Celebrating Christmas & Christian holidays
Topics in article:
Intro
Christmas is a big deal
Statistics about Church attendance
Why do we celebrate Christmas on December 25th?
Was it pagan and then Rome changed it?
What about Jeremiah 10, is having a tree pagan or idolatry?
Understanding Eisegesis
History of trees in celebrations
Christmas Tree symbology
A season & day to share the Gospel
Christmas ideas and activities at Home
Christmas videos
What about Christmas cheer
21 things God has done for us in the gift of Jesus as our Savior
When was Jesus Really Born?
What people don't know about St Nicolaus.
The meaning of Christmas
Final notes on Christ's Birth
The importance of telling your kids the truth about Santa
Celebrating Christmas & Christian holidays:
1/3 of the world celebrates Christmas,
that is 2 Billion people
...And many 100's of thousands if not millions of people visiting these countries during Christmas season as tourists or doing business... see the celebration and get a chance
to look into the things of Christ. It is an annual day the world can hear
about Jesus and the Gospel, and new generations growing up in those countries hear it too. God gave us a great opportunity to reach our families, and utilize this season to share the gospel with others too.
Christmas is a big deal
Christ came to earth to be born and complete a mission here. This mission began being told as far back as Eden and continued to be revealed by God thru the OT prophets... the entire OT and Jewish anticipation was about awaiting The Messiah's birth. God announced thru angels that Mary would carry and birth that child, and when he was born the angels revealed themselves in the sky and proclaimed His birth. King making magi traveled far (40 days) to come to worship the newborn King, and brought gifts. This is the biggest celebration in the world to be had, outside of Resurrection Day.
They brought him gifts and worshipped him.
They celebrated his birth.
Some say Christmas has pagan origins, that puritians didnt celebrate it or that Jesus wasnt born on that date. So what? I dont care what others think, I am free in Christ. Those people can't dictate my faith or freedom in Christ.
Romans 14:5
“One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.”
Celebrating "Jesus" is done annual, weekly and daily by believers. We live in the fact God HAS completed the plan of salvation through Jesus by his life, death, and resurrection.
Our life lived is in Christ. Daily.
Just being a Christian and even talking to others about Him brings the Trinity Glory. To have 3 specific globally known Christian holidays ...simply gives the redeemed chances to share the gospel and reach those we know and meet. I am pretty sure God is happy with every opportunity he has given us to Glorify Him. We should use those chances.
We can make it Christ focused. As Christians, these holidays should not be worldly focused.
Special days we can have targeted Christian convos:
1. Christmas
2. Resurrection Day/Easter
3. Reformation day/Halloween
4. St Patricks/Valentines Day
5. Patriotic days
6. Birthdays
Here is some shocking statistics and some ideas.
Lifeway Research research found 6 out of ten Americans typically attend church on Christmas.
However, among those who don’t attend church at that time, a majority (57%) said they would likely go if someone they knew invited them. Ask that friend or that neighbor if he or she would like to come to a Christmas service. So invite people and use that invite opportunity to share the gospel or after the concert or service.
Give them examples, perhaps from the pulpit or in your bulletin, such as: “I go to a great church. I’d love you to come for our Christmas service. Would you like to come?” Or, “Do you ever wonder what happens after people die? Where they go? My pastor will be talking about that issue for our Christmas service. Would you like to come?”
Lifeway Research, said, “Regular churchgoers may assume the rest of America has already made up their mind not to attend church. In reality, many would welcome going to a Christmas service with someone they know.”
We don’t know the reason people go to church at Christmas. Perhaps their conscience is stirring them to do what they believe is the right thing. Most who do so probably think that their attendance is pleasing to God. Others perhaps think it will help to earn them a place in Heaven. But we know better. Scripture tells us that it’s not by works of righteousness that He saves us but according to His mercy (Titus 3:5). And mercy cannot be earned.
So while Americans are still open to going to Church at Christmas... share the gospel and invite them. It is just as easy as handing out tracts on Halloween... but they're actually willing to go and meet you at church (and even hear what the Pastor has to say).
