Of course they did! You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. For praising God is essentially an act of glorifying God with the whole being and, in this, music quite naturally takes a part. The third message is of the outcome, which is joy for man and glory for God. God is faithful. Malachi, who lived in the fifth century before Christ, was the last of the prophets. Each year when I read the Christmas story, I am impressed with the role that the angels play in it. This is the first message that I would leave with you. If you have, then you understand your need of a Savior and are at the place where you can receive Jesus as the One who died to save you. But how should a Christian celebrate Christmas? 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). The time of fulfillment has come! But what does the Bible specifically say about your day of birth? Can you do that? There are three instances. 8. This is what theologians call, "Hypostatic union." It explains how God, the Son of God, took human nature but He remained God at the same time. Second, there is the strong possibility that the persons may not be in harmony but that they will want to make a pact between themselves in order to settle their differences. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. If anyone would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed. The world treats the message of Christmas as wishful thinking because the world is not right with God and it does not wish to assume its own spiritual responsibility before Him. Does God Really Work All Things Together for Good? When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found . Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. It was lost, confused, dying. For most people, the answer could be obvious. They would readily tell you that the Bible commands us to celebrate Jesus' birth - that it is a time of rejoicing for the coming of the Savior of the world. The Latin word for peace is pax. Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! That is the Christmas story God became man! Why We Celebrate The Birth Of Jesus | Hearinnh 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" . If we turn back to the earliest chapters of Genesis, we discover a description of the globe before God fashioned it into the kind of world we know now; and we are told that "the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters." Third, there is the suggestion of the work of a mediator who makes the reconciliation possible. 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. The appearance of first one angel and then a multitude of angels to the shepherds in the fields of Bethlehem. So they have changed the line to read "Let us find that promised rest.". I doubt if this was what he meant. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Christmas is a very important holiday for Christians because it celebrates the birth of their savior. Christians are to be active in many efforts to achieve social justice, improve the life of the poor, minister to the needy. There are plenty of decorations to buy and parties to attend during this season but how should we really celebrate Christmas? Well, later in His life He would speak of Himself in terms that spoke to precisely the world's condition. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com. The professor replied that he thought he had. Solicitation Disclosure Statement In this verse, Simeon says to Mary, "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a . 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)? 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. What is more, in these verses, God promises to give us all victories for peace if we ask Him. Later it came to mean only "a good opinion." For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. Have you confessed them to God and to others? Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Home 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. No doubt, these examples of the reduction of the biblical view of salvation to human dimensions are not equally bad. For by me your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. 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. It is before his own master that he stands or falls. ( John 19:14-16) Jesus was about 30 years old when he began his three-and-a-half-year ministry, so he was born in the early fall of 2 B.C.E. Luke 3:23. This is what the shepherds did. His works were first collected in one volume in 1858, by William Barclay Turnbull. God is "able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us" (Ephesians 3:20). Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Answer: Your question is backward. L The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. Moreover, the Bible teaches that if you will believe that that is, if you will believe that you are not at peace with God naturally but that He has made peace through the death of His Son for your sin - then God will enter into the kind of eternal relationship with you in which you can be called His son or daughter. As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. To do so is to worship God both by words and in song. He was to save His people. Taken together, therefore, the Greek and Latin definitions imply, first, that peace is not primarily a state of mind or an individual virtue but rather a state existing between two or more persons. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. Systematic Theology. This article may not be reproduced in any other fashion without the expressed written permission of the Alliance. Y This passage suggests four ways of celebrating Christmas: Tell others about it. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. Here is a rest that is given and a rest that is found. And you shall flee to the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azal. But the problem is that what God means by the phrase is not what men generally mean when they use it. We can estimate when Jesus was born by counting backward from his death on Passover, Nisan 14 in the spring of the year 33 C.E. My family likes to read these together on Christmas Eve, right before we go to bed. 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. Jeremiah 10:2-4 ESV / 302 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful. He would say that He was the truth for a world that was dreadfully confused. Think what it involved in the case of Mary, Jesus' mother. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. They are an important part of our lives, and our relationship with them should continue to grow every day. Keiper then took his Bible from his briefcase and turned to Luke 2:14, to the verse that is our text, and then read with his professor, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men" (KJV). Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. When Was Jesus' Birth? Was Jesus Born on December 25? | What the Bible Says And God has not forgotten you! This can be a very trying experience. Do you know that you have fallen short of God's standards and that nothing within you will ever be able to move up to the fulfilling of them? There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. One theory is that the early church decided to celebrate Christmas on December 25th in order to oppose the pagan celebration of Sol Invictus. I am glad that the angel appeared to Joseph and not only to Mary. What, for instance, is the difference between that wholeness experienced by a member of the church in the course of a counseling session with his minister and the wholeness gained by an atheist as the result of his session with a reputable but non-Christian psychiatrist? It is the kind of amazement we associate with special effects in a movie or with an Olympic gold medal winner. And the dead in Christ will rise first. To do so is to participate in the Christmas story. We see His disposition to use little things, to exalt the humble and to subdue the proud. Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Anyone can understand Christmas in just three sentences: I am a sinner. But the circumstances were not good. (Philadelphia: Evangelical Foundation), 1961, pages 12-13. Christ the Lord. Then glorify and praise God for what you know. It is in this emotional center of man, called by Scripture 'the heart,' that James says war begins, when the lusts within a man strive together." Hopefully Christmas this year has been more than presents and parties for you, and youve taken time to focus on Jesus. BGEA is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning. 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. "Hark! When Was Jesus Born? | Bible Questions - JW.ORG God has not forgotten. Christmas is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. After all, just because we celebrate our childrens birthdays doesnt mean we forget them or ignore them the rest of the year! And in the center of them in the appearances of angels to Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds there are the three messages which, more than any other, perfectly explain the true, divine meaning of Christmas. The Apostle James was one who knew this, and he spoke of it in a passage that is a perceptive analysis of such problems in the world and in church circles. The first message is a message of the faithfulness of God. E "O Come, All Ye Faithful" Words: John F. Wade, circa 1743. 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. Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Nor would Joseph have known. By Billy Graham Cite this page: Editor: Stephen Smith. Finally, our text suggests that we can celebrate Christmas by glorifying God and by praising Him. And there is peace with one another. On the day of the firstfruits, when you offer a grain offering of new grain to the Lord at your Feast of Weeks, you shall have a holy convocation. First of all, the Bible tells us that Jesus was born on Christmas day. Perhaps you are one who longs for the Lord's return. They must learn to love Him and to serve Him more and more. Then take time each day to draw strength from His Word, the Bible, and to pray, and to have fellowship with other believers. Joy is a wonderful thing; it is an appropriate part of Christmas. 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? When the angels had departed, the shepherds decided to go to Bethlehem. 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. 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." Then everyone who survives of all the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Booths. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.. Further light is shed upon these verses by the meaning of the words for peace in the original Greek and Latin. Have you recognized yourself as a sinner? (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1957), page 166. He came to earth and became a man but kept fully the divine nature in Himself. And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. 52 Bible verses about Celebration - Knowing Jesus 5. On December 25th people the world over will celebrate the birth of Lord Jesus Christ. Can we doubt that the shepherds had something worth telling? He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. Nor am I referring to happiness. 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 Celebrating Jesus at Christmas! 9 Ways to Celebrate Christ at Christmas And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord., For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.. Blog, A Judging from the Christmas cards I get every year, I suspect that this is the phrase from the Christmas story that is most popular with people in our day. Moreover, if you will permit me to apply it in this way, it seems to me that apart from the truths which the angels revealed to Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds two thousand years ago concerning the birth of Christ apart from really understanding what they said and meant undoubtedly, this Christmas, the real meaning of the birth of Christ will pass us by also. The difficulty lies rather in the fact that today, if only because of the impressive achievements of medical science, this approach inevitably fails to distinguish between the salvation that God alone can bring and that salvation which men are apparently providing for themselves. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him. But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5. ", Dr. Keiper walked with him over to his office and, calling him by name, said, "Have you ever read the text carefully?" In other words, James is saying that war begins with men's emotions. Come to Him now! Praise the Lord! So the question is not "where did God say not to ." It is always the question "where did God say to ." See: Holiday Observances. A complete edition was edited in 1904 for the Cambridge University Press as Richard Crashaw: Steps To The Temple, Delights of the Muses and Other Poems by A. R. Waller. Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! In this verse the word "learn" is a Greek word from which we have derived our word mathematics. 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 also can celebrate Christmas by being amazed at it "And all who heard it were amazed" (Luke 2:18). 