what does the bible say about celebrating jesus' birth

Gaebelein, Frank. Here then is the first lesson Luke teaches us on celebrating Christmas. 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. 5 Bible Verses That Celebrate the Birth of Jesus Health, Inspiration How often have we heard the phrase, "Christ is the reason for the season." To help remind us of why we celebrate Christmas, here are five key Bible verses that celebrate the birth of Jesus. This article may not be reproduced in any other fashion without the expressed written permission of the Alliance. On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward. Nor am I referring to happiness. In fact, the opposite is the case. The verse quoted was translated from Latin to English by Frederick Oakeley, 1841. And it is this in which we are to imitate them. What are we to say to such theories? Things seem to go as they have been going from the beginning, and you want something better. Amen. In the Christian religion, Jesus Christ is believed to be the son of God. How could they refuse to tell what they had seen? God gave Israel many celebrations in the Old Covenant such as the Feast of Booths, year of Jubilee, etc. One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. If anyone would argue in this way, he should notice that the shepherds had the most important authorization of all possession of good news which had been revealed to them by God. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Behold, a day is coming for the Lord, when the spoil taken from you will be divided in your midst. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. D The trouble lies with men. Jesus fulfilled that promise when He died for your sin and rose again for your justification. Ecclesiastes 7:1-4 ESV / 156 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful. Jeremiah 10:2-4 ESV / 302 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful. When men seek to have their own way, it becomes a mighty farce. Crashaw wrote of this wonder: This is why the wonder of children seems so appropriate at Christmastime. Labs 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. It is before his own master that he stands or falls. Anybody who knows good news is authorized to tell it, particularly when it is news that will be the means of salvation of others. And David said to him, To whom do you belong? But the significance of it would have passed her by. you are asking. Did Jesus Say Not To Celebrate His Birth | Hearinnh Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. The exact date of Jesus' birth is not recorded in the Scriptures. Jesus is coming! The question is important because of the significance of the day and because so many obviously do not know how to celebrate it. Be patient! It was lost because it lacked direction, primarily spiritual direction. The words of the angel to Joseph confirmed Joseph's authority and responsibility in the naming of Mary's child. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. It was dying because it had no adequate cause for which to live. T The Bible says, But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). Happiness is a wonderful thing at Christmas shopping, decorating, entertaining, mailing cards but it is the world's virtue, and like all the world's virtues, it quite easily passes away. So do that. Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. What we sow we shall reap." 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. And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born? Jesus answered, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. So they have changed the line to read "Let us find that promised rest.". Why, to their sheep obviously. It is clearly God's transformation and control of the emotions. The situation would have been difficult for anyone to understand, let alone a man engaged to a woman who was expecting a child. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The Scriptures say, "And let him who hears say, Come!" Christmas is a very important holiday for Christians because it celebrates the birth of their savior. 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. For from him and through him and to him are all things. Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Jehoshua, meaning "Jehovah is salvation." 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. Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. Let the wonder of that first Christmas fill your life todayand every day. Tillich developed his understanding of salvation from the meaning of the Latin word salvus, which underlies it. He asked him to examine the last clause of the verse carefully: "good will toward men." No, He has not forgotten you. And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord filled the Lord's house. 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. O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem; Come and behold Him Is December 25 Really the Day Jesus Was Born? What the Bible Says About 8 Interesting Facts about the Birth of Jesus - Crosswalk.com This passage suggests four ways of celebrating Christmas: Tell others about it. To him be glory forever. You shall keep the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in from the field the fruit of your labor. 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. How Should We Celebrate the Birth of Christ? - Topical Studies And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand hima threefold cord is not quickly broken. You do not have, because you do not ask God. 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. They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with . 1. And God has not forgotten you! You can remember the moment in which they became real for you personally. "Joy to the World" Words: Isaac Watts, The Psalms of David, 1719. When circumstances are right, there is happiness; but when the source of happiness departs, happiness goes with it. Christ the Lord. There would have been no need for His life, His death on the cross, or His resurrection. It is unfortunate that these great words "savior" and "salvation" have been watered down so much as they have been in our day. But shouldnt He be part of your life every day? 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. But they have. ( Egypt Today .) 