Use that invite opportunity to share the gospel with them (or after the concert or service). You can do it. 💪💪💪😊
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Did you know Christmas is actually
celebrated for 14 days?
From Christmas Eve to Jan 6th. It is a long celebration.
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Why do we celebrate Christmas on December 25th? A lesser-known (but far more ancient) theory that Christians *calculated* the date of Jesus' birth to be December 25th. Known as the "calculated theory."
There was an early belief that Jesus was crucified on the same day he was conceived. And since they believed he was crucified at Passover on March 25th, that day was also believed to be his conception. Now do the math… add 9 months to March 25th, and you get Jesus born on December 25th.
For example, in Augustine's On the Trinity (c. 399–419) he writes: “For he [Jesus] is believed to have been conceived on the 25th of March, upon which day also he suffered; so the womb of the Virgin, in which he was conceived, where no one of mortals was begotten, corresponds to the new grave in which he was buried, wherein was never man laid, neither before him nor since. But he was born, according to tradition, upon December the 25th.”
Although this may sound weird to us, it offers an early explanation for where December 25th came from. Unfortunately, most people are completely unaware of this alternative theory.
And of course they got it wrong, because they didnt look at the dates that Scripture reveals for the day He was born, but Scripture also tells us all dates of Biblical timelines. (People just didnt research it well before Ungers or Liles*).
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There is a ton more below this but...
For those of you who only focused on Dec 25th in the above and did not let your mind stay long enough to read the rest of what it said...
“It’s a sad thing in our culture that Christmas on the one hand is trivialized and on the other hand it is assaulted in an effort to remove the only thing about it that is important, eternally important. And I think it behooves us at a time like this to take every opportunity to make sure that people do understand what Christmas is really all about.
I’m not defending December 25th as if it were the day Jesus were born, that’s very unlikely. I’m not defending all of the stuff that goes on around Christmas, but I am saying, if the world is going to give us an opportunity to focus on the birth of Jesus Christ, let’s take advantage of it. Let’s take advantage of it in order to worship and to praise Him because that’s right in an order to speak of Him to those who so much need to hear. Foolish, foolish people who want to eliminate Jesus Christ, keep the party, just get rid of the reason and in so doing, in their effort to gain the world, they lose their soul. We have a tremendous responsibility to them. Let’s bow together in prayer.
Father it is with great thankfulness and gratitude of heart that we acknowledge You this morning as our Savior because this is not something that comes from us, but from You. This is a gift. We can’t even comprehend why You would be so gracious as to give it to us, but we thank You. We pray for those who do not know Christ. We pray that at this Christmas season particularly through the testimony of faithful folks who belong to Christ, people’s hearts might be turned toward the Savior and while the world is doing everything it can to cover up the reality of Christ blurring completely the celebration of His birth, the concept of the incarnation, the truth of salvation, Lord, may we speak boldly as the attacks escalate, may the witness escalate as well and give us the privilege of leading people to the knowledge of Christ. These things we ask for his glory. Amen.”
—John MacArthur
The Child Who Was God
Colossians 1:15–20
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Was it pagan and then Rome changed it?
It has become very popular to claim that the date of December 25th was chosen by one of the Roman emperors to celebrate Christmas because it coincided with a pagan festival. There are several problems with this. First of all, there is a pagan festival for nearly every day of the year. The pagans had a lot of festivals, so any date you choose is going to intersect with one or another pagan ritual.
Also, the fact is that celebrating Christ on December 25th is a very old tradition, 👉predating the period where Christianity was accepted by any of the Roman emperors. One of the earliest Christian commentaries that has come down to us is written by Hippolytus (c. 160–236 AD). It is a commentary of the Book of Daniel:
“For the first advent of our Lord in the flesh, when he was born in Bethlehem, was December 25th [literally, “Eight days before the Kalends of January”], Wednesday, while Augustus was in his forty-second year, but from Adam, five thousand and five hundred years. He suffered in the thirty-third year, March 25th, Friday, the eighteenth year of Tiberius Caesar, while Rufus and Roubellion were Consuls.” (Commentary on Daniel 4:23:3).
