what does the bible say about celebrating jesus' birthguinea pig rescue salem oregon
Volume I, (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1951), page 146. Peter tells us that God delays only long enough to call to repentance all whom He has before determined should believe ("He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" see 2 Peter 3:9). The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; His kingdom will never end" (Luke 1:30-33). There had been revelations from God in the past. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him. Yet, Solomon was inspired to write, "A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth" . O come, all ye faithful, God is "able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us" (Ephesians 3:20). Christmas is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. Can you do that? Allow it to stretch your mind, and learn that there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamed of in any human philosophy. For you see, Joseph was in a difficult position. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. But now, assuming that you have believed on Him and that you are a Christian, what can you add to this in order to properly celebrate Christmas? The professor replied that he thought he had. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. It comes from a verb which means "to reconcile" or "to bring back into harmony." As you pray that prayer, you will find that God has already been merciful in Jesus. ", Dr. Keiper walked with him over to his office and, calling him by name, said, "Have you ever read the text carefully?" "The Evangelical Dictionary of Theology" explains that the earliest Christians did not have a time when they regularly observed Christ's birth. Ralph L. Keiper once said, "When we know Christ, not as a doctrine or a theory, but as Savior and Friend in our daily experience, we gain a confidence in Him which brings peace to our hearts. We learn of His mercy. As a sinner I need a Savior. Again he sent other servants, saying, Tell those who are invited, See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. 5. Jesus is coming! That has been the cry of God's people from the beginning "How long, O Lord, how long?" It looks at the fighting and the wars of history and of our own age and does not find the type of peace that it is seeking. In the New Covenant, he has given us the Lord's Supper and baptism. The angel said, "Do not be afraid. And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. Malachi, who lived in the fifth century before Christ, was the last of the prophets. Perhaps you have prayed for something and have not received an answer, at least not the answer you were waiting for. But of all these things, the incarnation of the Son of God is the most amazing. (Revelation 22:17). When the angels had departed, the shepherds decided to go to Bethlehem. God is faithful. Grosart. First, it involved her memory; for we are told that she treasured up all these things. Give strong drink to the one who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress; let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more. Joyful and triumphant, But then, suddenly, an angel appeared with the message: After the angel spoke a host of angels appeared, all praising God and saying. Do you know that you have fallen short of God's standards and that nothing within you will ever be able to move up to the fulfilling of them? His birth was necessary. The God who did not forget us in Christ's first coming will not forget us in His second. There are four main points to this short message: Each of these points is important, of course. We also can celebrate Christmas by being amazed at it "And all who heard it were amazed" (Luke 2:18). Though you have not seen him, you love him. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. Now this is what the shepherds did. But in the message itself, as well as in the context, the emphasis is upon the fulfillment of prophecy and upon the underlying truth that God is faithful. The word "pact" also comes from it. They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with . You quarrel and fight. The situation would have been difficult for anyone to understand, let alone a man engaged to a woman who was expecting a child. "Joy to the World" Words: Isaac Watts, The Psalms of David, 1719. The Bible teaches that men are in revolt and rebellion against God but that God has acted to establish peace through His Son Jesus Christ, the mediator. Both of these ideas are related to the idea of a mediator who brings irreconcilables together. There are two kinds of amazement. But if the second type of peace is not something automatic that is, if you have to find it how do you find it? One verse, which is often quoted by Christians who argue against celebrating Christmas, is Luke chapter 2, verse 34. The difficulty lies rather in the fact that today, if only because of the impressive achievements of medical science, this approach inevitably fails to distinguish between the salvation that God alone can bring and that salvation which men are apparently providing for themselves. (Great Neck, NY: Doniger & Raughley, 1955). Luke 1:35 ESV / 25 helpful votesHelpfulNot Helpful. "Good Christian Men, Rejoice" Words: Heinrich Suso (?-1366); translated from Latin to English by John M. Neale in Carols for Christmastide (London: 1853). And there is peace with one another. Another example of modern tendencies to reduce biblical salvation to human dimensions is the increasing emphasis upon the social aspects of the Christian gospel conceived in opposition to evangelism as traditionally understood. In the Christian religion, Jesus Christ is believed to be the son of God. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Anyone can understand Christmas in just three sentences: I am a sinner. 