Grace Fellowship ChurchGrace Fellowship ChurchPastor/TeacherPastor/Teacher

Jim RickardJim Rickard

www.GraceDoctrine.orgwww.GraceDoctrine.org

Sunday,Sunday,December 23, 2012December 23, 2012

Eph 5:18,Eph 5:18,“Do not get drunk with “Do not get drunk with wine, for that is a waste wine, for that is a waste of life, but be filled with of life, but be filled with

the Spirit.”the Spirit.”

Should Believers Should Believers Celebrate Christmas?Celebrate Christmas?

Some of the origins of many Some of the origins of many of the traditions we have for of the traditions we have for our Christmas celebration our Christmas celebration have come from ancient have come from ancient

pagan celebrations. pagan celebrations.

2 Tim 2:7,2 Tim 2:7,“Consider what I say, for the “Consider what I say, for the

Lord will give you Lord will give you understanding in everything.”understanding in everything.”

In ancient Babylon the In ancient Babylon the celebration of the day celebration of the day commemorates either commemorates either

Nimrod’s (a.k.a., Adonis), Nimrod’s (a.k.a., Adonis), birthday, or that of his wife birthday, or that of his wife

Venus and her child. The latter Venus and her child. The latter is more attested to in literature.is more attested to in literature.

Babylonian, “Yule” is the Babylonian, “Yule” is the name for an “infant” or “little name for an “infant” or “little

child.” On either the 21child.” On either the 21stst or 25 or 25thth of December a celebration took of December a celebration took

place called, “Yule‑day,” place called, “Yule‑day,” “child’s‑day,” and the night “child’s‑day,” and the night

before, “mother‑night.” before, “mother‑night.”

Later the Romans, had a Later the Romans, had a festival to the sun god, festival to the sun god,

“Saturnalia”, a.k.a Nimrod, “Saturnalia”, a.k.a Nimrod, “hiding one,” who hid from “hiding one,” who hid from Shem who was seeking his Shem who was seeking his

life. life.

Combined with an early Combined with an early January celebration the January celebration the whole season was called whole season was called

“Dies Natalis Invicti Solis”, “Dies Natalis Invicti Solis”, the birthday of the the birthday of the

“Unconquered Sun.” “Unconquered Sun.”

In 350 A.D., Pope Julius I In 350 A.D., Pope Julius I declared that Christ’s birth declared that Christ’s birth

would be celebrated on would be celebrated on December 25. December 25.

Some of the questioning Some of the questioning arises from Bible verses arises from Bible verses

including: including: Jer 3:13; 10:2-4; Isa 44:14-15.Jer 3:13; 10:2-4; Isa 44:14-15.

Jeremiah 3:13, Jeremiah 3:13, “Only acknowledge your iniquity, “Only acknowledge your iniquity, that you have transgressed against that you have transgressed against

the Lord your God and have the Lord your God and have scattered your favors to the scattered your favors to the

strangers under every green treestrangers under every green tree, , and you have not obeyed My and you have not obeyed My

voice, declares the Lord.”voice, declares the Lord.”

In the N.T. there is only one In the N.T. there is only one celebration we are celebration we are

commanded to partake of? commanded to partake of?

The communion supper!The communion supper!

Satan wants to discredit Satan wants to discredit everything that has to do with everything that has to do with

God and He wants to tear God and He wants to tear apart Christian fellowship and apart Christian fellowship and

he counterfeits everything.he counterfeits everything.

Why? So that:Why? So that:1) Man would misinterpret 1) Man would misinterpret

the things of Christ when they the things of Christ when they actually happened and actually happened and

afterwards.afterwards.2) Cast doubt on the worship 2) Cast doubt on the worship

and celebration of Christ.and celebration of Christ.

Charles Stanley:Charles Stanley:1) Draw us away from God. 1) Draw us away from God. 2) Thwart God’s purpose. 2) Thwart God’s purpose.

3) Deny God glory and honor. 3) Deny God glory and honor.

4) Destroy us.4) Destroy us.

We should never judge the We should never judge the believer who decides to believer who decides to

celebrate Christmas or not.celebrate Christmas or not.

Rom 14:5-10; Col 2:16Rom 14:5-10; Col 2:16

Col 2:16,Col 2:16,“Therefore no one is to act as “Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food your judge in regard to food

or drink or in respect to a or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a festival or a new moon or a

Sabbath day.”Sabbath day.”

What does the Bible say What does the Bible say about these types of things. about these types of things.

1 Cor 8:1-13; Col 2:1-231 Cor 8:1-13; Col 2:1-23

Even if our Christmas Even if our Christmas celebrations originally had celebrations originally had

pagan origins, to you there are pagan origins, to you there are no other gods, so it is ok to no other gods, so it is ok to

partake in them because you partake in them because you are celebrating Christ.are celebrating Christ.

But if you think these things But if you think these things are idols and lead you to are idols and lead you to

pagan worship then to you pagan worship then to you they are and you should stop they are and you should stop

partaking of them.partaking of them.

Psa 150:6,Psa 150:6,“Let everything that has “Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. breath praise the LORD.

Praise the LORD.”Praise the LORD.”

1 Cor 9:23,1 Cor 9:23,“I do all things for the sake of “I do all things for the sake of

the gospel, so that I may the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of become a fellow partaker of

it.”it.”

See also:See also: Rom 14:14-23; Rom 14:14-23; 1 Cor 10:23-31; 1 Cor 10:23-31; Titus 1:15-16.Titus 1:15-16.

Titus 1:15,“To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving,

nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are

defiled.”

Rom 14:14,“I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be

unclean, to him it is unclean.””

Many of the pagan associations Many of the pagan associations were lost long Ago. What were lost long Ago. What

Satan began to counterfeit of Satan began to counterfeit of God’s plan, God has turned the God’s plan, God has turned the

tables and has taken Satan’s tables and has taken Satan’s symbols to now represent symbols to now represent

Christ. Christ.

Gen 50:20,Gen 50:20,“As for you, you meant evil “As for you, you meant evil against me, against me, butbut God meant it God meant it

for good in order to bring for good in order to bring about this present result, to about this present result, to

preserve many people alive.”preserve many people alive.”

Grace OfferingGrace Offering

Heb 13:15, Heb 13:15, “Through Him then, let us continually “Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, offer up a sacrifice of praise to God,

that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. And do not neglect doing to His name. And do not neglect doing

good and sharing, for with such good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”sacrifices God is pleased.”

Grace Fellowship ChurchGrace Fellowship ChurchSunday, December 23, 2012Sunday, December 23, 2012

Tape # 12-147Tape # 12-147

Christmas Special 2012 Christmas Special 2012

Should Christian’s Celebrate Christmas?Should Christian’s Celebrate Christmas?

Jer 3:13; 10:2-4; Isa 44:14-17; Col 2:1-23; Jer 3:13; 10:2-4; Isa 44:14-17; Col 2:1-23; 1 Cor 8:1-13; Rom 14:1-23: Titus 1:15-161 Cor 8:1-13; Rom 14:1-23: Titus 1:15-16James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2012James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2012