“Tis the Season?”
Sunday Morning December 14 2008
scriptures: Matthew 2, 2 Kings 16, Jeremiah 3, Jeremiah 10, 1 Corinthians 10, John 15, Matthew 10
keywords: christmas, holidays, pagan, idolatry
additional link(s): HistoryChannel.com Christmas research
audio: click to open seperate player or right-click to download
[audio:https://www.ekklesia.church/media/2008/20081214.mp3]
What’s the big issue with Christmas?
You can talk about Christmas anywhere, but not Jesus
Pagan? Associated with the worship of another god (sun, moon, cow, etc.)
Men would sometimes worship creation and nature instead of the creator
Easter is another example of a ‘holiday’ taken from another god; Easter = fertility god
Celebrating a pagan holiday is like wishing God a happy ‘Buddah Day’
Christmas was the worship of Saturnalia – They gave gifts, worshiped the sun, etc
Instead of changing, the Catholic church adapted the pagan customs to make it “fit”
With all of the advertisements about gifts, there is no honest talk about the Savior
Why have a tree…and put gifts under it for others?
– Matthew 2: 1-15
Herod felt threatened because there was a new king coming – so he sent out the “wise men”
The wise men found Jesus in a house (not a manger) and gave of their treasures to honor the new King
What about the tree? It’s what the world does…it came from false, pagan religions
– to Deuteronomy 12:1-4
The only reason people do it (put gifts under trees) is because that is the custom
– 2 Kings 16:1-4
another example of people worshiping “under every green tree”
– to Jeremiah 3:1-11
adapting customs from the worship of other gods is just like cheating on the Lord
Christmas is a combination of false worship – it’s like cheating on God with several other women
God uses the term prostitute to make the point
– to Jeremiah 10:1-25
learn not the way of the heathen
It used to be that people said they didn’t have to follow what was in the “Old Testament”…
Now, it’s like the entire Bible is the “Old,” and people won’t follow it
– to 1 Corinthians 10:14-31
idolatry in the “New Testament”
Communion is a part of our worship, and it becomes a part of you when you partake in it
Just like when you participate with God in communion, you participate with devils when you celebrate pagan customs
Remember that God is a jealous God. What if your spouse called you by somebody else’s name?
Don’t let anyone convince you that God doesn’t care about things like idolatry anymore
Your conscience judges you. If you can’t do something with a clean conscience, don’t do it
Just ask; Why do you do what you do?
Why can some people talk so much about Christmas, but not about the Lord and Savior, Jesus?
There’s only one who is keeping a list…and He doesn’t have to check it twice.
Her knows who is righteous, and who is not.
Be glad that He came, and that we can be saved because He died for us
And we live for the day He comes back for us
Symbols are very important because they represent the greater meanings
That’s why we take communion, and don’t mix anything else with it
There will be pressure to be like the world, but people who want to be in Jesus will be different
– to John 15:18-25
Be willing to be the person God has called you to be – even in persecutions
How many people don’t like you because of your commitment to Christ?
Or does everybody like you, but not know about your relationship with God?
– to Matthew 10:21-42
Things will be tough sometimes, but Jesus will take care of His children through it all
This isn’t some weird teaching, it’s scripture
A committed life to God does take you being able to stand up
Everybody is not going to be saved…that’s what distinguishes believers from the rest of the world
When you serve God, you have to serve God
You may feel that you have lost some people (relationships), but you never know…
They could be the very one thanking you next week