either.
So as the day approaches and the trees go up, may we as Christians remember we are celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, and may you carry the true meaning of Christmas with you each day throughout the year and share the love, share the true gift, and the real reasons we rejoice. May your evergreen tree represent the everlasting life and never changing love that our Father gives us each and every day.( Isaiah 40:8 ) May the white lights represent the sinless purity of our Lord Jesus Christ and may we strive to be more Christ like in all we do. May the red garland, ornaments and poinsettias you bring out this time of year remind you of the crucifixion, the suffering and blood shed that Jesus Christ endured and shed for you. May the star that tops your tree represent the wonder of our Lord and that his light shines down upon us all for us to us to cling to the path that will bring us to Him. The three wise men did rely on a star after all to find their way to their new born King. May the angels you bring out remind you that He surrounds us with them all the time, each and every day throughout the year.
May we cling to and remember throughout the year, the greatest gift God ever gave us was a child, His own. Jesus Christ-
Matthew 1:21-25 KJV
21And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
22Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
23Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
24Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:
25And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.
I will close this with one of my favorite all time songs by Marina McBride
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMKxqcnwwAM
The Christmas Guest- by Reba is another dear favorite of mine as it reminds me of my Great Grandfather. One of the most Christ like men I have ever known. He would have never passed up the opportunity for the Lord to appear to him- he never turned down the hungry, the poor, and less fortunate. He was not a wealthy man- but one of the richest I have ever know in his soul. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8SgpLKjxTo
May the spirit of Christmas live within you throughout the year-
God Bless You and Yours,
Melanie Helmick
