God’s Christmas Tree

GOD’S CHRISTMAS TREE

1 Pet. 2:24

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR

1. In one Dennis the Menace cartoon, Dennis rushes into the living room. His mother is standing there with her mouth open and Dennis is holding a large box.

2. He announces with a loud voice, “We’d better tell Santa Claus to forget about the train I asked for. I just found one on the top shelf of Dad’s closet!”

B. TEXT

“Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes you were healed” 1 Peter 2:24.

C. THESIS

1. Christmas is “the most wonderful time of the year” – for a great variety of reasons. Christmas has a mysterious, unearthly character for many people, who know it’s meaning as when Immanuel – “God with Us” – came into the world to live among us.

2. To others, it’s ‘great’ because of the gift-giving, decorations, fun with children, and family time. It’s like a portable form of Disney World that comes to your house for a few weeks. It’s a secular holiday.

3. Because of this huge dichotomy, the divine purpose of Christmas has been overshadowed by the secular, transitory version. The Christmas tree has become its center and focus. And yet it has not always been this way.

4. So tonight we’re going to look at two rival centers for the Christmas holiday and try to catch a glimpse of “God’s Christmas Tree.”

I. THE BANNING OF CHRISTMAS

A. WHEN CHRISTMAS WAS TOTALLY BANNED

1. Yes, there was a time when Christmas was totally banned! No, not by the Communists or Fascists, nor by the first century Jews, but by dedicated Christians here in America.

2. The ban existed in law for only 22 years, but it wasn’t until the mid-1800s that celebrating Christmas became fashionable again in the Boston area.

B. WHY DID THEY BAN IT? The Puritans who emigrated to Massachusetts had several reasons for disliking Christmas.

1. It reminded them of the Church of England and the old-world customs, which they were trying to escape.

2. They didn’t consider December 25th to be the accurate birth date of Christ.

3. The holiday celebration usually included drinking, feasting, and playing games – all things which the Puritans frowned upon.

C. HERE’S HOW THE LAW READ:

1. “For preventing disorders...to the great dishonor of God and offense of others: it is therefore ordered... that whosoever shall be found observing any such day as Christmas or the like...shall pay for every such offence five shilling as a fine to the county.” From the records of the General Court, Massachusetts Bay Colony, May 11, 1659 [abbreviated]

2. We’ve definitely come a long way from that to our modern celebration of Christmas!

II. TRADITIONS ABOUT CHRISTMAS TREES

A. ORIGIN OF THE MODERN CHRISTMAS TREE

1. The Christmas Tree, as we know it, started in Germany in the 1400’s. It gained in popularity there as a Christmas decoration and came to America through German immigrants.

2. The British royal family - Prince Albert was of German descent - was pictured with a Christmas tree in their palace in 1849 and The Ladies’ Journal in the US carried the story and from then on its use became widespread.

B. SWAPPING THE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS

1. Alice Dundon said nothing but the truth when she stated the obvious, “There is no symbol more representative of Christmas than the twinkling lights, green branches and lovingly-decorated Christmas tree.” [Culture Trip magazine].

2. Even though we know it’s true, it’s hard to imagine how the origin of Christmas got twisted from a Baby born in a manger to a fat man in a red suit and gifts under an evergreen tree – WITH NO MENTION OF JESUS AT ALL IN CONNECTION TO IT!

C. OTHER LOSSES OF HISTORICAL MEANING

1. Can you imagine if Mother’s Day came to mean a day everyone went out to eat at a restaurant – and mothers weren’t mentioned at all?

2. Valentine’s Day has suffered a similar fate. “Saint Valentine’s Day” was started to commemorate the deaths of 2 Valentines – one of Rome (AD 269) & one of Terni (AD 197), both of whom were martyred for their faith in Jesus.

3. Because the date of this holiday was alongside pagan fertility celebrations, it became associated to romance and expressing love between lovers. The martyrs are now completely unconnected to the holiday, and are unknown to the celebrants!

4. It seems that the birth of Jesus has been overshadowed by an evergreen tree covered with lights and ornaments!

III. THE REAL TREE OF CHRISTMAS

A. GOD HAS A CHRISTMAS TREE

1. For many years our family had the tradition of going to a Christmas tree farm and picking out a living tree. We’d wander around over five acres looking for just the right shape and size tree.