He noted this date as while he is explaining how Daniel 9 was a prophecy of when the Messiah would come to earth.
Hippolytus was martyred in the reign of Roman Emperor Severus Alexander around 235 A.D., long before there were any Christian Roman emperors. Pretty much by 100 years.
Another claim is the date might not match up with the events of Luke 1 and the course of Abijah serving in the Temple. But note the priests rotated throughout the year and that each priestly course served twice a year and that they all served at the high holy days including Passover, the Week of Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles.
Historical Note:
For the first 280 years of Christian history, Christianity was banned by the Roman Empire, and Christians were terribly persecuted.
Constantine provided religious toleration with the Edict of Milan in AD 313, effectively lifting the ban on Christianity. Later, in AD 325, Constantine called the Council of Nicea in an attempt to get clarity on a matter (Jesus divinity).
However, Constantine refused to fully embrace the Christian faith. It
wasnt "true Christianity" that he & the Roman empire embraced.
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Is a tree idolatry?
Its about carving idols 🤷♀️. See link 👆. Dont like the tree, dont do one. Like the tree? See green it as symbol of eternity, new life, and growth. Is also a reminder of the Tree of Life from Eden, and the Cross later... yup, was from a wood tree. All created by God. We worship the one sacrificed on it & who rose from the dead afterwards. Not the tree.
Do not "not" have a tree cuz you hold to a false belief of this passage.
eisegesis, (noun)
Definition: The interpretation of a text, especially scripture, by reading one’s own ideas, biases, or presuppositions into the text, rather than deriving meaning from the text itself.
Etymology: From the Greek eis (“into”) and hÄ“gÄ“sis (“guiding” or “leading”), contrasting with exegesis, which involves drawing meaning out of a text.
Usage Example:
“The keyboard warrior’s interpretation of Jeremiah 10:2-4 leaned heavily on eisegesis, reflecting his repackaged conspiracy theories rather than the author’s intended meaning.”
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History of trees in celebrations
More history of tree usage
History of the Christmas tree
A man called Winfred later named Boniface traveled around Germany & Netherlands. He is the founder of the use of a Christmas tree to celebrate the birth of the Christ.
In early "700s", during missionary travels, he knew that in winter the inhabitants of the village of Geismar gathered around a huge old oak tree (known as the “Thunder Oak”) dedicated to the god Thor. This annual event of worship centered on sacrificing a human, usually a small child, to the pagan god. Boniface desired to convert the village by destroying the Thunder Oak, which the pagans had previously boasted "the God of Boniface could not destroy", so he gathered a few companions and journeyed to Geismar.
They reached the outskirts of the village on Christmas Eve. Boniface approached the pagan gathering, having arrived at the time of the human sacrifice, & said, “Here is the Thunder Oak; and here the cross of Christ shall break the hammer of the false god Thor.”
He grabbed an axe and chopped down the Thunder Oak of thor.
The Germans were astounded. He preached the Gospel to the people and used a little fir tree that was behind the now falled oak tree as a tool of evangelization. Pointing to it he said,
“This little tree, a young child of the forest, shall be as your holy tree tonight. It is the wood of peace… It is the sign of an endless life, for its leaves are ever green. See how it points upward to heaven. Let this be called the tree of the Christ-child; gather about it, not in the wild woods, but in your own homes; there it will shelter no evil deeds of blood, but loving gifts and rites of kindness.”
Awed by the destruction of the oak tree and Boniface’s preaching, the Germans were converted and baptized.
In those modern times the Christmas tree became a celebration of the defeat of paganism, and an end of human sacrifice, and the conversion of pagans to Christianity, in Germany.
Tree symbology
The tree points to Heaven and is ever-green which symbolizes ever-lasting life. Can also point to new life and Christian growth. It is also a reminder that the Tree of Life from Eden would be made available again later. The Cross was made of wood from a tree. We worship the one who died on it and rose again.
