Well it’s Christmas time again, and most of the world is very busy doing their last minute shopping preparing for the biggest Holiday of the year, even in Mexico, except for the poor people. So why do people celebrate Christmas? Well, many people would probably say, because it’s the day they celebrate Jesus birthday. Others would say it a great day to celebrate whatever you believe, as many others religions now do during this particular holiday season, but call it a different name. Most see Christmas as a time to be with friends and family along with a lot of good traditions, including Santa Claus and candy canes and lots of delicious home cooking, plus giving presents or helping others, including oneself. After all they feel they deserve something too. Do you?
If you ask
Christians why they celebrate the 25th of December, Christmas Day, they
would say, “Jesus is the reason for the season.” It all seems to be tied
somehow to the nativity story in the Bible. But if you ask them, if they really
believed it was Jesus’ birthday they would probably say, “No, but it could have
been.” Plus, it a great excuse for having fun and singing songs for nearly a
month along with all the Christmas music playing in stores starting the day
after Thanksgiving, along with colored light and all kinds of decorations on
display or to purchase for around houses, buildings or on street post and even
the town squares city park. It’s a time they get together with friends and
family they haven’t see in a week or two or longer.
I used to
celebrate Christmas too, big time. But as I got to know Jesus better I found it
harder to really see Christ all the religious activity. Then there was the
deception, greed and self indulgence that I saw taking place even in church with
very little thought about God or the poor on this man-made holiday with all its
tradition. It grieved me until I finally repented of the whole mess many years ago.
As sons of
Light to the world, where in the Bible does it tell us to honored or celebrated
Jesus birthday? Obviously someone came up with the idea a long time ago and this religious
idea has spread though out world with the help of sermons, songs, novels and
movies until it has become the largest man-made religious holiday that most
of world celebrates, being reinforced with billions of greeting cards. But it’s
still not one of God’s Holy Days.
Many non-Christians
have also added their own twist to the whole mess, including songs of white Christmas,
flying reindeers and live snowmen and much more. Billions of dollars are spent
each year on advertizing to keep this Holiday alive and well, so they
can still make more money. So when did this all begin and why?
Christmas
means, Christ mass, it was started around eleventh century and is roots are
found in pagan worship and the festival of winter solstice and their gods. The Christian became
jealous of their celebration so the decided to have their own, by making the
25th the birthday of Jesus and add some of their traditions. Pagans at that time were
the only ones to celebrate birthdays, and that was the beginning of Christmas.
Today, many
ministers realize this is true, but still chose to ignore or really don’t care
about how it was started. They choose to compromise the truth in favor of doing
what everyone has come to love and enjoy, because it makes everyone feel good
and brings people into church this time of year. Many think there is really
nothing wrong with celebrating Christmas. But then Eve didn't think it was wrong until she ate the fruit from
the forbidden tree, just because it looked good. She also believed the serpent’s
lies rather than obeying God. There are many others lies that Christians still believe. However, most
Christians today wouldn't even consider not celebrating Christmas; it's just unthinkable,
even ungodly. Plus, a minister could lose their license, or be removed from his
church for even suggesting such a thing as no Christmas. Your friends and
family would probably start ignoring you, thinking you've lost your mind. And so this
religious holiday lives on. All because religious leader refuse to admit they are wrong or the courage to tell the truth.
The simple love
of the Heavenly Father and His Holy Days found in Christ just doesn’t seem to
be enough for many people, but that will change. In the Kingdom of God there is
no such day as Christmas or Easter, just passionate lovers of Christ, the King of
kings and Lord of lords. Yet for those whose hearts are still tied to the Kosmos and its
pleasures still enjoy talking and looking at a baby in a manger. Yet, when our focus is turned toward the
exalted Lord Jesus Christ, all those others things lose their power and allure; and then
Abba Father gets all the praise and glory.
