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Christmas

Christmas. Commemoration or Confusion?. Facts About the Origin of Christmas. Christmas began in the 4 th century Localized feast days observing the birth and baptism of Christ had begun earlier The “church” did not make December 25 the day for celebrating Jesus birth until 345 A.D.

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Christmas

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  1. Christmas Commemoration or Confusion?

  2. Facts About the Origin of Christmas • Christmas began in the 4th century • Localized feast days observing the birth and baptism of Christ had begun earlier • The “church” did not make December 25 the day for celebrating Jesus birth until 345 A.D.

  3. Facts About the Origin of Christmas • The original ordinance was an attempt to “Christianize” the pagan world • Conglomeration of various pagan festivals • Most closely fits the festival of Saturnalia

  4. Facts About the Origin of Christmas • “there is no month in the year to which respectable authorities have not assigned Christ’s birth” (Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 3, pg. 74) • The date never centered around the actual date of Jesus birth • Most cultures had a festival around the winter solstice

  5. Facts About the Origin of Christmas • The hedonistic aspects of the celebration were not removed until 1645 in England • Christmas was actually illegal in the Colonies from 1659-1681 because the hedonism clashed with Puritan culture • Became an American holiday in 1870

  6. What Does God’s Silence on the Matter tell us? • The most unique event in all of history • Prophesied for centuries • Unmistakable sign of God’s direct involvement in the redemptive plan • Scripture is absolutely silent in regards to a commemoration of the birth of Christ

  7. What Does God’s Silence on the Matter tell us? • Silence authorizes nothing • Scripture offers clear indication of approved observances • We must learn the lesson of Uzzah! 1Chron 13 • Many traditional practices ignore the authority of Christ to rule over His kingdom

  8. What Does God’s Silence on the Matter tell us? • What about nativity scenes, angels and stars? • How do we separate such from idolatry?? • Even “innocent” things can become dangerous if our understanding is perverted

  9. What Does God’s Silence on the Matter tell us? • What about religious Christmas songs? • Are we singing them all year long?? • Are they so intimately connected to Christmas that we cannot separate them?

  10. Where is our focus?? • Salvation is in the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord • We must be in constant realization of the price paid for our redemption • Focusing too much on the baby in the manger is the product of selfish thinking

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