The lights point to Jesus as the light of the world. The glittering items on the tree point to festive celebration. The top star points to the star the magi followed to Christ. The gifts point to Jesus being the best gift, and that by giving gifts we as believers love one another and bless one another. And the door wreath reminds us of the crown of thorns.
About Saint Nicolas (earlier in the 300's) and presents becoming part of Christmas tradition.
How did he travel? How did everyone travel back in his time? By a carriage pulled by horses. Nickolas was rich, he gave gifts to children and rode his sleigh to deliver them.
The stories of Boniface and St Nick thru immigration entered into USA and is now part of modern Christmas celebrations, [globally, through the US influence].
Christmas is simply a reminder of the Christ child and Christ who died on the cross and rose again, and both miracles forever changed human history. It is a tool for gospel convos, at home and during the Christmas season. A fantastic opportunity God has given to us, where as in other countries it is illegal to share Christ.
The Gospels deal with Jesus’ birth - 196 verses. And that's not counting Galatians 4:4 and the prophecies in the Old Testament like Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14; 9:6-7; & Micah 5:3. That’s a lot of verses.
The OT is full of the coming Messiah as the focus of Scripture, as is His death and resurrection (in the OT & the New). And that means that the story of Jesus’ birth is important to our faith, and the Gospel.
The focus on Christ's birth - which is celebrated during the Christmas season - is a powerful tool of
evangelism.
According a survey conducted by "Pew Research" in 2015
* 81% of non-Christians celebrate Christmas (including Buddhists and Hindus) and
*80% of all Americans believe
1) Jesus was born of a virgin,
2) an angel appeared to the shepherds to announce His birth, and
3) that there were wisemen who brought Him gifts.
Christian Christmas is not pagan. So we can celebrate it, and our connection to it is Jesus... so, it is a holy day. A day worth celebrating when done right.
I’ll take Christmas (with all its modern shortcomings) as a season to remind the lost that Jesus is the reason for the season… and to remind people of their need of a Savior.
Christmas at Home
Gather around the table. The meal, the Feast, focuses on the coming Wedding Feast of the Bride with Christ. Invite your family and friends and the needy from your Church and work and tell them the good news so they can be with us on that Day.
Do an advent devotional like
Put up the tree. Theres no need to neglect the tree or the gifts. You can celebrate but do not need a tree or gifts, but understanding the history of it now leaves you free to celebrate with it.
If you are going to be legalistic, choosing no gifts, I assume you dont celebrate anniversaries or the birthday of anyone in your home either. If you do, 🤷♀️ why wouldnt you celebrate the Birth of the Savior, who also created you and gave you the gift of life? and God who gave us the gift of Christ. If God gives good gifts to us, we can and do likewise give good gifts to our children and others. We are imitators of God being made in His image. Giving gifts is a good work and shows love.
In our family we
car traveled to and gathered at grandparents house, everyone attending gave inexpensive gifts to all the children, but when they turned 18 they got no more mass gifts. Instead, their name was put in a hat and drawn at the Thanksgiving gathering (to get that 1 person a gift for Christmas). It can be homemade, or under $20 if bought. It is "the thought that counts",
not any other reason (greed, showing off etc). That way gratitude, gratefulness and love is also taught. And you can choose other ways to give:
If you do gifts but want to change it, you could do a
Less expensive idea for kids. In Oct or Nov... pick a item each at the dollar store, daiso store or Christian area of oriental trading store, for each child. 1.Have them pick names and go find something they would get their sibling from those stores (irl or online). And 2. Have each person pick out something they would buy for themselves. The parents can pick one of the gifts or both, for each child. And can give it to them at the end of Christmas, after dinner before bed as a way to end the Christmas season.
You could pick out one inexpensive gift for a family member and a more expensive gift to gift to others in the holiday season to bless those who do not have much.
You can also gift a donation in a family members honor, to a reputable ministry that shares the Gospel.
You can gift the family member gospel tracts, or pay their annual online fees/costs for sharing the gospel, or something like this.
