One theory is that the early church decided to celebrate Christmas on December 25th in order to oppose the pagan celebration of Sol Invictus. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 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. I know, of course, that Jesus was probably not born on December 25 at least there is no real evidence that He was. Then glorify and praise God for what you know. Moreover, since acknowledging His true worth is the essential meaning of worship it means to acknowledge God's worth to glorify God is to worship Him by words. One person who has been responsible for watering down the biblical meaning of the word "salvation" is Paul Tillich, the German-born American theologian. Christmas is always a special time for most everyone but especially followers of Jesus. However, God does promise to give us what we need (Philippians 4:19), and He promises to keep our minds in His peace, if we will pray to Him. My family likes to read these together on Christmas Eve, right before we go to bed. It involves an effort to enter into the heart and counsels of God. Publisher: OpenBible.info. Finally, when you have done these things and are truly qualified to speak, go back and tell others what you know. They must learn to love Him and to serve Him more and more. And the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, Let the people of Israel keep the Passover at its appointed time. They are: The appearance of Gabriel to Zechariah to announce the birth of John the Baptist. I am not referring to activity, of course. You do not have, because you do not ask God. These words mean "a right opinion," "a wrong opinion," and "a contradictory opinion" respectively. Will Graham Devotion: The Criminal on the Cross. The answer is in chapter 3, verse 17: "And the way of peace they do not know." He was born to die. 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. Would she have guessed what was happening because of her familiarity with the Old Testament prophecies, such as Isaiah's prophecy that "the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son" (Isaiah 7:14)? Visit the Bible online to search for words if you dont know the specific passage yourre looking for. Therefore encourage one another with these words. The world of the shepherds' day was much like our world today, in which the lamps of knowledge and culture seem to be slowly flickering out. Does God Really Work All Things Together for Good? 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. TopicalBible And you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. The Wise Men Were Not There. Joyful and triumphant,
But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! His works were first collected in one volume in 1858, by William Barclay Turnbull. Have you confessed them to God and to others? Sol Invictus was a pagan god who was believed to be the unconquered sun. There are three instances. I am convinced that this thought was uppermost in Luke's mind as he set about to write this opening section of his gospel. 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 It is based upon what God has done, and it is given to the Christian by God and is sustained by God. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. A Psalm of David. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness. The trouble lies with men. In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 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. Of course, you can and you should! On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother's womb you have been my God. Dont Despair: A Reminder From Anne Graham Lotz. Things seem to go as they have been going from the beginning, and you want something better. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. Half of the city shall go out into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city. You can tell if you do by attempting to rehearse God's attributes. Love never ends. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him. Many people believe that the celebration of Christmas is rooted in the pagan holiday of Saturnalia, which honored the god Saturn. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to celebrate. Do you do that? 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. They had seen the angels and had come to worship the angels' King. W His birth was necessary. P May God give you grace to do that. 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? In all that he does, he prospers. The words of the angel to Joseph confirmed Joseph's authority and responsibility in the naming of Mary's child. Let me illustrate this by a story from the life of Dr. Ralph L. Keiper, who was a professor of English Bible at Conservative Baptist Theological Seminary in Denver, Colorado, and who was for many years associated with Dr. Donald Grey Barnhouse in his ministry. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 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. When circumstances are right, there is happiness; but when the source of happiness departs, happiness goes with it. Will anyone argue that they were uneducated? 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" . What Does the Bible Say About Celebration? Jesus Christ was fully God and fully man in his incarnation. Of course they did! For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him. When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 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. It was lost because it lacked direction, primarily spiritual direction. "Come unto me and I will give you rest." God did not forget! That has been the cry of God's people from the beginning "How long, O Lord, how long?" The passage begins by speaking of the shepherds. Spend some time at Christmas thinking over what you do know of God and trying to understand the ways of God more fully. The Truth! I believe that I can illustrate the fact that two kinds of peace are involved here by the wording of one of Charles Wesley's great hymns, in which the same contrast is found, although the actual word used is different. What is more, in these verses, God promises to give us all victories for peace if we ask Him. You can remember these events. Beyond any question, the gospel of Jesus Christ has important social implications. Let the people of Israel keep the Passover at its appointed time. Unless our way of talking about salvation makes distinctions here, our interpretations inevitably fall short of the biblical conceptions. Let the wonder of that first Christmas fill your life todayand every day. But in the message itself, as well as in the context, the emphasis is upon the fulfillment of prophecy and upon the underlying truth that God is faithful. The reasons why they became witnesses are that there was an event, a great event, and that others very much needed to hear of it. In other words, James is saying that war begins with men's emotions. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. We find peace by praying. What is the source of the fighting and turmoil in the world today and, unfortunately at times, within the churches? I know that Christmas is a busy time. The word "pact" also comes from it. Tillich, Paul. The angel said, "Do not be afraid. "The Evangelical Dictionary of Theology" explains that the earliest Christians did not have a time when they regularly observed Christ's birth. 