Re-thinking Christmas....
This isn't what you might think it is although when I spent $100 on a roast I think it's time to rethink a little bit of Christmas up around in here (we don't eat like that always, but still...). This is for my non-believing friends.
A friend of mine mentioned on Facebook the other day he likes some of the little memes I share because they're positive. He also made a point of telling me he's not a believer.
But you couldn't prove that by looking at his Facebook page.
He shared a photo a few weeks ago of his Christmas tree. Today it was a photo of his Nativity set. I want to ask him, but won't, of course, how he reconciles the the latter with the former. It kind of seems to me he believes in something. Kind of anyway.
This is one of them things where I'm not throwing rocks, by the way. I was like this for most of my life so I have no room to talk and if I were to say anything to my friend (or to you dear reader) it would be simply that you might believe more than you think you do.
We hear a lot about the culture wars and right now the political climate seems to be for anything that's against what the Bible says; marriage, sexual activity, money, you name it. It's like the whole Duck Commander thing. The comments he made about gays (yes I saw the race comments he made too but for this bit of the point I'm trying to make, let's just stay focused on this, please) wasn't hateful. He just said he didn't understand what the attraction was. He also said something else.
He said it was a sin.
Nobody wants to hear that. So to justify something, we don't call it what it is and we shout down and belittle those that have the courage to say it. Sin, kids, is still that. Sex outside of marriage is sin. Homosexuality is sin. Let's call it what it is. On both sides. The Bible is pretty clear on what marriage is too. One man one woman. Yes the Bible is full of tales of polygamy. Yet every time you read about them, the stories are never good. David had family troubles his whole life. The women that Solomon took as wives that weren't Hebrew led him away from God. Abraham, at the insistence of his wife Sarah took Hagar and had a child with her. It's through that line the Islamists believe God blesses mankind. We're still dealing with that.
So how does this tie in to Christmas, you might be asking? I promise, I didn't do that thing where I forget what I'm talking about. This all makes sense because without the Bible, what is sin? Where do we even get morality from? Is it invented by man? Without the Bible, on whose authority do we decide what right and wrong is? Where does our moral compass come from?
And what do you believe?
Especially if you're staring at a Christmas tree.
Before you go off on the tangent of how the early Christians hijacked a pagan holiday, let me say you're right. They did. There is nothing to suggest Christ was born on December 25 that I can find. Scripture doesn't give us the date of His birth. Scripture does not tell us to hold the day we commemorate His birth as Holy. We do. This is a man-made celebration in honor of the birth of the Christ, the Savior of the world.
Why do we give gifts on Christmas? It's to honor the gift God gave us of His son. (John 3:16-17). We honor that gift by sharing gifts with loved ones and others. That's Christmas.
Oh, but what about Santa Claus? Take a read at what Wikipedia has to say about him. Not only does Santa have roots in Christianity, but it ain't lookin' so good for the "Santa is white, kids." crowd. Santa most likely started out as an olive-complected skin guy who didn't speak English and had no idea what the north pole was, let alone where it was. Like everything else, though, we gotta believe it our way.
Christmas isn't about Santa Claus, although I go back to the statement I made about why we give. Santa embodies about half of the spirit of giving. The thing is this, though, and this is where we start leading our kids astray with the Santa thing: Santa only comes to the good boys and girls. Christ came for the sinners.
The Bible illustrates God's gift this way: While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Mark 2:15-17 (NIV)
Santa may only visit the good kids but not Christ. Maybe we ought to rethink what we believe about Santa because Jesus clearly had other ideas.
I look at Christmas differently. I'm sick about how much things cost but that's me on any day, not just at Christmastime. I am getting away from gift cards because I'm mindful of the gift I accepted from God. Salvation and eternal life are a pretty tough thing to walk away from. And I find I'm enjoying thinking of what to get people. I have taken that incessant need to shop for my sister and doubled down on it for other family members. You have no idea, but if you think about the person you're shopping for, you can find something they need or want. My biggest thing this year is I'm wondering if I'm carrying tradition a bit too far by getting the same stuff year after year (like stocking stuffers). Maybe next year it'll be time to jazz it up and show some creativity.
God willing there is next year.
I don't do Christmas like I used to because I understand finally that Christ IS Christmas. Without Him, it's just another day and the tree and the angels and the candy canes etc,,, don't have any purpose. So that leaves us rethinking Christmas.
Look guys, Jesus was a real man. We have historical accounts of this outside the Bible. He lived and He changed everything. Nothing in the whole world has been the same since He was born. His life, more than any other has changed the course of human history. This little baby whose birthday we celebrate on December 25 changed absolutely everything.
