WHY WE OBSERVE CHRISTMAS
TEXT: Romans 14:5-6
INTRODUCTION:
Some Christians are touchy, sensitive, and full of objections about Christmas. To you I say (in the words of Scripture): If you regard the day, regard it unto the Lord. If you do not regard the day, then BE SURE YOU ARE CHRISTIAN ABOUT IT.
Do not judge or criticize others for an honest, worshipful, loving, and giving attitude about the Christmas holidays.
In this message I want to answer some of the objections raised by those who oppose the observance of Christmas.
I. SOME ARGUE:
DECEMBER 25 IS NOT CHRIST’S BIRTHDAY
A. EVERY LEAP YEAR PEOPLE ARE BORN ON FEBRUARY 29
1. Does this mean they should only celebrate every four years?
2. Would you tell your little child she can’t have a birthday this year because she was born on the last day of February in a leap year?
3. Is it wrong to celebrate her birthday any day except the exact day (February 29) which only comes every 4 years?
4. I’m sure that all would agree that the exact date is not so important.
5. The important thing is, another year has passed and she is a year older. She deserves to be recognized just like other children
B. WHAT ABOUT THANKSGIVING?
1. The last Thursday in November is not the only day we get blessings from God
2. Since we get blessings all through the year, is it wrong to arbitrarily set aside a whole day to celebrate the Lord’s blessings?
3. The important thing is not which day we set aside on the calendar.
4. The important thing is the reason for setting aside the day.
C. WE DON’T KNOW THE DATE OF CHRIST’S BIRTH
1. The Bible does not tell us the date on which Christ was born
2. There are no other trustworthy sources
3. It could possibly be December 25 (in spite of the arguments to the contrary).
4. Most of the arguments against December 25 are based on normal weather conditions for that time of the year, but no one knows what the weather was like the year that Christ was born.
D. CHRISTIANS SHOULD NOT WASTE THE OPPORTUNITIES OF THIS DATE
1. Christmas is an accepted time to speak of Christ
2. It is an accepted time to portray pictures depicting the birth of Christ in a manger
3. We teach about the virgin birth, the baby in the manger, the angels singing, the shepherds coming to worship, the wise men bearing gifts from afar.
4. We should continue to use Christmas to teach the gospel
II. SOME ARGUE:
CHRISTMAS IS A ROMAN CATHOLIC HOLIDAY
A. SOME SAY WE SHOULD NOT USE THE WORD CHRISTMAS BECAUSE IT IS ROMAN CATHOLIC AND REFERS TO A MASS.
1. Does that mean we should not call Isleta, NM by its name because it is Indian?
2. What about Sandia, Manzano, Las Cruces, Las Alamos, and Socorro
3. All of those are either Indian or Roman Catholic names
B. THIS LINE OF REASONING CAME FROM THE SEVENTH DAY ADVENTISTS
1. They also look down on us for worshipping on Sundays
2. They say Sunday was named after the the god of the Sun
3. But they worship on Saturday. I guess they don’t realize Saturday is named after Saturn!
4. None of us have reference to the Sun when we talk about Sunday
5. I’ll guarantee that this Pastor doesn’t
6. Nor do we come to church and worship the sun.
7. We worship the SON - JESUS CHRIST!
C. SOME MAKE AN ARTIFICIAL DISTINCTION ABOUT CHRISTMAS
1. It is foolish to make an artificial distinction about Christmas when none exists in the minds of those who observe the holiday.
2. For over 18 years of my life I celebrated Christmas without even knowing what a Roman Catholic was.
3. We didn’t have any Roman Catholics in the small West Texas town where I grew up.
4. We were all Baptists, Methodists, and Pentecostals
5. Christmas was always a time to celebrate the birth of Christ in that little West Texas town.
6. It had nothing to do with any Roman Catholic mass.
III. SOME ARGUE:
CHRISTMAS WAS A FORMER HEATHEN HOLIDAY
A. THERE WAS A PAGAN FEAST DAY ON THIS DATE
1. It was called the Mithraic Feast Day
2. It was to celebrate the victory of some Pagan God
3. It was held widely through out the Roman Empire
4. Christmas was probably celebrated on this date to keep new converts from going back into Paganism on this date
5. This is just like
a) HALLELUJAH NIGHT instead of Halloween
b) WATCH NIGHT instead of drunken parties on New Years Eve.
c) CHRISTIAN BANQUETS on Prom Nights
B. IT WAS AN ALTERNATIVE TO SOMETHING EVIL, NOT A CONTINUATION
1. Christmas is not a Pagan holiday around here
2. We don’t speak of anyone but Jesus
3. December 25 is under new management now. It once was pagan but now it’s Christian!
4. I’m under new management too. I once was lost, but now I’m found.
IV. SOME ARGUE:
CHRISTMAS TREES ARE AN ABOMINATION
A. SOME BELIEVE JEREMIAH 10 SPEAKS OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE
Jeremiah 10:3-4
3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it (the silver and gold) with nails and with hammers, that it move not. (KJV)
B. THIS WAS ACTUALLY SPEAKING OF IDOLS
Jeremiah 10:5-6
5 They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.
6 Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great, and thy name is great in might.
C. IT IS SIMPLY LUDICROUS TO THINK WE WORSHIP A TREE
1. Some have gone so far as to make something evil out of everything normally put on a tree
2. Popcorn strings are supposedly to feed the gods (forget the fact that popcorn wasn’t even discovered until the Europeans came to America).
3. Electric lights are supposedly to guide the gods to the popcorn strings.
4. Jokingly, I ask, do you think they had tracer lights in Jeremiah’s day when he penned that passage of Scripture?
V. SOME ARGUE:
THERE IS TOO MUCH REVELRY AT CHRISTMAS TIME
A. THIS IS TRUE, BUT IT SHOULD NOT STOP US FROM DOING RIGHT
1. After one of the marriages I performed last year, some went out to drink later
2. Does that mean we shouldn’t have anymore weddings.
B. THERE IS DRINKING ON THE LORD’S DAY
1. Just because some abuse it, should we count Sunday as the Devil’s day and give it up?
2. No that’s all the more reason to worship God on that day
3. Just because some think that Baptism saves them should we abandon baptism altogether?
4. No! We need to teach the truth and practice the scriptural method of baptism.
5. Likewise, just because some abuse Christmas, that is no reason to abandon it.
VI. SOME ARGUE:
IT’S IMPROPER TO GIVE GIFTS ON CHRISTMAS
A. GIVING HONORS GOD WHEN IT IS DONE PROPERLY
Acts 20:35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ’It is more blessed to give than to receive.’"
B. WHEN THE WORD OF GOD WAS REVIVED, THE JEWS EXCHANGED GIFTS
Nehemiah 8:9-12
9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.
10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.
12 And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.
C. WHEN THE JEWS WERE SAVED FROM HAMAN THEY EXCHANGED GIFTS
Esther 9:22 the Feast of Durim, a feast to the Lord celebrating the great deliverance God gave the Jews in answer to the prayers of Mordecai and Esther and other devout Jews when wicked Haman planned to kill all the Jews. It reads:"...that they should make them days of feasting and joy and of sending portions one to another and gifts to the poor."
