The Christmas story starts and ends with a tree
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
A family who was going to go out of town for Christmas loaded up their SUV with their luggage, took the dog over to a neighbor’s house, entered the coordinates in their GPS and had even recorded a CD with songs for the road. Everything was ready, and they were so relieved to finally be in the car. They were halfway down the street when the woman suddenly cried out to her husband, “We forgot the baby!”
To me that is a picture of Christmas. We trim our trees. We make our list and check it twice. We shop ’til we drop. We go to endless Christmas productions and parties. Then it dawns on us that we forgot the baby: the baby Jesus, the one whom Christmas is all about.
It is possible to celebrate Christmas and forget all about Christ. It is possible to lose Jesus at Christmas. It is possible in this celebration of Jesus’ birth to forget all about Jesus. Thankfully, even when we forget about him, he never forgets about us.
Really, the story of the birth of Jesus is the greatest of all stories. The Bible tells us, “But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law” (Galatians 4:4 NLT).
Jesus came to this earth at the perfect time, when the time was just right. These were dark days for the nation of Israel. Almost as difficult as their bondage in Egypt under Pharaoh, they were living under the tyranny of Rome and its puppet governor, Herod. To make matters worse, the Jewish people hadn’t heard from God for 400 years – not a single prophet, not one angelic appearance, not one miracle. There was nothing but an icy silence … or so it seemed.
Then suddenly the silence was broken, and God dispatched a high-ranking angel named Gabriel to a godly man called Zechariah. He told Zechariah that he and his wife, Elizabeth, would be the parents of the forerunner of the Messiah.
The Christmas story starts with a tree – not a Christmas tree but a family tree. Both the gospel of Luke and Matthew start with genealogies. Genealogies were very important to the Jewish people. Their pedigree, their genealogy, was a bit like a résumé. Both Mary and Joseph traced their genealogy back to King David.
It’s interesting to note that the Christmas story does not begin with the words “once upon a time” as so many fairytales do. It starts with a series of “begots” – so-and-so begot so-and-so. That is because the Christmas story is a factual, historical event. It still has all the pathos and magic and pageantry of the best fairytales, yet this is a real story. All other stories we’ve heard are, at best, pale imitations of the greatest story ever told. The story of the birth of Jesus started in heaven and unfolded on Earth.
When the angel appeared to the shepherds and announced, “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11), the angel effectively was saying, “Listen, Earth. Augustus Caesar is not the savior of the world. Jesus is. The savior of the world is not in a palace in Rome. The savior of the world is wrapped in strips of cloth in a manger in Bethlehem.”
Historians believe Caesar Augustus was around 5-feet-7-inches tall. God touched this man who was big in his own mind to set about a chain of events that would bring Mary and Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem, because the Scriptures predicted the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem (see Micah 5:2). Today Caesar Augustus wouldn’t even have been known if he weren’t mentioned in the Bible. He is a footnote to the greatest story ever told.
Jesus is the most influential person in human history. It has been said that history swings on the hinge of a stable door in Bethlehem.
God came to this earth as a baby to die an agonizing death to ransom us from an eternal death sentence. The shadow of the cross lay over the beauty of that first Christmas night. This child was born to die so that we might live.
When we look back at the first Christmas story, we need to remember that the real Christmas tree wasn’t decorated with lights. The real Christmas tree was a cross that Christ hung on. The Bible says, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” (Galatians 3:13 NKJV). Jesus died on a tree – on a cross – for the sin of all of the world. In fact the Bible says, “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13 NKJV).
That is why red is the color of Christmas – not because Santa wore red or because we wrap our presents in red paper or attach red bows to holly wreaths or put red bulbs on our trees. Red is the color of Christmas because it is the color of the blood that was shed from the cross for each and every one of us. Jesus died for the sins of the world so he could make available to us the greatest of all gifts.
One Christmas morning when I was a little boy, I clearly remember sitting and staring at our Christmas tree, one of those fake white trees lit up by rotating colored lenses that changed from blue to green to red. Christmas music was playing in the background, and the house smelled of alcohol and stale smoke. I had just opened my Christmas presents, and my mom was lying there asleep, passed out from drinking.
I had been excited for Christmas, like any other child. But I thought, “It has to get better than this.”
It did get better. I realized over time that what I needed wasn’t Christmas; I needed Christ. I didn’t need presents; I needed his presence. That is the ultimate answer. That is what we really long for, deep down inside. Jesus came to this world to save you and to save me – to save us from our sins.