And what you believe about this Jesus changes absolutely everything today. He's changed my life because I believe He rose from the dead and He lives! As an extension of that, I believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God. I believe God meant what He said about Jesus, about sin, about all of it. And I sometimes stumble but I'm fighting every day to live those beliefs out.
When I came to know my need for salvation, I had to re-think everything. I told you how I learned there was a lot more to this Christianity thing than going to church and putting money in the plate. I had to re-think everything because I had to re-think Christ. He wasn't who I thought He was. He doesn't fit into the mold I tried to make Him fit in. I'm still learning that God is far bigger than I can fathom.
We get the Christmas story from the Bible. And as you stare at that tree, wrap those presents, and celebrate your holiday traditions with your family, I'm going to suggest to you that this year, maybe it's time you re-think Christ. When you come to understand just what you're dealing with and what the true meaning of Christmas is; why He came, what He's offering, and why we celebrate what we do, you may find yourself thinking that you need to re-evaluate what you believe, why you believe it, and re-think Christmas yourself.
Which is my prayer for you.
A friend of mine mentioned on Facebook the other day he likes some of the little memes I share because they're positive. He also made a point of telling me he's not a believer.
But you couldn't prove that by looking at his Facebook page.
He shared a photo a few weeks ago of his Christmas tree. Today it was a photo of his Nativity set. I want to ask him, but won't, of course, how he reconciles the the latter with the former. It kind of seems to me he believes in something. Kind of anyway.
This is one of them things where I'm not throwing rocks, by the way. I was like this for most of my life so I have no room to talk and if I were to say anything to my friend (or to you dear reader) it would be simply that you might believe more than you think you do.
We hear a lot about the culture wars and right now the political climate seems to be for anything that's against what the Bible says; marriage, sexual activity, money, you name it. It's like the whole Duck Commander thing. The comments he made about gays (yes I saw the race comments he made too but for this bit of the point I'm trying to make, let's just stay focused on this, please) wasn't hateful. He just said he didn't understand what the attraction was. He also said something else.
He said it was a sin.
Nobody wants to hear that. So to justify something, we don't call it what it is and we shout down and belittle those that have the courage to say it. Sin, kids, is still that. Sex outside of marriage is sin. Homosexuality is sin. Let's call it what it is. On both sides. The Bible is pretty clear on what marriage is too. One man one woman. Yes the Bible is full of tales of polygamy. Yet every time you read about them, the stories are never good. David had family troubles his whole life. The women that Solomon took as wives that weren't Hebrew led him away from God. Abraham, at the insistence of his wife Sarah took Hagar and had a child with her. It's through that line the Islamists believe God blesses mankind. We're still dealing with that.
So how does this tie in to Christmas, you might be asking? I promise, I didn't do that thing where I forget what I'm talking about. This all makes sense because without the Bible, what is sin? Where do we even get morality from? Is it invented by man? Without the Bible, on whose authority do we decide what right and wrong is? Where does our moral compass come from?
And what do you believe?
Especially if you're staring at a Christmas tree.
Before you go off on the tangent of how the early Christians hijacked a pagan holiday, let me say you're right. They did. There is nothing to suggest Christ was born on December 25 that I can find. Scripture doesn't give us the date of His birth. Scripture does not tell us to hold the day we commemorate His birth as Holy. We do. This is a man-made celebration in honor of the birth of the Christ, the Savior of the world.
Why do we give gifts on Christmas? It's to honor the gift God gave us of His son. (John 3:16-17). We honor that gift by sharing gifts with loved ones and others. That's Christmas.
Oh, but what about Santa Claus? Take a read at what Wikipedia has to say about him. Not only does Santa have roots in Christianity, but it ain't lookin' so good for the "Santa is white, kids." crowd. Santa most likely started out as an olive-complected skin guy who didn't speak English and had no idea what the north pole was, let alone where it was. Like everything else, though, we gotta believe it our way.
Christmas isn't about Santa Claus, although I go back to the statement I made about why we give. Santa embodies about half of the spirit of giving. The thing is this, though, and this is where we start leading our kids astray with the Santa thing: Santa only comes to the good boys and girls. Christ came for the sinners.
The Bible illustrates God's gift this way: While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Mark 2:15-17 (NIV)
Santa may only visit the good kids but not Christ. Maybe we ought to rethink what we believe about Santa because Jesus clearly had other ideas.