8. Labs Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found . Before we turn to the book of Luke, I want to say first that by far the best and greatest way to celebrate Christmas is by becoming a Christian if you have never done so. For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him. When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 2023 BGEA The second message brought by the angels concerning the birth of Christ is the message to Joseph. To do so is to participate in the Christmas story. Beyond any question, the gospel of Jesus Christ has important social implications. S 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? Romans 14:5-6 - One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. What Does the Bible Say About Celebrating Jesus Birthday? Ponder on its meaning. Let the wonder of that first Christmas fill your life todayand every day. I have known people who have had deep and fervent prayers answered after the better part of a lifetime has gone by prayers for the salvation of a son or a daughter, prayers for success in some worthwhile endeavor, prayers for reconciliation with an erring wife or husband. But the angel appeared and explained to Joseph what was happening. In early fall. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 11. Jesus was born to be our Savior as the carol says: Christ was born to save! Publisher: OpenBible.info. Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Moreover, the Bible teaches that if you will believe that that is, if you will believe that you are not at peace with God naturally but that He has made peace through the death of His Son for your sin - then God will enter into the kind of eternal relationship with you in which you can be called His son or daughter. 5. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him. Jesus answered him, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said to him, How can a man be born when he is old? 52 Bible Verses about Celebration Verse Concepts They shall eagerly utter the memory of Your abundant goodness And will shout joyfully of Your righteousness. In these verses the angel first greets Mary, then gives this message: "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. So the question is not "where did God say not to ." It is always the question "where did God say to ." See: Holiday Observances. E Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months. They aren't all thinking of God or Jesus as they stand spellbound at the presents and tree on Christmas morning. And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand hima threefold cord is not quickly broken. Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. There are plenty of decorations to buy and parties to attend during this season but how should we really celebrate Christmas? Celebrating Christmas can also take the form of pondering it, for Mary "treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart" (Luke 2:19). Will Graham Devotion: The Criminal on the Cross. Salem Media Group. They are: The appearance of Gabriel to Zechariah to announce the birth of John the Baptist. In all that he does, he prospers. He was, however, making a very important point: We should never celebrate Jesus birth at Christmastimeand then forget Him the rest of the year. 5 Bible Verses That Celebrate the Birth of Jesus Health, Inspiration How often have we heard the phrase, "Christ is the reason for the season." To help remind us of why we celebrate Christmas, here are five key Bible verses that celebrate the birth of Jesus. There are five appearances of an angel, or angels, in the Christmas story, and another appearance of an angel to Joseph later to tell him to return to Israel from Egypt. It comes from a Latin verb which means "to make a bargain" or "to make an agreement between contracting parties." D Jesus Christ is that Savior. Well, later in His life He would speak of Himself in terms that spoke to precisely the world's condition. The reasons why they became witnesses are that there was an event, a great event, and that others very much needed to hear of it. Amen. To do this is to glorify Him, an act which is, as the Catechism states, one aspect of man's chief end. In other words, James is saying that war begins with men's emotions. The meaning of His name is "He will save His people from their sins" He became a man in His incarnation. Christmas is a very important holiday for Christians because it celebrates the birth of their savior. Of course, you can and you should! The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. Happiness is related to circumstances. In this verse the word "learn" is a Greek word from which we have derived our word mathematics. O In one sense all the acts of God are legitimate grounds for such amazement. Born the King of angels; He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. There is one kind of amazement which is merely a tickling of the fancy. Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals Inc, 1716 Spruce St. Philadelphia, PA 19103 It is unfortunate that these great words "savior" and "salvation" have been watered down so much as they have been in our day. So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. It was a sad world in their time. Blog, A The trouble lies with men. My family likes to read these together on Christmas Eve, right before we go to bed. Finally, in chapter 1, verse 7, Paul indicates that the only solution to the problem lies in receiving peace from God: "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ." Third, it involved her intellect; for she treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. Half of the city shall go out into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Finally, by an obvious extension, glory meant a person's true "worth." He then assured the professor that the reason why the Christmas message was an apparent farce to him was not God's fault. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. Have you seen those things? I know, of course, that Jesus was probably not born on December 25 at least there is no real evidence that He was. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. It is selfishness and pride, plus the lack of individual peace and contentment. W There is a clue to what peace means in this verse in the way the word is used in the earlier chapters of Romans. So they have changed the line to read "Let us find that promised rest.". Arrangement: William H. Cummings, Congregational Hymn and Tune Book, 1857. Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! Keiper then took his Bible from his briefcase and turned to Luke 2:14, to the verse that is our text, and then read with his professor, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men" (KJV). He loves you so much that He gave His life for your salvation. This is what theologians call, "Hypostatic union." It explains how God, the Son of God, took human nature but He remained God at the same time. The third message is of the outcome, which is joy for man and glory for God. The Wise Men Were Not There. Visit the Bible online to search for words if you dont know the specific passage yourre looking for. In fact, the opposite is the case. Thus says the Lord: "Learn not the way of the nations, nor be dismayed at the signs of the heavens because the nations are dismayed at them, for the customs of the peoples are vanity.A tree from the forest is cut down and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman. And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holythe Son of God. May God give you grace to do that. This is why Jesus came. If these four means of celebrating Christmas are new to you and if you are now desiring to put them into practice, I suggest that you begin not with the first verse, verse 17 of Luke 2, but with verses 18, 19, and 20. In chapter 2, verse 10, Paul writes of God's fairness in granting "glory, honor and peace, for everyone who does good.". Jesus Christ was fully God and fully man in his incarnation. (Philadelphia: Evangelical Foundation), 1961, pages 12-13. 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. He restores my soul. And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. Why not join every year with the shepherds on that first Christmas, "glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen" (Luke 2:20)? Three sentences! But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. Christmas time is a few days away. That is what Jesus Himself said: "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." To me it is a farce! He is able to deliver you from whatever your particular sin may be alcoholism, unlawful sex, a bad temper, gossiping, pride, selfishness whatever it is. What a cause for amazement! Observe the month of Abib and keep the Passover to the Lord your God, for in the month of Abib the Lord your God brought you out of Egypt by night. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. M But our time is poorly spent if we allow the bustle of Christmas to eclipse our times of Bible study and of pondering upon God's Word. Is there such a verse? Spend some time at Christmas thinking over what you do know of God and trying to understand the ways of God more fully. If anyone would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed. R The appearance of first one angel and then a multitude of angels to the shepherds in the fields of Bethlehem. Celebrating it certainly does seem and feel like the right thing to do. It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Have you seen that truth in the story? 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. And if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. There are two answers. 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. The words of the angel to Joseph confirmed Joseph's authority and responsibility in the naming of Mary's child. Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. God did not forget! Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. This is the message of the angels. God told us everything needed for life and godliness ( II Peter 1:2-4 ). So everyone who knows of Christ and has become a Christian can tell others of Him. Let the godly exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their beds. Now, just as the Bible speaks of peace with God so it also speaks about a peace of God, and this is quite different. In Luke 2:8-20, it says: "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. In other words, the only ultimate essential for proclaiming the gospel is a knowledge of it. For we quickly come upon the Lord Jesus Christ's great invitation recorded in Matthew 11:28-30: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? Music: Adeste Fideles, attributed variously to John Wade, John Reading or Simao Portogallo. We turn from that picture to the final pages of the Bible, and in those pages we find the Lord Jesus Christ high and lifted up, and all of creation is paying homage to Him. For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. His birthday was celebrated on December 25th. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. At this point our Bible text comes in, for it is a report of how those who witnessed the first Christmas observed it. 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. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. They must learn to love Him and to serve Him more and more. To the choirmaster. Our gift to our children will be teaching them Who Jesus is and what Christmas is all about. Why Does God Compare Our Relationship with Him to That of a Bride and Groom? First of all, the Bible tells us that Jesus was born on Christmas day. Though Dec. 25 is considered the birthday of Jesus by a large segment of Christendom, there is no evidence that . He wrote and remember, he is writing to Christians "What causes fights and quarrels among you? Jesus fulfilled that promise when He died for your sin and rose again for your justification. There is a sense in which the world will never know even one of these three types of peace until the return of Jesus Christ. When a person is at peace with God judicially and is experiencing increasingly in his own life that peace of God which transforms him and gives him tranquility even in the midst of great emotional turmoil and misunderstanding, then there is a firm foundation on which to overcome those interpersonal tensions that upset families, churches, cities, governments and the world. How Should We Celebrate the Birth of Christ. But now, for over four hundred years, the prophetic voice had been silent. The time of fulfillment has come! Systematic Theology Volume 2: Existence and the Christ. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
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