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“Jesus came to this earth at the perfect time, when the time was just right. These were dark days for the nation of Israel. Almost as difficult as their bondage in Egypt under Pharaoh, they were living under the tyranny of Rome and its puppet governor, Herod. To make matters worse, the Jewish people hadn’t heard from God for 400 years – not a single prophet, not one angelic appearance, not one miracle. There was nothing but an icy silence … or so it seemed.
Then suddenly the silence was broken, and God dispatched a high-ranking angel named Gabriel to a godly man called Zechariah. He told Zechariah that he and his wife, Elizabeth, would be the parents of the forerunner of the Messiah.”
A decorated evergreen at this time of the year is a very Pagan idea that was co-opted by Christians. More than 75% of what you think of as Christmas tradition is Pagan in origin, and yet you scream about taking Christ out of Christmas if people remind you of the facts. You are celebrating an ancient Pagan holiday, because there is no evidence, not even the Bible, that says that Jesus was born on the 25th of December.
Yes. There weren't any bunnies in Jerusalem at Easter, either.
As a "math person" I refuse to accept or refute this until I've seen actual numbers.
Some people do. Which is odd. But ignorant people often get very upset when their understanding is challenged. I guess when one knows so little it's more threatening to find out the little you do know may be wrong.
No, we are celebrating a Christian holiday that took over a pagan holiday. The early Christians chose to celebrate the birth of Christ in conjunction with the Roman festival of Saturnalia, so the festivities would be inconspicuous.
He was almost surely born in the spring. Apparently that's the only time of year shepherds in that part of the world had their flocks out at night time.
Easter is also a Pagan holiday of fertility.
All of the cultural aspects of Christmas are Pagan in origin. Ideas such as gifts, Santa, trees, feasting, eggnog, lights. The Eastern Orthodox Christmas is far more of the religious holiday than the western Christmas.
Christmas was a minor religious holiday until a centuries ago because of the pagan origins of it.
"God bless those Pagans." ---Homer Simpson, The Simpsons
The Coca-Cola company is the main reason why red is associated with Christmas. Prior to the 1930s, Santa was often depicted in blue or green robes.
From a very detailed national monarchy and family tree to a rugged cross on a hill far away. The greatest story ever told. Thus the reason for this and every Christmas season and Easter. A great and well written article explaining the true meaning why we celebrate Christmas.
It seems to me that Jesus doesn't figure into Christmas any more - has it not become a commercial event? And because of overzealous PC and fear of Islamophobia I'm surprised that Christmas trees are still being erected in public places. Even in secular China, Christmas is celebrated by owners of retail stores, and I even did a photo-essay on the Christmas decorations in Chongqing last year.
A contemporary true story of antisemitism and modern day Christmas: A Toronto Rabbi was brought as a guest (most likely not welcome by many) during Christmas to a private RESTRICTED club in Toronto called "The Granite Club" and as he walked with his host past the Christmas creche in the main hall, he asked his host: "What's HE doing here?"
Christmas is too commercialized. I guess that in an officially atheist country commercialism is the only way they can celebrate it.
As you know there ARE registered Christian Churches in China where Christians are free to pray, and celebrate Christian holy days.
Many denominations don’t do registered state churches. It’s either house churches or going underground for most of us. Just like in Russia (Soviet Union) and the Warsaw Pact during the Cold War.
I have met quite a few Christians here who don't seem concerned about restrictions. They openly wear crosses. How are your Christians doing in Muslim countries, like Egypt for example.....? Maybe that should be more of a concern.
I dare you to name one person who hasn't been able to celebrate Christmas in a religious manner as they wanted to? Nobody has ever been forced to buy anything at Christmas.
I was talking to another member about the situation in China.
I don't intend to go any further to defend China's position on religions in China. I know that China resists proselytizing by religions, and proselytizing seems to be a very important requirement in Christianity. They required the permitted churches to remove the towering crosses from their roofs because I think they're considered it to be a form of advertising. Nobody is stopped from practising Buddhism here.