I look at Christmas differently. I'm sick about how much things cost but that's me on any day, not just at Christmastime. I am getting away from gift cards because I'm mindful of the gift I accepted from God. Salvation and eternal life are a pretty tough thing to walk away from. And I find I'm enjoying thinking of what to get people. I have taken that incessant need to shop for my sister and doubled down on it for other family members. You have no idea, but if you think about the person you're shopping for, you can find something they need or want. My biggest thing this year is I'm wondering if I'm carrying tradition a bit too far by getting the same stuff year after year (like stocking stuffers). Maybe next year it'll be time to jazz it up and show some creativity.
God willing there is next year.
I don't do Christmas like I used to because I understand finally that Christ IS Christmas. Without Him, it's just another day and the tree and the angels and the candy canes etc,,, don't have any purpose. So that leaves us rethinking Christmas.
Look guys, Jesus was a real man. We have historical accounts of this outside the Bible. He lived and He changed everything. Nothing in the whole world has been the same since He was born. His life, more than any other has changed the course of human history. This little baby whose birthday we celebrate on December 25 changed absolutely everything.
And what you believe about this Jesus changes absolutely everything today. He's changed my life because I believe He rose from the dead and He lives! As an extension of that, I believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God. I believe God meant what He said about Jesus, about sin, about all of it. And I sometimes stumble but I'm fighting every day to live those beliefs out.
When I came to know my need for salvation, I had to re-think everything. I told you how I learned there was a lot more to this Christianity thing than going to church and putting money in the plate. I had to re-think everything because I had to re-think Christ. He wasn't who I thought He was. He doesn't fit into the mold I tried to make Him fit in. I'm still learning that God is far bigger than I can fathom.
We get the Christmas story from the Bible. And as you stare at that tree, wrap those presents, and celebrate your holiday traditions with your family, I'm going to suggest to you that this year, maybe it's time you re-think Christ. When you come to understand just what you're dealing with and what the true meaning of Christmas is; why He came, what He's offering, and why we celebrate what we do, you may find yourself thinking that you need to re-evaluate what you believe, why you believe it, and re-think Christmas yourself.
Which is my prayer for you.
preach it!
ReplyDeleteHow about Leviticus 18:22 and Romans 1:27 for starters? And the several other places in the Bible where it talks about homosexuality. God isn't silent on the matter. It's not like it just started happening yesterday and God's word is clear. It is what it is, and according to the Bible it's a sin. So is cheating on your wife. Or stealing, Or lying. We don't seem to condone those things, so why should we condone homosexuality?
ReplyDeleteChristians can't. Plain and simple. It doesn't make us haters. We're making a judgment using God's word that a behavior is sinful and that the person(s) engaged in that behavior should stop. Look Xander (or are you just Kris hiding behind that name?) either the Bible is the inspired Word of God or it's not. That's for each person to decide.
If it is, then homosexuality is a sin. If it's not, then nothing is. There's no middle ground.
The scriptures you are referring to are in the new testament which is after Jesus was born. Genesis is in the old testament which is the word of God. So if we're created in Gods image is it possible that we are not living in sin? As for your Kris comment i know nothing of that person. I came across your blog one day and like what you speak of regarding the changes that Christ has made in your life. I just don't understand how people can look down upon our love as being unholy and a sin.
ReplyDeleteXander,
ReplyDeleteOne never knows who one is online. Apologies. The first scripture is in the book of Leviticus; Old Testament, attributed to be written by Moses. The answer to your question is "no, it's not possible". It's not mine to judge. If you believe the Bible is God's word, then you have some choices to make on the subject. Either it is and you believe that, or it isn't and you don't. There's no middle ground. It doesn't mean that God hates you or anybody else. God hates sin. If God hated sinners, I would be a lost cause.
Here's my point. I'm single. But if I date and sleep with every woman I go out with then I'm living in sin. Just because I'm attracted to them means that I can have sex with them. God has some pretty strict rules about that too, and when it comes down to it, we're not talking about love, we're talking about sex. God says marriage is one man one woman. Man says it's whoever you choose.
Your choice Xander, is whether or not you love God more. I'm not insensitive to the issue, but I'm kind of blunt and sometimes the truth is blunt and hard to accept. God made Adam. Then God made Eve. Then sin entered the world and this is the mess we have to deal with.
That's it in a nutshell. We're not to judge others and I'm not. But I can make a judgment about things by applying Scripture to them. Christians, Xander, cannot accept homosexuality as a lifestyle choice. Please don't ask us to.
You sir are what we call a bible thumping bigot. My apologizes for such language but your comment about Christians "cannot accept us and don't ask us to" just chaps my hide. For your information we ARE Christians!!!! And are greatly welcomed in our church and community with open arms. We are all GODS children (Colossians 1:16) and God loves the entire world (John 3:16)
ReplyDeletehttp://dalecoopersblog.blogspot.com/2014/01/dear-xander.html
ReplyDelete