Had God forgotten His people? 4. There are five appearances of an angel, or angels, in the Christmas story, and another appearance of an angel to Joseph later to tell him to return to Israel from Egypt. 12. 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. The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, This man receives sinners and eats with them. So he told them this parable: What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? On the other hand, if man cannot save himself spiritually if he is headed for an eternity without God and is unable to reverse his condition then Jesus Christ had to come. He would say that He was the life for a world that was dying. 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. After all, just because we celebrate our childrens birthdays doesnt mean we forget them or ignore them the rest of the year! There are two kinds of amazement. It implies a diving beneath the surface. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. However, by the late fourth century it was generally celebrated in churches. Well, the birth of Christ itself teaches us of God's love; for God loved us so much that He became man in order to die for us. Well, they had been out in the fields of Bethlehem in the middle of the night, watching over their sheep as they had for many hundreds of nights previously and as their fathers undoubtedly had before them. When I return to these wonderful chapters of Matthew and Luke in order to prepare my Christmas messages, I always seem to find a detail that I had overlooked before and which therefore speaks to me in a new way. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. It is one of the great words of the Greek language. Just as we celebrate our childrens birthdays every year, I believe its entirely appropriate for us to celebrate the birth of Gods own Son, Jesus Christ, every year. Home Now this is what the shepherds did. The situation would have been difficult for anyone to understand, let alone a man engaged to a woman who was expecting a child. They had seen the angels and had come to worship the angels' King. In fact, the Bible would not even support the view that the world is capable of being redeemed socially apart from the supernatural intervention of God in history. (Philadelphia: Evangelical Foundation), 1961, pages 12-13. He asked him to examine the last clause of the verse carefully: "good will toward men." Thus, the message to Joseph centers primarily on that great work which Jesus, the Messiah, was to do. Come to the wedding feast. But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. At this point our Bible text comes in, for it is a report of how those who witnessed the first Christmas observed it. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. And you will be at peace with God in a way that you were not at peace formerly. 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. A concordance soon gives the answer. And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it? And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. This combination, when truly grasped, produces witnesses. His birthday was celebrated on December 25th. 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." He would say that He was the truth for a world that was dreadfully confused. 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. Solicitation Disclosure Statement Billy Graham: Would You Have Welcomed Jesus or Rejected Him? You shall not do any ordinary work. 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. And you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. And the dead in Christ will rise first. For we quickly come upon the Lord Jesus Christ's great invitation recorded in Matthew 11:28-30: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. He became a man in His incarnation. His father went down to the woman, and Samson prepared a feast there, for so the young men used to do. All Joseph could have thought was that Mary had been unfaithful. Music: Adeste Fideles, attributed variously to John Wade, John Reading or Simao Portogallo. Then glorify and praise God for what you know. Jesus is coming! But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and pleased Herod. Cite this page: Editor: Stephen Smith. Geocoding It was confused because it lacked revelation and, therefore, also an awareness of truth. 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)? For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. He loves you so much that He gave His life for your salvation. After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was made bright with his glory. Answer: Your question is backward. Therefore encourage one another with these words. 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 So do that. Well, peace with one another results from having peace with God and with finding the peace of God personally. Now, just as the Bible speaks of peace with God so it also speaks about a peace of God, and this is quite different. Christians are to be active in many efforts to achieve social justice, improve the life of the poor, minister to the needy. Have you confessed them to God and to others? Jesus Christ was fully God and fully man in his incarnation. V . By Billy Graham How do you celebrate Christmas? In other words, James is saying that war begins with men's emotions. Because it came from God and was centered in the birth of the Savior. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. Both of these ideas are related to the idea of a mediator who brings irreconcilables together. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. 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. Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! "The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told" (v. 20). Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Have you recognized yourself as a sinner? L One verse, which is often quoted by Christians who argue against celebrating Christmas, is Luke chapter 2, verse 34. And God will grant your requests." And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord filled the Lord's house. 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. We need to think about each of these ways. I would like you to have the experience of entering into the kind of joy that Mary and Joseph and the shepherds had on that first Christmas morning. It was a sad world in their time. 52 Bible Verses about Celebration Verse Concepts They shall eagerly utter the memory of Your abundant goodness And will shout joyfully of Your righteousness. 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. 12. Or that they had not been endorsed by the temple authorities? you are asking. So everyone who knows of Christ and has become a Christian can tell others of Him. These men, poor shepherds though they were, had seen God incarnate. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. They must learn to love Him and to serve Him more and more. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. O come, all ye faithful, Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. Sol Invictus was a pagan god who was believed to be the unconquered sun. For, since Wesley had filled his mind with Scripture and since he used references to it extensively in his verses, it is likely that he was thinking of a verse of the Bible that speaks of two kinds of peace, two kinds of rest, and was saying that he wished to enter into the second as he had once entered into the first. Reprinted by Moody Press, 1969. Yet, Solomon was inspired to write, "A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth" . Trust Him! "Joy to the World" Words: Isaac Watts, The Psalms of David, 1719. Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months. 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. 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. of I wonder if you have experienced joy at this season. But not once in the Bible does God tell us to celebrate Christmas" (1). So he was told, "you are to give him the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Jehoshua, meaning "Jehovah is salvation." How Should We Celebrate the Birth of Christ. So the question is not "where did God say not to ." It is always the question "where did God say to ." See: Holiday Observances. Again he sent other servants, saying, Tell those who are invited, See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Third, it involved her intellect; for she treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals Inc, 1716 Spruce St. Philadelphia, PA 19103 The Practical Epistle of James. But this is all there will be - until the angels appear with their message. Celebrating Christmas can also take the form of pondering it, for Mary "treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart" (Luke 2:19). There are a few theories. We learn of His mercy. 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. The Bible teaches that men are in revolt and rebellion against God but that God has acted to establish peace through His Son Jesus Christ, the mediator. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand hima threefold cord is not quickly broken. He wrote and remember, he is writing to Christians "What causes fights and quarrels among you? There is a sense in which the world will never know even one of these three types of peace until the return of Jesus Christ. Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. It was lost because it lacked direction, primarily spiritual direction. If you know this joy, then you can go on, as the angels did, to give glory to God; and you can possess that peace of heart and soul which transcends understanding. 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. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.. Is there such a verse? "Peace, Perfect Peace" Words: Edward H. Bickersteth, Jr., 1875. 1. Luke 1:35 ESV / 25 helpful votesHelpfulNot Helpful. Jesus was born to be our Savior as the carol says: Christ was born to save! The appearance of an angel to Joseph in a dream to tell Him to take the Child Jesus and his mother into Egypt to escape the wrath of King Herod. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him. Jesus answered him, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said to him, How can a man be born when he is old? Amen. Christmas Is Rooted in Paganism In addition to Christmas having no Scriptural basis, it is important to note that the celebration of this holiday did not stem from Christian or Church-based doctrines. But I imagine that the joy of this couple on this occasion was the greatest this world has ever seen. Let the godly exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their beds. Moreover, you can do it in song. 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. Will Graham Devotion: The Criminal on the Cross. There is peace with God. You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Anybody who knows good news is authorized to tell it, particularly when it is news that will be the means of salvation of others. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness. It is not this way with joy. TopicalBible So, the best way to celebrate Christmas is to believe on Jesus as your Savior. You shall observe the Feast of Weeks, the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the year's end. 7. "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. W 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. This is the perfect combination a knowledge of the Good News and men who need to hear it. Romans 14:5-6 - One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. He would say that He was the way for a world that was lost. Christmas is always a special time for most everyone but especially followers of Jesus. In this verse the word "learn" is a Greek word from which we have derived our word mathematics. M But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Verse 17 suggests that we are to tell others what we have seen and heard; but we can hardly do that effectively until we have first been amazed at Christ's birth, pondered its meaning, and glorified and praised God for it. Before we turn to the book of Luke, I want to say first that by far the best and greatest way to celebrate Christmas is by becoming a Christian if you have never done so. Why Does God Compare Our Relationship with Him to That of a Bride and Groom? Systematic Theology. "A Hymn to the Nativity." Matthew 1:18-25 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. In the book of Philippians, Paul speaks of this peace when he says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. In other words, the only ultimate essential for proclaiming the gospel is a knowledge of it. My family likes to read these together on Christmas Eve, right before we go to bed. 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. ", Dr. Keiper walked with him over to his office and, calling him by name, said, "Have you ever read the text carefully?" For praising God is essentially an act of glorifying God with the whole being and, in this, music quite naturally takes a part. This article may not be reproduced in any other fashion without the expressed written permission of the Alliance. Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning. Wesley was praying for the second of these rests, the peace of God that Paul was writing about to the Philippians. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. Happiness is related to circumstances. And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. Jesus Christ is that Savior. It comes from a Latin verb which means "to make a bargain" or "to make an agreement between contracting parties." Not only did these men have something to tell, as we do, they also knew of a world that needed desperately to hear their message. "Hark! Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. The Herald Angels Sing" Words: Charles Wesley, Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1739. For all nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living. Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues; for her sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. I covet that kind of joy for you. Since his day no one had been raised up to declare the sure word of the Lord. To what did they return? Toll Free: 1-877-247-2426. "The Evangelical Dictionary of Theology" explains that the earliest Christians did not have a time when they regularly observed Christ's birth. Music: Antioch, arranged by Lowell Mason, 1836. Many of you might have heard that the wise men did not appear during the night of Jesus' birth, no matter what nativity scenes may try to tell you. It is recorded in Luke 1:26-38. Think what it involved in the case of Mary, Jesus' mother. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago)" (Luke 1:68-70). Volume I, (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1951), page 146. As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. Though you have not seen him, you love him. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. His works were first collected in one volume in 1858, by William Barclay Turnbull. This can be a very trying experience. Local: 704-401-2432 Ralph L. Keiper once said, "When we know Christ, not as a doctrine or a theory, but as Savior and Friend in our daily experience, we gain a confidence in Him which brings peace to our hearts. God gave Israel many celebrations in the Old Covenant such as the Feast of Booths, year of Jubilee, etc. Furthermore, do not think that you need to go back to church in order to do these things, but learn rather to do them wherever God sends you in your home, school, or business. 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 "O Come, All Ye Faithful" Words: John F. Wade, circa 1743. It is clearly God's transformation and control of the emotions. ( Egypt Today .) But if the second type of peace is not something automatic that is, if you have to find it how do you find it? And he called out with a mighty voice, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! Contact Us. It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. Did they have joy? For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. While a lot of well-meaning, devoted, and sincere Christians celebrate Christmas, we need to think if this celebration does really glorify . Nevertheless, each of them fails at the most important point the great fact that salvation in the biblical sense is by God alone and tries to encourage the age-old desire of man to save himself, which is impossible. It is just that His plans do not run on our timetables. I doubt if this was what he meant. Later it came to mean only "a good opinion." I am convinced that this thought was uppermost in Luke's mind as he set about to write this opening section of his gospel. It is important because man's problems stem from the fact that in his natural state, he is not at peace with God. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; His kingdom will never end" (Luke 1:30-33). The appearance of Gabriel to Mary to announce the birth of Jesus. The hymn is Love Divine, All Loves Excelling, and the stanza to which I am referring is the second. But the problem is that what God means by the phrase is not what men generally mean when they use it. Then out of the darkness we hear God speaking to call forth life and order. That is the question. In chapter 2, verse 10, Paul writes of God's fairness in granting "glory, honor and peace, for everyone who does good.". He answered, "I have heard that message preached from the pulpit every Christmas since I was a little boy. It looks at the fighting and the wars of history and of our own age and does not find the type of peace that it is seeking. 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. As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. I know that Christmas is a busy time. 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. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? Would anyone want to say that these men were not authorized to spread such a message? He came to earth and became a man but kept fully the divine nature in Himself. Then take time each day to draw strength from His Word, the Bible, and to pray, and to have fellowship with other believers. Arrangement: William H. Cummings, Congregational Hymn and Tune Book, 1857. It is selfishness and pride, plus the lack of individual peace and contentment. For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. It is a temporary fascination with something unusual. Oh, it would have been quite a puzzle to Mary! Now it is true that this new line is less likely to be misinterpreted. Unless otherwise indicated, all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. 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. And there, where they had first heard the angels' song, they themselves were heard to be singing God's praise. Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men. Christians celebrate Christmas, or the birth of Jesus Christ, on December 25th. December 26, 2015 This is what the shepherds did. Our gift to our children will be teaching them Who Jesus is and what Christmas is all about. 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. Another example of modern tendencies to reduce biblical salvation to human dimensions is the increasing emphasis upon the social aspects of the Christian gospel conceived in opposition to evangelism as traditionally understood. He makes me lie down in green pastures. And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. What is more, in these verses, God promises to give us all victories for peace if we ask Him. That has been the cry of God's people from the beginning "How long, O Lord, how long?" The difficulty with this approach does not lie in the thought that the biblical view of salvation is unrelated to such themes. They aren't all thinking of God or Jesus as they stand spellbound at the presents and tree on Christmas morning. In the first place, we are told that the shepherds, after they had come to Bethlehem and had seen the infant Jesus, "spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child." In other words, the shepherds became witnesses of the event. Born the King of angels; Finally, by an obvious extension, glory meant a person's true "worth." But of all these things, the incarnation of the Son of God is the most amazing. 11. In other words, peace will come when men are truly men of good will. Will you turn your focus toward Christevery day. And when he had eaten, his spirit revived, for he had not eaten bread or drunk water for three days and three nights. Most people think that the day of one's birth is special. Wesley wrote it as follows: Apparently, some of the editors of our hymnbooks, including the one used in my own church, have been troubled by Wesley's line "Let us find that second rest," fearing that some people would think (or that Wesley himself thought) that there was a "second blessing" experience to find beyond salvation. Why? Or, in other words, there is a peace with God that we receive freely at the moment of our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and there is another peace that we are able to enter into increasingly as we learn to know and trust Him. Perhaps you are anxious to be delivered from some tenacious sin, but you do not seem to have deliverance. Further light is shed upon these verses by the meaning of the words for peace in the original Greek and Latin. The Greek word for peace is eirene. His birth was necessary. Do you do it? But they have. Of course, you can and you should! Ponder the great doctrines of the Christian faith doctrines of the incarnation, atonement, grace, sanctification, heaven, perseverance, and others so that you begin to grow strong in doctrine. It is not just brooding or getting into a pious frame of mind. Let's have a Christmas gift exchange this year. One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. And it is this in which we are to imitate them. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. May God give you grace to do that. No doubt, these examples of the reduction of the biblical view of salvation to human dimensions are not equally bad. So, according to Tillich, who popularized this approach in his three-volume Systematic Theology and in his lectures, salvation can therefore be applied "to every act of healing: to the healing of sickness, or demonic possession, and of servitude to sin and to the ultimate power of death" 6 It means "reuniting that which is estranged, giving a center to what is split, overcoming the split between God and man, man and his world, man and himself. (Great Neck, NY: Doniger & Raughley, 1955). Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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