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. When Was Jesus' Birth? Was Jesus Born on December 25? | What the Bible Says I would like you to have the experience of entering into the kind of joy that Mary and Joseph and the shepherds had on that first Christmas morning. What are we to say to such theories? Continue by pondering these things. 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 He would have simply thought her unfaithful. And, of course, this is the sense in which we glorify God. She has become a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast. But the problem is that what God means by the phrase is not what men generally mean when they use it. 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. "Hark! "Peace, Perfect Peace" Words: Edward H. Bickersteth, Jr., 1875. Things seem to go as they have been going from the beginning, and you want something better. "The Evangelical Dictionary of Theology" explains that the earliest Christians did not have a time when they regularly observed Christ's birth. Of course they did! Luke 1:35 ESV / 25 helpful votesHelpfulNot Helpful. Jesus Christ does not thus become some magical wand which causes all our troubles to disappear. Let the people of Israel keep the Passover at its appointed time. Is December 25 Really the Day Jesus Was Born? What the Bible Says About It implies a diving beneath the surface. God told us everything needed for life and godliness ( II Peter 1:2-4 ). Jesus Christ is that Savior. Perhaps you have prayed for something and have not received an answer, at least not the answer you were waiting for. Both of these ideas are related to the idea of a mediator who brings irreconcilables together. 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. 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)? In the New Covenant, he has given us the Lord's Supper and baptism. 6. Let's have a Christmas gift exchange this year. 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. But the circumstances were not good. King Solomon offered as a sacrifice 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. 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? Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. It is an attempt to take what you know and then by an exercise of the mind to build upon it. "Joy to the World" Words: Isaac Watts, The Psalms of David, 1719. 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. This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Have you seen those things? Jesus fulfilled that promise when He died for your sin and rose again for your justification. N 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? There is much activity but many go through these activities in a joyless way. Be patient! Have you seen that truth in the story? Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants. Once more they cried out, Hallelujah! (Great Neck, NY: Doniger & Raughley, 1955). After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, Hallelujah! Thus, the message to Joseph centers primarily on that great work which Jesus, the Messiah, was to do. When Was Jesus Born? Bible Hints and Historic Evidence - Christianity.com The Practical Epistle of James. There had been revelations from God in the past. O come, all ye faithful, Therefore encourage one another with these words. There are five appearances of an angel, or angels, in the Christmas story, and another appearance of an angel to Joseph later to tell him to return to Israel from Egypt. So do that. We only understand the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ by revelation. Proud member 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). Since his day no one had been raised up to declare the sure word of the Lord. Salvus means "healthy" or "whole." It is in this sense a doxology, which means to express a right opinion of God verbally. In 1872 an edition in 2 volumes was printed for private subscription by A.B. How could they refuse to tell what they had seen? The appearance of first one angel and then a multitude of angels to the shepherds in the fields of Bethlehem. Colossians 2:16 Verse Concepts Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day Psalm 95:2 Verse Concepts Though Dec. 25 is considered the birthday of Jesus by a large segment of Christendom, there is no evidence that . 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. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. Looking at the verse closely, we find that it uses the word "rest" twice. Geocoding And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. He then assured the professor that the reason why the Christmas message was an apparent farce to him was not God's fault. 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? A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of birth. It is recorded in Luke 1:26-38. 5 Bible Verses That Celebrate the Birth of Jesus - Mamiverse For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! 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. Z. you are asking. So they have changed the line to read "Let us find that promised rest.". He was to save His people. 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" . Notice that this verse does not say, "In everything present your requests to God. But not once in the Bible does God tell us to celebrate Christmas" (1). They had seen the angels and had come to worship the angels' King. Music: Pax Tecum, George T. Caldbeck and Charles J. Vincent, 1876. It refers to what we would call "peace of mind" or a "peace of heart." What Does the Bible Say About Rejoice At A Death Cry At A Birth? But she could not have known that for sure. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. Contact Us. 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. Music: Mendelssohn, Felix in his cantata Festgesang an die Kunstler, 1840. Sing God's praises. God is faithful. He was, however, making a very important point: We should never celebrate Jesus birth at Christmastimeand then forget Him the rest of the year. Copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. I doubt if this was what he meant. The time of fulfillment has come! This can be a very trying experience. Christmas is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. The angel said, "Do not be afraid. 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. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 8. The trouble lies with men. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! 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. Did Jesus Say Not To Celebrate His Birth | Hearinnh I am not referring to activity, of course. It comes from a verb which means "to reconcile" or "to bring back into harmony." But if that is true, why do we not see peace today? So, the best way to celebrate Christmas is to believe on Jesus as your Savior. The Truth! For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. As a sinner I need a Savior. Will Graham Devotion: The Criminal on the Cross. Also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toilthis is God's gift to man. Now it is true that this new line is less likely to be misinterpreted. This is a cause for amazement. My family likes to read these together on Christmas Eve, right before we go to bed. What Does The King James Bible Say About Celebrating Christmas Celebrating Jesus at Christmas! 