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. But how? Helpful Not Helpful Praise the Lord! On the ninth day of the month beginning at evening, from evening to evening shall you keep your Sabbath.. Will Graham Devotion: Why Would Jesus Willingly Die a Horrific Death? This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. 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. To me it is a farce! My family likes to read these together on Christmas Eve, right before we go to bed. The professor replied that he thought he had. Third, it involved her intellect; for she treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1957), page 166. We also can celebrate Christmas by being amazed at it "And all who heard it were amazed" (Luke 2:18). We see His disposition to use little things, to exalt the humble and to subdue the proud. Therefore encourage one another with these words. It is selfishness and pride, plus the lack of individual peace and contentment. He is the Savior. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. And "you will find rest for your souls." Geocoding Arrangement: William H. Cummings, Congregational Hymn and Tune Book, 1857. Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. Have you recognized yourself as a sinner? 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. 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. In early fall. As you pray that prayer, you will find that God has already been merciful in Jesus. OpenBible.info 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? 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? Have you seen those things? It involves an effort to enter into the heart and counsels of God. 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. 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. 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. It is a temporary fascination with something unusual. 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). It is not just brooding or getting into a pious frame of mind. What Does the Bible Say About Celebrating Jesus Birthday? He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. You shall not do any ordinary work. But it does not mean that God has forgotten. While a lot of well-meaning, devoted, and sincere Christians celebrate Christmas, we need to think if this celebration does really glorify . In the New Covenant, he has given us the Lord's Supper and baptism. 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)? pages 24-25. Suddenly the angels appear, first to Zechariah and then to Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds, and the word is out: God has not forgotten! But the circumstances were not good. 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). The messages of the angels do not reinforce our secular views of Christmas. Then, you can think about these things and allow God to teach you more about Himself. - Sort By Book Order. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. C Let's have a Christmas gift exchange this year. When Was Jesus' Birth? Was Jesus Born on December 25? | What the Bible Says Cite this page: Editor: Stephen Smith. 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. May God give you grace to do that. B Four Reasons Christmas Is Not a Christian Holiday - Life, Hope & Truth 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. And where are you from? He said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite, and my master left me behind because I fell sick three days ago. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God. 8. Then take time each day to draw strength from His Word, the Bible, and to pray, and to have fellowship with other believers. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to celebrate. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 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. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Nor would Joseph have known. I have known people who have had deep and fervent prayers answered after the better part of a lifetime has gone by prayers for the salvation of a son or a daughter, prayers for success in some worthwhile endeavor, prayers for reconciliation with an erring wife or husband. 7. In other words, James is saying that war begins with men's emotions. It implies a diving beneath the surface. TopicalBible V 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. This has something to do with the age in which we live as well as with the general aspirations of mankind, I suppose. Jesus Christ was fully God and fully man in his incarnation. 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. Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. Music: Mendelssohn, Felix in his cantata Festgesang an die Kunstler, 1840. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. We see His grace. In Luke 2:8-20, it says: "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. You can sharpen up your affections; indeed, you must, for it is a terrible thing to have your love for the One who is the Lord of love grow cold. The word "pact" also comes from it. Psalms 118:24 - This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. 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. of Sol Invictus was a pagan god who was believed to be the unconquered sun. 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 Way! 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. And you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. This is the perfect combination a knowledge of the Good News and men who need to hear it. Contact Us. Three sentences! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! To do so is to worship God both by words and in song. There are many reasons why Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Now it is true that this new line is less likely to be misinterpreted. Now this is what the shepherds did. For by me your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life. The third type of peace is a peace with one another. Salvus means "healthy" or "whole." And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. It refers to what we would call "peace of mind" or a "peace of heart." For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Wesley was praying for the second of these rests, the peace of God that Paul was writing about to the Philippians. It was confused because it lacked revelation and, therefore, also an awareness of truth. "Has God forgotten me?" Answer: Your question is backward. Finally, our text suggests that we can celebrate Christmas by glorifying God and by praising Him. For there are many references to salvation as deliverance from disease (Matthew 9:21; Luke 6:19; 18:42; James 5:15), captivity (Philippians 1:13,19), or physical death (Mark 13:20; John 12:27; Hebrews 5:7). Now when you acknowledge a person's true worth or express a proper opinion of him, you may be said to be glorifying him. This is connected with amazement, but it also goes beyond amazement as an attempt to understand it or figure it out. This central event in history divided the calendar into BC (Before Christ) and A.D. (Anno Domini - "In the Year of Our Lord"). When a person is at peace with God judicially and is experiencing increasingly in his own life that peace of God which transforms him and gives him tranquility even in the midst of great emotional turmoil and misunderstanding, then there is a firm foundation on which to overcome those interpersonal tensions that upset families, churches, cities, governments and the world. But now, for over four hundred years, the prophetic voice had been silent. 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 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. Third, there is the suggestion of the work of a mediator who makes the reconciliation possible. God is faithful. W This is the peace spoken of by the Apostle Paul in the first verse of the fifth chapter of Romans: "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." This, of course, is monstrous. Christmas is always a special time for most everyone but especially followers of Jesus. One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. Most people think that the day of one's birth is special. 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. You shall keep the Feast of Harvest, of the firstfruits of your labor, of what you sow in the field. It is the way mentioned in the book of Philippians. A concordance soon gives the answer. What does the Bible say about Christmas? - Becoming Christians 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? Did they have joy? You quarrel and fight. You want something but don't get it. Q A Psalm of David. They had heard the music of heaven. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. Tillich, Paul. A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of birth. What a cause for amazement! In these verses the angel first greets Mary, then gives this message: "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. It is recorded in Luke 1:26-38. Why Does God Compare Our Relationship with Him to That of a Bride and Groom? 13. Living a Life of Celebration | Bible.org Music: Pax Tecum, George T. Caldbeck and Charles J. Vincent, 1876. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, Hallelujah! 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. It is celebrated on December 25th. Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning. Greet also the church in their house. You cannot tell that which you have not first felt and experienced. 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. The passage begins by speaking of the shepherds. 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. "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). Thus says the Lord: "Learn not the way of the nations, nor be dismayed at the signs of the heavens because the nations are dismayed at them, for the customs of the peoples are vanity.A tree from the forest is cut down and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman. I am convinced that this thought was uppermost in Luke's mind as he set about to write this opening section of his gospel. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in Asia. We cannot understand it but it is true, and we should marvel at it. The second message brought by the angels concerning the birth of Christ is the message to Joseph. If you and I and all others who call upon the name of our God should do it, I suppose that the whole world would then rightly resound with His praise. Perhaps you are anxious to be delivered from some tenacious sin, but you do not seem to have deliverance. The shepherds took this message, in the only form they knew, to their contemporaries. Why Is Christmas on Dec. 25? Billy Graham's Answer. ( 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. Happiness is related to circumstances. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. K O come, all ye faithful, What Does the Bible Say About Celebrating Christmas? - OpenBible.info It comes from a Latin verb which means "to make a bargain" or "to make an agreement between contracting parties." King Solomon offered as a sacrifice 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. First, you need to learn about Jesus. 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. 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? One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Y 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. The answer is in chapter 3, verse 17: "And the way of peace they do not know." And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. The meaning of His name is "He will save His people from their sins" This holy amazement is closely melded to adoration. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. I love this word "glorify." 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. 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. After this type of amazement has run its course nobody gives the cause of it a second thought. 5. Grosart. What Every Christian Should Know about the Protestant Reformation. He explained the full force of the original language which literally means "Glory to God in the highest and peace among men of peace." 11. And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. You can tell if you do by attempting to rehearse God's attributes. 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. Will Graham Devotion: The Criminal on the Cross. Shout to God with loud songs of joy! How could their tongues be silent when they had heard such music? 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. 1. We need to think about each of these ways. 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. Does God Really Work All Things Together for Good? However, there is no evidence that Christmas was originally .

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