If you dont do gifts cuz its materialism and
you dont do that 365 days a year either 🙃
, then discuss w your spouse, and tell your kids "hey we arent like the world, we love you and give you things you need all year long, but also college is coming, a wedding is near, a event, etc and we dont want to go into debt to do seasonal gifts etc", whatever you will say, but be consistant year long in that decision, from now on. Dont be person who buys whatever year round for yourself, a qvc queen, a amazon spender, a web buyer, a mall shopper etc, all during the year (and on birthdays or anniversaries) and
then say "no gifts at Christmas", thats
hypocritical. You could change Christmas to homemade gifts, giving the gift of a written letter to family (about their gratitude and good thoughts for each person), sending inexpensive or home printed Christmas cards to everyone with their letter enclosed, gifting certain people baked cookies, making granola jars, hot coco jars, a homemade family
coupons box, video messages, gifting something as a video you saw online, a free kindle book, etc...
Or giving to others
...doing those homemade gifts for the (genuinely) needy instead of those you know, and gifting the neighbors in area you know with family carol singing, handing out candycane baggy treats with a tract, various ideas.
Doing a Christ Christmas themed lawn display where you all are outside (when decorated lights are on) to give out sugar free caffeine free hot coco or caffeine free nice flavored tea and a candycane tract baggy to those who come out to see it. You can sing carols on the lawn while people are there, maybe do a special with those ringing colored bells, too, etc. and share the video clips of these moments with extended family, and friends out of the area, etc.
Notify neighbors in Oct that there will be a planned Christmas Carols event happening at Christmas and if theyd like to be notified by text when it will be coming near them [👉send text out a couple min b4 you are at their place...place by place]. *Ask if anyone will be on shift work and sleeping during that time so you dont sing loudly passing their home, and dont stop at their door,....and can sing a bit quieter at the neighbors before that sleeping house. Decide if youll sing thru the neighborhood (consumes time), or at certian houses you know. Get their buy in so you dont disturb them. But if they have gathered as a family they might think it festive to open the door and hear. Plus, find out if church members, even elderly ones are in your area, and treat them if theyre open to it. Even consider a convalesant hospital if theyll let you walk through to a gathering area to sing a bit. And you can give a little cheer to them this season and a big "Merry Christmas".
If you want a tree, use it as an opportunity to explain the symbology and then read
the Christmas story or play a video of it for everyone to gather round to hear.
Bonus: Addl videos to play...
>who are they? (from Abraham to after Jesus)
>what they believed & how
>what was the star?
More:
Trees arent necessary. But do point to the Tree of Life and the Cross.
Family traveling to meet up at your place, to eat, celebrate Christ, and do festive God honoring things is fine. This includes showing Jesus movies, sharing the Christmas story, telling the reason Christ's birth is important, the purpose of His mission, connecting it to Resurrection Day (aka easter), sharing the gospel, and going to worship at Christmas service, going into the community to share the Gospel, sing carols, sing Christmas songs at home, centering the fun and festive times on Christ... these are all good things that glorify God, and teach our young family members about Jesus and His importance. It is also a time family can ask questions, parents can have discussions on faq (current culture & atheist type answers) for resolving them with biblical answers. Celebrating Christmas is worth our time. It brings Glory and focus on Christ. And strengthens the faith of those who are having doubts, solidifies the faith of those growing in Christ, and gives us courage to share Jesus with those we know and those we dont.
Think of things you can do this season to center yourself & your family on Christ, and outreach opportunities to be involved in as well. And make it a new family tradition, that is done as a family even after the kids move out.
Notify extended family
If family Christmas is not at your home, but could be, then get the family buy in to all meet at your place. So everything can be Christ focused there. If extended family dont buy in... then do it with your family, and post videos and do video calls while you are doing Christ-Christmas to loop the family into what you are all up to that day.
This might mean sending an email or group chat info out: asking your extended family to change the day they celebrate, so you are home with your family on Christmas to be involved in what you've now planned. Do Invite extended family to your place on Sunday (for worship service and extended Christmas) as a new tradition for whenever Christmas falls Wed thru Sat. It then becomes a thing.
Plan out what your family does during extended holiday week.