When one is involved in some way with a foreign country, there is one basic rule - "When in Rome....". However in China it may be better expressed in a negative rather than positive way - i.e. "When in Rome, do NOT do as the Romans do NOT PERMIT to be done." In other words, you're not at home, you're in a foreign country with foreign rules and foreign mores, so be careful, mind your own business and don't try to preach to others what YOU think they should believe or do. Making sure I followed that latter rule, I have lived here in China for more than 12 years, respected, even admired, by the people generally, and even by the police and government officials with whom I have had dealings and even in many cases, friendship. I am not a Communist. I don't have to be. Nobody has said I have to be to live here in peace. (In fact I have been a supporter of Canada's and Ontario's Conservative Parties for more than 40 years.) The family I married into here are not members of the Communist party - they are totally apolitical, and they are practising Buddhists and nobody interferes with them.
China is not America, and it is a huge mistake to try to turn it into America. It has a history of more than 5000 years, about 10 times that of America. It has a population almost five times that of America. America and Americans, in fact Westerners generally, are not going to be able to convert China into what Americans think China should be or what they think China must do. If China has rules for what religions must do and act and not do in order to be registered and permitted to exist here, those are the rules, baby, so follow them or get spanked.
Maybe what it comes down to is how Voltaire ended his story of Candide, that one should just spend their time tending their own garden. I think that's a gentler way of saying "Mind your own business."
In the case of most of the Protestant churches in China, including mine, it’s not foreign missionaries that are there for the most part getting in trouble with the government. It is the indigenous population that has over time been converted and the next generations who are carrying out the work and the proselytizing. Many of these churches presence there predates the beginning of the 20th century or at least World War Two and the following communist regime of Mao. Mao was not successful in stamping out our existence there and post Mao reformers allowed a revitalization of the churches. It won’t be Caucasian missionaries from Europe and North America who will be doing most of the growing of churches in areas of high persecution, but people of the country or neighboring lands doing so possibly with an assist from internet, TV, radio of all kinds from anywhere.
As I see it, it is the proselytizing that is the major problem whether it is by foreigners or locals, and perhaps the underground churches do not wish to register or they would be subject to a requirement NOT to proselytize. As for Muslims, in most of China the Muslims live quite peaceably and carry on their religion, lives and businesses without interference. However, perhaps the Uigher Muslims from the north-west refuse to comply with government requirements, and become radicalized - they are mostly the ones accused of the mass railway station and department store attacks.
What a ridiculous statement on your part. You are comparing Oscar Schindler saving lives with missionaries attempting to convert Chinese atheists or Buddhists to Christianity contrary to the wishes of the Chinese government? You must really believe that what YOU think is right and screw what anyone else does. You've got opinions about Schindler? Why don't you bother to read and comment on the article about antisemitism as depicted in the movies that I posted? Schindler did not try to convert the Nazis into angels - he went into his concept for profit, and it was only when he saw the horrors committed by the Nazis that he did what he could to save lives. He was and NEVER GAVE UP his membership in the Nazi party and proudly wore his party emblem to the very end.
I'm sorry, I have loved ones who are Christians and, they fully believe the story of Jesus's birth, I believe it to a point but, I have to think of the Roman influence in all of the New Testament books and, in the creation of the Bible, yes, I said creation because, that is what happened here, the Old Testament and, the New Testament were cherry picked by the councils of Nicaea to fit a narrative that the Roman Emperor wanted and, that the Roman Catholic Church needed for it to grow, to beat out the Pagan religions in Europe and, the rest of the world and, the idea that any of the people involved in the writing of the New Testaments four gospels actually knew Jesus is beyond reason, the first of those books, Mark, was written 100 years after the death of Jesus and, to say that it was taken from "eyewitness testimony" is also beyond reason.
Jesus was born, I believe that, I believe they were visited by strangers in the stable of the family home in Bethlehem though, not in some strange manger in the hills because, there is historical evidence for this theory, I believe he did a lot of great things during his life and, I believe he was a prophet but, because of the Roman influence in the story's I don't believe he was the Son of Yahweh.
that is the position of Islam regarding Him.
I don't know about that, I do know that there is actual historic and, archaeological evidence to prove what I have stated in my post, all you have is faith that what you believe to be true actually is, even though the facts say otherwise.
One of the weirdest moments on my last tour in Afghanistan was when one of my LEPs was named Jesus instead of Mohammed or Abdul.
And pretty much the position of Judaism as well.
Christmas?
Burl Ives...
Thank-you...that is all.
Handel and his work is my Christmas favorite.
It’s Christmas Eve Day! All the shopping for food and gifts complete, an evening tour of the Christmas lights around town to look forward to while fighting off another bout with pneumonia. Praise God for doing what He did that we are about to be commemorating and celebrating.
I hope that everyone had a great Christmas Day yesterday. Mine went very well.