Welcome my beloved friends and family to another wonderful Sunday service. God is awesome. He has blessed me with a wonderful church family here at WTLC of Newark Ministries. I hope yall have been enjoying the sermons as much as Ive been enjoying serving yall as your pastor and posting them. If there are ANY first time readers please let me take this opportunity to welcome you to the GREATEST church family one could ask for, yes Im biased but hey. I hope you as well will feel right at home here and enjoy reading the sermons. I also hope that youll like us on Facebook and help grow this ministry by inviting your friends and family to read the sermons with you and like us Facebook as well. Now as always lets go to the Throne of Grace together in prayer before we dig into tonights sermon. PRAYER: Lord I am just so grateful for EVERY mighty blessing youve given me and this wonderful church. Just continue to grow us both as a church and grow us spiritually as well to be more like Christ. Use this ministry Lord to change peoples lives. Transform people God and bring them to know Jesus as their personal SAVIOUR and Lord. Prepare our hearts Lord Jesus to receive a fresh word tonight. Teach us what youd have us to know. I know Lord tonight is gonna yet again touch on a VERY sensitive subject so Lord Jesus let your people hear you and read your words NOT mine. Speak through me Lord Jesus. Use my tongue and fingers to write and say what youd have said and write on the hearts of your people. I love you Jesus and thank you for EVERYTHING. AMEN INTRODUCTION: Tonight knowing that Christmas is literally less than a week away I figured wed do a sermon on Christmas. Tonight well discuss the origins of Christmas and if its a pagan or Christian centered holiday. Also well discover if a Christian should celebrate this holiday. So without further delay lets dig in shall we. SERMON: CHRISTMAS ROOTS 1). So first lets look at the Pagan origins of Christmas and the date December 25th. A). Before Christ was born the pagan religion did celebrate the winter solstice with a feast around this time, usually on December 25th. 1). Yes the Christmas tree, mistletoe, and gift giving do have pagan origins and do have the resemblance of pagan worships. 2). So where did the Christian roots come into the picture? Does the holiday really have ANY Christian meaning at all? Where does the date December 25th come in on the Christian side? A). First we have to look at some evidence of the birth date of Jesus. 1). Our first clue is found in the Book of Luke whos a doctor, non-the-less. (Luke 1:5,8-9) 1:5 THERE was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.1:8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priests office before God in the order of his course,1:9 According to the custom of the priests office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. a). This hint is huge. This is the division of priests, the Abijah, which was to take place in the last two weeks of 4th month of the Jewish calendar. (Tammuz which is our June/July). b). It was during this division of the priests that the Arch Angel Michael came to Zacharias and stated that he and Elizabeth, his wife, would have a son. (Luke 1:11-13) 1:11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.1:12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.1:13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. 1). Knowing that during the division that it WASNT lawful to sleep with his wife they wouldve waited till afterwards, 2 weeks later. That wouldve put John the Baptist birthday at the earliest July 1. 2). Our second clue is during the month of December the Angel, Gabriel, came and visited Mary to tell her that she was going to be pregnant. He also revealed that Elizabeth was 6 months pregnant and thats how we know this happened in December. (Luke 1:31,36) 1:31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.1:36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. a). So NO Jesus wasnt born on December 25th but is HIS conception date. Both when Mary conceived Him and when He was official by the census but well cover that later before we get to far ahead of ourselves. 3). Our 3rd clue is that census. In fact this order from Emperor Augustus is why Joseph took Mary to Bethlehem in the first place. This took place right around September or October. a). Amazingly this is during Sukkot feast of tabernacle (October/September on our calendar usually around September 29th). The word used in John 1:14 for dwelt means tabernacled, which very amazingly coincides with the feast of tabernacle. (John 1:14) 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. 1). Perhaps theres a connection to the long held tradition of the Michaelmas Day or feast of Michael the Arch Angel, usually held on September 29th in the United Kingdom. This is to celebrate the day that Michael told the Shepherds about the birth of Christ. (Luke 2:8-11) 2:8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.2:9 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.2:10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 4). So we now can conclude that Jesus was born actually on September 29th. B). So knowing Jesus wasnt born on December 25th lets look at some evidence as to why we celebrate it on that day. 1). First off He was conceived during this month, December probably mid to late month. 2). The Magi came from the east a far distance so when they got to Jesus HE was about 3 months old. Whats the significance of of that. In those days a king wouldnt be consecrated or declared until they were between 3-4 months old. a). Now the Magi came during winter time which is crucial to understand. See they wouldve normally traveled during the winter as harsh as the winters are there. So it would definitely have had to be a miracle to get these guys to travel at that time. Plus the distance and weather combination had delayed the Magi, wise men of the east, 3 months with an estimated arrival to Jesus on or around the December 25th time frame. 3). Hanukkah, the festival of lights, is also symbolic of Jesus being the Light of the world. So instead of associating with the already well known feasts and old covenant the early church leaders decided to hold the celebration on the day of conception not birth. a). Plus its well known that during the early years, like first 3 centuries, only pagan religions observed the actual birthday as a higher celebration than the death. So the early Christians didnt want to get confused with pagan worship. 3). Now does December 25th really have such a significant meaning as to if you do or DONT celebrate this day as the birthday of Jesus that youre sinning? NO NOT at ALL. A). Paul stated that we arent to judge a person on what days we hold as HOLY days. (Colossians 2:16-17) 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. (Romans 14:5-6) 14:5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.14:6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. CONCLUSION ON NEXT POST
Posted on: Sun, 21 Dec 2014 23:11:01 +0000
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