6. But now, assuming that you have believed on Him and that you are a Christian, what can you add to this in order to properly celebrate Christmas? Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. And there, where they had first heard the angels' song, they themselves were heard to be singing God's praise. There is peace with God. 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). Copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. And if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. Why? Local: 704-401-2432 Christmas is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us. And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. (Philadelphia: Evangelical Foundation), 1961, pages 12-13. Luke 1:35 ESV / 25 helpful votesHelpfulNot Helpful. How could their tongues be silent when they had heard such music? In other words, peace will come when men are truly men of good will. Praise the Lord! "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). In fact, the opposite is the case. Some even contain good emphases. OpenBible.info The first message is a message of the faithfulness of God. There is the peace of God, which is personal. He became a man in His incarnation. Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! The Bible tells us that the birth of Jesus was unlike all other births in that Jesus existed before birth as the second person of the Godhead and He became man, not to provide us with a sweet story to tell children each winter or even as a theme for our greatest musical compositions, but in order to grow to maturity and then to die for our sin as 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. Do you do it? Think what it involved in the case of Mary, Jesus' mother. They had no thought about spiritual things at least we are not told that they did and they certainly didn't expect the miracle. I wonder if you have experienced joy at this season. Have you recognized yourself as a sinner? U Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. In one sense all the acts of God are legitimate grounds for such amazement. Third, it involved her intellect; for she treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holythe Son of God. And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord filled the Lord's house. But shouldnt He be part of your life every day? 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. He would say that He was the truth for a world that was dreadfully confused. 7. Music: In Dulci Jubilo, 14th Century German melody; harmony from Christmas Carols Old and New, 1871. Be patient! For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." The world won't let us miss the holiday. G Blog, A The question is important because of the significance of the day and because so many obviously do not know how to celebrate it. 2023 BGEA Ponder on its meaning. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then out of the darkness we hear God speaking to call forth life and order. At best she might have guessed that the child that was born to her might possibly be the Messiah. 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. 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. The Scriptures say, "And let him who hears say, Come!" Both of these ideas are related to the idea of a mediator who brings irreconcilables together. In fact, it . 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? For by me your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life. 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. You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. The situation would have been difficult for anyone to understand, let alone a man engaged to a woman who was expecting a child. 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. Salvus means "healthy" or "whole." Come to Him! The verse quoted was translated from Latin to English by Frederick Oakeley, 1841. Of course He should. When all the people of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of the Lord on the temple, they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Then the king and all the people offered sacrifice before the Lord. 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. Christians celebrate Christmas, or the birth of Jesus Christ, on December 25th. 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. 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 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. He restores my soul. Perhaps you are anxious to be delivered from some tenacious sin, but you do not seem to have deliverance. Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. The appearance of Gabriel to Mary to announce the birth of Jesus. But the writer of this epistle had a deeper insight into humanity. Jesus is called God-man. cit. Most people think that the day of one's birth is special. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to celebrate. It is the kind of amazement we associate with special effects in a movie or with an Olympic gold medal winner. Keiper asked what he meant. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. It is in this sense a doxology, which means to express a right opinion of God verbally. Thus, the message to Joseph centers primarily on that great work which Jesus, the Messiah, was to do. 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. ( 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. But how? 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. Will Graham Devotion: Why Would Jesus Willingly Die a Horrific Death? It was lost, confused, dying. O God has not forgotten. 8. 8. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in Asia. Notice that this verse does not say, "In everything present your requests to God. And they know that as a result of this faith, they are at peace with one another. To me it is a farce! 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. Now when you acknowledge a person's true worth or express a proper opinion of him, you may be said to be glorifying him. Peace on earth. 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. "He was born like us as well as died like us. But of all these things, the incarnation of the Son of God is the most amazing. Third, there is the suggestion of the work of a mediator who makes the reconciliation possible. Did they have joy? "A Hymn to the Nativity." "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Great Neck, NY: Doniger & Raughley, 1955). It is one of the great words of the Greek language. What we sow we shall reap." It also teaches us of God's power, for an incarnation is beyond our ability even to conceive, let alone to bring into being. And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 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 . This article may not be reproduced in any other fashion without the expressed written permission of the Alliance. Scripturally speaking, a Christian's celebrating a birthday is a non-issue. Keiper asked, "Why do you call it a farce?" Wesley was praying for the second of these rests, the peace of God that Paul was writing about to the Philippians. Here are five great appearances of angels. Systematic Theology. 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. Can we doubt that the shepherds had something worth telling?
Royal Apartments Hopkins,
Upenn Summer Research Program For High School Students,
Dallas Mavericks Coaching Staff,
Invitation Homes Ceo Email Address,
Articles W