5 Bible Verses That Celebrate the Birth of Jesus - Mamiverse 6. Frank E. Gaebelein writes about this passage in The Practical Epistle of James, "A few years ago, former Chancellor Hutchins of the University of Chicago said war begins in the minds of men. The hymn is Love Divine, All Loves Excelling, and the stanza to which I am referring is the second. Finally, there is the appearance of first one angel, than a multitude of angels to the shepherds as they were in the fields around Bethlehem. A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. 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. If you have never done that, then this is a great season in which to believe on Him. Others celebrate it by getting drunk, some beginning at the office party on the last working day before Christmas and not sobering up until sometime after the twenty-fifth or even after New Year's. This is a cause for amazement. If God did that, He would soon make a muddle of our Christian lives because "We do not know what we ought to pray for" (Romans 8:26), and we pray with wrong motives. After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, Hallelujah! And the shepherds would not have come to the manger in the little town of Bethlehem if the angels had not conveyed their message. This holy amazement is closely melded to adoration. These words mean "a right opinion," "a wrong opinion," and "a contradictory opinion" respectively. But she could not have known that for sure. King Solomon offered as a sacrifice 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. "The Evangelical Dictionary of Theology" explains that the earliest Christians did not have a time when they regularly observed Christ's birth. Unless our way of talking about salvation makes distinctions here, our interpretations inevitably fall short of the biblical conceptions. Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. Let's have a Christmas gift exchange this year. Keiper, Ralph L. op. 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. They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with . Had God forgotten His people? Toll Free: 1-877-247-2426. You want something but don't get it. He makes me lie down in green pastures. 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. 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, saying, Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? 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. Psalms 118:24 - This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Imitate the shepherds in spreading the word concerning what you know about the Christ child. What Does the Bible Say About Celebration? - OpenBible.info Gaebelein, Frank. Publication date: Apr 30, 2023. He answered, "I have heard that message preached from the pulpit every Christmas since I was a little boy. 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. So they left their flocks and came and found Jesus, precisely as the angels had indicated. Why Is Jesus Birthday Celebrated On Dec 25 | Hearinnh Of course He should. For if their story was not worth telling, then no story that has ever been told is worth telling and life has no joy or meaning. Give strong drink to the one who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress; let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more. Topics: Jesus Christ. 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. "Has God forgotten me?" And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. He loves you so much that He gave His life for your salvation. 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. How could they refuse to tell what they had seen? I wonder if you have experienced joy at this season. But shouldnt He be part of your life every day? We are told of them that they "returned glorifying and praising God." In fact, it . But their amazement is fitting to Christmas - it's a sample of what Christmas amazement should be for those who understand the Christmas story. Systematic Theology Volume 2: Existence and the Christ. There are two answers. The third type of peace is a peace with one another. From beginning to end, God's dealings with our race are cause for amazement. 52 Bible Verses about Celebration Verse Concepts They shall eagerly utter the memory of Your abundant goodness And will shout joyfully of Your righteousness. Contact Us. You shall observe the Feast of Weeks, the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the year's end. But they have. Because of the gospel, Christians understand that the peace of God is only for those who acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior. 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. 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. Visit the Bible online to search for words if you dont know the specific passage yourre looking for. You can remember the moment in which they became real for you personally. Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! 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. One verse, which is often quoted by Christians who argue against celebrating Christmas, is Luke chapter 2, verse 34. . To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. God gave Israel many celebrations in the Old Covenant such as the Feast of Booths, year of Jubilee, etc. Is the Celebration of Christmas Biblical? - Owlcation But the angel appeared and explained to Joseph what was happening. He would say that He was the life for a world that was dying. But this is all there will be - until the angels appear with their message. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. For you see, Joseph was in a difficult position. What Does The King James Bible Say About Celebrating Christmas And you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt. What Does the Bible Say About Celebrating Jesus Birthday? Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. Tillich developed his understanding of salvation from the meaning of the Latin word salvus, which underlies it. There would have been no need for His life, His death on the cross, or His resurrection. It was a sad world in their time. How Should We Celebrate the Birth of Christ. The difficulty with this approach does not lie in the thought that the biblical view of salvation is unrelated to such themes. This article may be printed and distributed with this notice attached for personal use such as small groups and local Bible study groups. Grosart. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Christians celebrate Christmas, or the birth of Jesus Christ, on December 25th. Because it came from God and was centered in the birth of the Savior. On the ninth day of the month beginning at evening, from evening to evening shall you keep your Sabbath.. Observe the month of Abib and keep the Passover to the Lord your God, for in the month of Abib the Lord your God brought you out of Egypt by night.