9 Ways to Celebrate Christ at Christmas Our gift to our children will be teaching them Who Jesus is and what Christmas is all about. 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? Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 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. 4. Just as we celebrate our childrens birthdays every year, I believe its entirely appropriate for us to celebrate the birth of Gods own Son, Jesus Christ, every year. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.. 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. Keiper, Ralph L. op. He trusted God and received a great revelation concerning the work of the Savior. Why Is Christmas on Dec. 25? Billy Graham's Answer. How Should We Celebrate the Birth of Christ. That is good. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. They are: The appearance of Gabriel to Zechariah to announce the birth of John the Baptist. 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. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. But how? He wrote and remember, he is writing to Christians "What causes fights and quarrels among you? All Joseph could have thought was that Mary had been unfaithful. 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. Hopefully Christmas this year has been more than presents and parties for you, and youve taken time to focus on Jesus. 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. And you shall flee to the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azal. How Should We Celebrate the Birth of Christ? - Topical Studies "Come unto me and I will give you rest." 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. Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! And then this is what is so wonderful Joseph believed him. What Does the Bible Say About Celebration? - OpenBible.info Here are five great appearances of angels. Clap your hands, all peoples! I bring you good news of great joy" (Luke 2:10). 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. The development of Christmas was a kind of affirmation of God's interest in the world and in human lifebirth as well as death." He added this. The Bible says, But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well. Four Reasons Christmas Is Not a Christian Holiday - Life, Hope & Truth There are plenty of decorations to buy and parties to attend during this season but how should we really celebrate Christmas? Third, it involved her intellect; for she treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the promise of the angel "for He will save His people from their sins" are the greatest words of the entire Christmas story. We had made a raid against the Negeb of the Cherethites and against that which belongs to Judah and against the Negeb of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag with fire. And David said to him, Will you take me down to this band? And he said, Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will take you down to this band. And when he had taken him down, behold, they were spread abroad over all the land, eating and drinking and dancing, because of all the great spoil they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. He leads me beside still waters. But shouldnt He be part of your life every day? Systematic Theology Volume 2: Existence and the Christ. The situation would have been difficult for anyone to understand, let alone a man engaged to a woman who was expecting a child. They must learn to love Him and to serve Him more and more. Is there such a verse? We Should Celebrate Jesus Every Day - Billy Graham Evangelistic Association You do not have, because you do not ask God. And the shepherds would not have come to the manger in the little town of Bethlehem if the angels had not conveyed their message. Unless our way of talking about salvation makes distinctions here, our interpretations inevitably fall short of the biblical conceptions. 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. For, since Wesley had filled his mind with Scripture and since he used references to it extensively in his verses, it is likely that he was thinking of a verse of the Bible that speaks of two kinds of peace, two kinds of rest, and was saying that he wished to enter into the second as he had once entered into the first. You shall not do any ordinary work. "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). 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. Arrangement: William H. Cummings, Congregational Hymn and Tune Book, 1857. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures" (James 4:1-3). 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. Shout to God with loud songs of joy! It is one of the great words of the Greek language. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 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. Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? He explained the full force of the original language which literally means "Glory to God in the highest and peace among men of peace." It is before his own master that he stands or falls. "Good Christian Men, Rejoice" Words: Heinrich Suso (?-1366); translated from Latin to English by John M. Neale in Carols for Christmastide (London: 1853). 7 This basic approach to salvation has been picked up in an avalanche of books on pastoral counseling, Christian psychiatry, and the cure of souls. I love this word "glorify." And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins. You want something but don't get it. And he called out with a mighty voice, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! Nothing destroys joy except sin. 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. 13. Living a Life of Celebration | Bible.org It is not this way with joy. One verse, which is often quoted by Christians who argue against celebrating Christmas, is Luke chapter 2, verse 34. You can remember these events. The Greek word for peace is eirene. Christmas is not Christian because it is associated with many pagan birth mythsand Dec. 25 was not the date of Christ's birth. And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand hima threefold cord is not quickly broken. However, by the late fourth century it was generally celebrated in churches. When men seek to have their own way, it becomes a mighty farce. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness. 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 birth of Jesus Christ is traditionally celebrated on December 25, although "around 37% of Orthodox Christians, mainly in Egypt and Russia, celebrate the Nativity of Christ on January 7th," owing to a difference in how their calendars were devised. Easter Easter is another holiday that is celebrated by Christians. 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). Anybody who knows good news is authorized to tell it, particularly when it is news that will be the means of salvation of others. 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? From beginning to end, God's dealings with our race are cause for amazement. There are four main points to this short message: Each of these points is important, of course. TopicalBible 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. Sol Invictus was a pagan god who was believed to be the unconquered sun. 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. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in Asia.