Matthew 1:18-25 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. Christmas is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men. He asked him to examine the last clause of the verse carefully: "good will toward men." The appearance of an angel to Joseph in a dream to tell Him to take the Child Jesus and his mother into Egypt to escape the wrath of King Herod. And if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. Christians are to be active in many efforts to achieve social justice, improve the life of the poor, minister to the needy. 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. It involves an effort to enter into the heart and counsels of God. Now this is what the shepherds did. This is why carols are so much a rightful part of Christmas; for, when sung by those who understand them, they are a means of praise. The meaning of His name is "He will save His people from their sins" One verse, which is often quoted by Christians who argue against celebrating Christmas, is Luke chapter 2, verse 34. So do that. Amen. One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. The verse quoted was translated from Latin to English by Frederick Oakeley, 1841. It is selfishness and pride, plus the lack of individual peace and contentment. Well, peace with one another results from having peace with God and with finding the peace of God personally. Systematic Theology. The appearance of Gabriel to Mary to announce the birth of Jesus. 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. 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 a means of our salvation. Have you seen those things? Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. Cite this page: Editor: Stephen Smith. On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother's womb you have been my God. We only understand the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ by revelation. G Things seem to go as they have been going from the beginning, and you want something better. In other words, James is saying that war begins with men's emotions. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. What Does the Bible Say About Celebration? 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. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. How can this be? Will you turn your focus toward Christevery day. I wonder if you have experienced joy at this season. This is a cause for amazement. There are three instances. He loves you so much that He gave His life for your salvation. (Philadelphia: Evangelical Foundation), 1961, pages 12-13. I know that Christmas is a busy time. They had no thought about spiritual things at least we are not told that they did and they certainly didn't expect the miracle. Clap your hands, all peoples! The difficulty with this approach does not lie in the thought that the biblical view of salvation is unrelated to such themes. Music: Pax Tecum, George T. Caldbeck and Charles J. Vincent, 1876. "Everything" leaves nothing out. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 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. 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. 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. Christmas is always a special time for most everyone but especially followers of Jesus. D He would say that He was the truth for a world that was dreadfully confused. "A Hymn to the Nativity." May God give you grace to do that. It was lost because it lacked direction, primarily spiritual direction. Christ was born to save! So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. But that is not what the Bible is talking about when it talks about salvation. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 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? Beyond any question, the gospel of Jesus Christ has important social implications. No doubt, these examples of the reduction of the biblical view of salvation to human dimensions are not equally bad. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. The Bible says that when Jesus was born, a multitude of angels appeared suddenly and erupted in joyful praise to God, saying: "Glory in the heights above to God, and upon earth peace among men of goodwill." ( Luke 2:13, 14) However, it is noteworthy that nowhere in the Bible is there even a suggestion that Jesus' birthday should be celebrated. The Greek word for peace is eirene. Now when you acknowledge a person's true worth or express a proper opinion of him, you may be said to be glorifying him. 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. His father went down to the woman, and Samson prepared a feast there, for so the young men used to do. You shall observe the Feast of Weeks, the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the year's end. But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and pleased Herod. She would have wondered how she could have conceived without having slept with a man. In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. We need to think about each of these ways. Billy Graham: Would You Have Welcomed Jesus or Rejected Him? I love this word "glorify." Our gift to our children will be teaching them Who Jesus is and what Christmas is all about. You quarrel and fight. One day just before Christmas vacation, the professor said, "Well, Keiper, are you going to preach that old Christmas farce again?" F We cannot understand it but it is true, and we should marvel at it. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness. Therefore encourage one another with these words. And David said to him, To whom do you belong? Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. The word "pact" also comes from it. Peace on earth. 5. We learn of His mercy. V 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. First, it involved her memory; for we are told that she treasured up all these things. There are plenty of decorations to buy and parties to attend during this season but how should we really celebrate Christmas? The second message brought by the angels concerning the birth of Christ is the message to Joseph. Music: Mendelssohn, Felix in his cantata Festgesang an die Kunstler, 1840. You can remember these events. And you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt. And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord filled the Lord's house. Joy is a wonderful thing; it is an appropriate part of Christmas. Jesus was born to be our Savior as the carol says: Christ was born to save! The Way! Ecclesiastes 7:1-4 ESV / 156 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful. 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). "Love Divine, All Loves Excelling" Words: Charles Wesley, Hymns for Those That Seek and Those That Have Redemption in the Blood of Jesus Christ, 1747. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. But over against this dying world was Jesus. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago)" (Luke 1:68-70). They aren't all thinking of God or Jesus as they stand spellbound at the presents and tree on Christmas morning. Helpful Not Helpful Praise the Lord! . I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Instead they carry us deep into the mind and counsels of our great God. Perhaps you have prayed for something and have not received an answer, at least not the answer you were waiting for. One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. We see the force of this verb when we recognize that it was used of persons who were becoming engaged, hence, of the engagement contract. Psalms 118:24 - This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Glorify and praise God for what was done that first Christmas. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! There is one kind of amazement which is merely a tickling of the fancy. Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. 7. Let's have a Christmas gift exchange this year. In fact, the opposite is the case. 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. Because it came from God and was centered in the birth of the Savior. A Psalm of David. Praise the Lord! The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. 52 Bible Verses about Celebration Verse Concepts They shall eagerly utter the memory of Your abundant goodness And will shout joyfully of Your righteousness. Like the message to Mary, this message also has four parts: Also, like the message to Mary, it has an important emphasis which, in this case, is the proclamation of joy.

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