Christmas... or something else ?

[sebi]

Hey guys...

I don't know about you, but here in Romania Christmas isn't what it should be anymore. Do you see how our world replaces the birth of Jesus with anything else? Everyone's making so many preparations for Christmas, spending so much money and time preparing what they think Christmas is. For so may people this Celebration only means a shopping list, or a tree, or a quiet night by the fire with the family. Sure, that's good, but aren't we missing out on something?

We should celebrate God's greatest wonder - Jesus coming to earth as a man - and all we think of are presents, Santa, fireworks, beautiful lights. I'm disgusted by the way all adverts use Christmas just to get more profit. All big companies that advertise display a Santa image and sparkling lights. Is that Christmas? Are we honoring God that way? I think He would tell us what he told the Jews in Isaiah 1:13 - that He didn't need their celebrations...

I don't know how you feel about this... I want to have a genuine Christmas this year. I want to focus on Jesus. And i want to tell as many people as possible that He is what Christmas is all about.

 

[MisterPopples]

Christmas is never the same kids want want want and parents like me go ahead and buy...I miss the old christmas when we spent the day wayching tv abiut Jesus...going to church and learning what was sacrificed for us.

 

[Word of Life]

Firstly I don't see any scripture in the Bible that we need to celebrate Jesus' birthday, i.e. Christmas, I did a study on this recently and it's all pagan. But saying that, each and every day should be remembered for Jesus, not just one day a year. He was sacrificed and tortured for us as sinners, he taught us to love one another even our enemies. Learning to love one another like Christ did and it’s not easy. I slip up and fail everyday and being loving towards enemies is also hard. I keep asking our father to take this hard heart out of me and put in a new and a more lovely heart.

Mat 19:19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Jesus was more concerned about his death than his birthday.

Mar 14:22 And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body.
Mar 14:23 And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it.
Mar 14:24 And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many.
Mar 14:25 Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.

Mat 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

I think if people got done away with all these Christmas trees, decorations and all the other bits that the people associate Christmas with and spend that day, with your family in the Bible purely focussing on Jesus and God and worship Him only on that day, drink wine and breaking the bread, I am sure God would be pleased.

At present it’s all commercialised and I don’t agree with it.

 

[j4jh]

you know though that this is not the date that christ was born?
though yeah i hear all the time that christmas became holiday of shopping more than celebrating and relaxing and having time with the family. buying if you buy is just small part and not the celebration itself. it sad the people still ruin holidays and twist them to marketing and stuff .

 

[Strypes]

you know though that this is not the date that Christ was born?
though yeah i hear all the time that Christmas became holiday of shopping more than celebrating and relaxing and having time with the family. buying if you buy is just small part and not the celebration itself. it sad the people still ruin holidays and twist them to marketing and stuff .

Jesus was definitely NOT born on December 25th... The shepherds would not have had their flocks in the fields at night during winter.

the Date, December 25th, was set by a pope or some catholic dude back in like the third century.. the Romans had just adopted "Christian" as the national religion and the roman people were accustomed to having their winter festival ( winter solstice) where they honored a god ( I cant recall the name but it was the sun god) so to keep their "holiday" they put a "Christian" title to it and kept on partying.

Over the centuries, followers of Christ have embraced the holiday with it's customs rooted in pagan worship.

So what are we to do?

Having learned the origins of this winter solstice festival, I evaluated all the customs and practices that I have held all my life. We don't have a tree any more for one, but we do have a candle in the window.

Honoring the one true living God is our goal. Keeping Christ in Christmas and celebrating the greatest gift ever given.

The Christmas holiday was founded in pagan worship, that is a fact, but even what the enemy had purposed for evil, God has turned around for good. Christmas has become a time to honor God, remembering the birth of Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us!

 

[sunshine307]

Firstly I don't see any scripture in the Bible that we need to celebrate Jesus' birthday, i.e. Christmas.

This is so true Word of Life, we are told to celebrate Jesus death and resurrection, not his birth.

 

[DunkedinFire]

I personally do not celebrate Christmas as the world does. The only significance it has for me is it is a wonderful opportunity to reach the lost and needy for Jesus when so many are indulging in greed, gluttony and drunkeness - at least thats what happens here in England. Strangley enough a majority of Sikhs especially have used the 25th December as an excuse to get drunk.