Of what you do and are involved in from Wed to Sunday, available days of happenings through the weekend Christmas season with your own family.
Just note any changes to what your family participates in for gifts, as well and make sure it is in early October, before they all start buying gifts. "Due to the cost of gifts at Christmas we are no longer buying gifts for people and not even our children. We are able to for the extended family gathering, provide 1 gift under $20 (by picking names from a hat). Not giving purchased gifts for children in the family, but can consider an alternative if a gift of some kind is necessary. Gifts are optional and not necessary to give to our children, but if gifting, we do ask for our [the parents] approval on any gift before you buy it, to ensure it fits with what we allow in our household. These changes are to reflect a more Christ centered focus on the Christmas season, and to stay out if debt."
If you follow the traditional gifting, or alternative gifting ideas then use them to point to God the gift giver, and the importance of Christ the most valuable gift God has given to humanity.
⭐ACTIVITIES FOR FAMILY ON HOLIDAYS ⭐
Bonus idea 😅
Maybe in red color on back spell out JESUS
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What about Christmas cheer?
During this season, Will i say Merry Christmas? Yes.
It is a way to glorify God, remind people the holiday about Jesus, and possibly start gospel convos.
If someone at a store says happy holidays, will I correct them? No. Why? Because while it is Christmas, it is a holiday in our society, while they know God is real, that it at its core is about Jesus... they are likely not a Christian, and by trying to force them to say that phrase, it doesnt draw people to Jesus for salvation. It puts up a wall for them.
Is it a season of holidays? Yes. Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. Is it true its the holidays season? Yes.
If they say happy holidays, can i say merry Christmas & give them a gospel tract (& be cheerful and kind)? Yes. Strive to do good and speak good and in kindness.
The better focus of the season is to share the gospel with the unsaved, and probable false converts, and... to make sure at home our focus and impact is for Christ.
Celebrate Christ during Christmas. Not worldly things, focus it 👉 on Christ. 😊
Meme truth:
*They'll get mad no matter what you say.
They hate Christ.
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Question.
Are you saved? Are you sure?👉
Be sure
Looking for Tracts you to share, go
here and
here
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Feel free to show &
share this video 👈 at Christmas
One Perfect Life, the story of Jesus
*Free messages, and a book offer
👉A great gift to gift others this Christmas.
A great free movie on the topic:
Saving Christmas, ft. Kirk Cameron is absolutely a must watch for every Christian.
*Make sure you watch it today 💫
*Free to watch on: Roku, Youtube, Plutotv and Tubi tv in 2023
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Jumps to St Nick Story:
What people don't know about
St Nicolaus.
Sant'i colaus
Santa Claus
Saint Nicholas was a 4th-century Greek bishop of Myra (modern day Turkey). He was known for his generosity and kindness, which gave rise to legends of miracles he performed for the poor and unhappy.
Saint Nicholas's feast day is celebrated on December 6th, and over time he has become associated with the Christmas season. He is often depicted as a jolly old man with a white beard and a red suit, and he is said to bring gifts to children on Christmas Eve.
Saint Nicholas is also the patron saint of many different groups, including children and travelers. He is also the patron saint of many countries and cities, including Greece, Russia, and the Netherlands.
Saint Nicholas was a 4th-century Greek bishop of Myra (now Demre, Turkey). He was known for his generosity and kindness, which gave rise to legends of miracles he performed for the poor and unhappy. He is also said to have been a protector of sailors and travelers.
Saint Nicholas's feast day is celebrated on December 6th, and over time he has become associated with the Christmas season. He is often depicted as a jolly old man with a white beard and a red suit, and he is said to bring gifts to children on Christmas Eve.
Saint Nicholas is also the patron saint of many different groups, including children, sailors, merchants, and travelers. He is also the patron saint of many countries and cities, including Greece, Russia, and the Netherlands.
Briefly:
Saint Nicholas was a 4th-century Greek bishop who was known for his generosity and kindness. He is associated with the Christmas season and is often depicted as Santa Claus. He is the patron saint of many different groups, including children, sailors, merchants, and travelers.
Think about culture in his era: they grew long beards back then like in bible times. The winter months are cold so they wear warm jackets. How did they travel? Horseback. He likely rode a multi-horse drawn carriage. Sound familiar? His generosity and kindness made him a likable guy, a jolly guy. As a religious person, he was one who loved the Lord and cared about others.
The story of Saint Nicholas and the stocking of pennies is one of the most famous legends about the saint. It is said that Saint Nicholas heard of a poor family who had three daughters. The father was unable to provide dowries for his daughters, so he was planning to sell them into marriage.
Saint Nicholas wanted to help the family, but he did not want to draw attention to his generosity. So on Christmas Eve, he snuck to the house and dropped a bag of gold coins down the chimney. The gold coins landed in the stockings that the daughters had hung to dry by the fire.
When the daughters awoke the next morning, they were overjoyed to find the gold coins in their stockings. The money allowed them to avoid being sold into marriage and to live comfortably for the rest of their lives.
There are many different versions of this story, but they all share the same basic elements: Saint Nicholas's generosity, his desire to help those in need, and his use of the stocking as a way to deliver his gifts discreetly.
The story is often interpreted as a metaphor for the importance of helping others, even if we can only do so in small ways. It is also a reminder that Saint Nicholas is a example for everyone, regardless of their social status or financial situation.
Saint Nicholas's generosity saved those daughters from a fate they did not want.
The story of Saint Nicholas and the stocking of pennies is a reminder that even the smallest act of kindness can make a big difference in someone's life. It is also a reminder that Saint Nicholas is a saint (that means: a Christian) who cares for all people, regardless of their circumstances.
And if you read the earlier linked info you would know pennies in stockings, goodies in shoes and why parents thru the 90s put an orange in there too. Btw did you know oranges were preventative for scurvy, sailors used to get that disease, but not anymore.
Did you visit the link explaining when Jesus real birthday was from the sacred calendar link?
If you didnt read the earlier above St Nick link either, or the others, please go back and go through all of them. Theyre linked for good reasons.
The Meaning of Christmas
Final notes on Christ's Birth
Gentiles do not grasp very clear things Isrselites/Jews would easily connect to their culture and history. It is why Pastors study and research deeply to present a sermon/Bible study to us to help us "connect the dots". Here are a few more examples:
* The Stone trough Jesus was kept at in the manger is symbolic of Him as the Cornerstone. Did you catch that?
* The cloth strips he was wrapped in as swaddling clothes for Him is not like what gentiles or foreigners use from the hospitals to wrap a baby in, actually it was discarded clothes Priests in the Temple wore. When priests got new clothes they discarded the old. What did they do with them? Poor people repurposed & used them to wrap up dead people for burial. The clothes Jesus wore were for burial. *Did you catch that? (Also Jesus is our great High Priest).
>Jesus came to discard the old and bring in the New. This is discussed about old wine skins in Mark.
*The caves or places used where this manger area was was used for protecting and separating the unblemished lambs for use in Temple as sacrificial lambs. Did you catch that?
> Animals in Israel were always brought in at night; into the house of the people who owned them. They werent kept separately in some barn. They came inside to be protected by the family from wolves and prey seeking animals. This place Jesus was kept was a special place.
-Many in Israel still do this. They are awaiting the Temple rebuilt so they can do sacrifices again. They still separate out the unblemished and when the Millennial Kingdom arrives and Jesus reinstitutes sacrifices as symbolic celebrations pointing to what He did then the Jews will come to Him as a nation having turned to Him in the Tribulation era.
* The gifts the Magi; the King makers, brought were specific for burials. These came from the King in Daniels era creating a special group, (because the God of Israel was the only living God and things came true that Daniel said), with Mishack Shadrak and Abendigo and that group continued until the time of Christ's birth. Those followed the Star they were waiting for. Did you catch that?
Let us remember why Jesus came and what it means for you.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23
Don't lie to your kids
10 important reasons Christians must tell your kids the truth about Santa
I hope this information has educated and helped you today. And freed you to enjoy and celebrate Christmas. 🌟🎉
God bless.
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