[Faith-talk] Christmas Mourning

Tue Dec 16 14:35:05 UTC 2008

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Christmas Mourning

Keith Green 

 Christmas Mourning
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I'll never forget the incredible joy and expectation of Christmas. Our house
smelled like a Douglas fir. The tinsel and ornaments sparkled in the colored
lights. Friends and relatives came to visit... all with smiles and
laughter... and all with presents!! The season was full of life, warmth, and
giving. They are the very best memories of my childhood. The air outside was
cold and crisp. And inside, always the smell of something baking. If anyone
asked me to describe "joy" in one word, it would have been Christmas.

I remember taking a drive to an area of town where a whole street prided
itself on their Christmas displays and lights. The whole neighborhood spent
thousands of dollars to light up their front lawns with scenes of snow,
Santas, reindeer, and mangers. I always used to wonder what the manger had
to do with Santa, candy canes, and jingle bells, but it didn't bother me
enough to ask.

When I was about 10 or 11, I noticed the word "Xmas." I wondered what the
"X" was for. I concluded it meant "criss," as in "crisscross." It never even
entered my mind that it replaced "Christ"! Yes, there were school Christmas
plays and other things that talked about the birth of Jesus having something
to do with Christmas, but it never really was the main emphasis in my young
mind. I only wished that it would be Christmas all year, and Jesus had
nothing to do with it! But when I was 21, I met Jesus, and since then it has
been Christmas all year... and Jesus has had everything to do with it!

The Origin Of Christmas

In the third century A.D., a wonderful thing happened. Constantine, the
Roman emperor, became a Christian. For almost 300 years the Christians had
been praying for their emperor's salvation. Nobody believed it was true! But
then came the royal decree... Christianity was made the religion of the
state. Everyone was strongly urged to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and
only deity. At the risk of seeming uncooperative (and believing that it
would be safest politically and sociaially), almost everyone in the empire
made "professions of faith" in the new religion. This, of course, delighted
Constantine.

After a while there arose a great problem. What were they to do with all
their other gods? And what about all the great feasts and celebrations,
especially the winter solstice and the spring equinox? Before Constantine's
conversion, the whole empire would lustily celebrate these festivals to
their gods and goddesses. What would they do now? Constantine knew that,
although almost everyone had outwardly confessed Christianity, they were in
no way prepared to give up their cherished celebrations. What he had on his
hands was a kingdom full of "unconverted converts"!

As the restlessness and dissatisfaction of his people grew, the emperor knew
something had to be done. So, in desperation, he declared two major
"religious" holidays. They would correspond exactly to the times of the old
great celebrations. He declared December 25 (for centuries celebrated as
Saturnalia, the birthday of the sun) as the celebration of the birthday of
Christ. (Although historians say that Jesus was probably born sometime in
October.) A great mass or religious service would be held in honor of Jesus'
birth on that day (hence, Christ-mas). He also declared the old holiday of
the spring equinox to be the celebration of Christ's resurrection. (The old
emphasis of the festival was the worship of the goddess of fertility-which
is where we get the Easter Bunny.) The grumbling masses were thus quieted
when they realized that they could once again celebrate their great
holidays. Oh yes, the festivals might be called something different, and
they might have to go to some "religious ceremonies," but for the most part,
things could get back to normal, and their old festivities could again be
heartily resumed.

St. Nick

The history of the man Nicholas (who was later made a saint by the Roman
Church) is vague and sketchy. But one thing stands out about his character -
he loved the poor and needy, and at every Christmas he used to give gifts to
the widows and orphans. He was loved by all, especially children. This is
how the tradition and practice of gift-giving was started. The folklore
fantasy called Santa Claus grew over the centuries and now is the central
image of a secular Christmas, where an average of over $150 each is spent on
gifts for every man, woman, and child in the United States alone!

The True Meaning Of Christmas

I've heard a lot of talk (especially by Christians) about the true meaning
of Christmas. I've seen Christians go in for all the trappings and
trimmings. They spend hours, even days, in department stores trying to
figure out what to buy for friends and relatives who already have everything
they need ... sitting around the tree and watching nervously while someone
opens up the present you got them, as they try to look surprised and squeal
with delight... parents teaching their young what they call "a harmless
fairy tale" - the story of Santa and how "he's gonna bring you lots of
presents, so you better be good." And all the while, a world full of
starving, deprived people are silently, invisibly looking in through your
living room window begging for a scrap of food, a rag to keep them from
shivering to death, and an answer to their misery, suffering, and
oppression.

When we consider all the money spent by all of us, during a season that's
reatest meaning is the Father giving us His only Son to come live and die
for us, we must cry out against the injustice of an American, Christian
people, who have so much and do so little. The true meaning of this season
should be to give ourselves to the work of spreading the Gospel. Proclaiming
freedom to the captives! Giving them bread to eat, then pointing them to the
Bread of Life, to fill their hungry souls.

Some Suggetsions

As a part of your Christmas celebration this year, we suggest taking your
children to a ghetto, to a hospital, to an orphanage, to an old-age home.
Teach them the meaning of giving. Teach them it is foolish for us to spend
money on things we don't need, and on things that others don't need. Let
them spread joy to those who are miserable! Let them give a smile to an old
woman's face, whose own children have forgotten and abandoned her in a
convalescent hospital. Let them empty their piggy banks and send the money
to missions and the poor. Let there be giving! Costly giving! Let us give
our Lord Jesus the whole world for His birthday! The world and the Lord
await our response...

Keith Green, 2/21/2007 

Feedback:	

  <http://lastdaysministries.org/images/emoticons/rosiecheeks.gif>
Jaime (Guest)	 6/24/2008, 12:34 AM	 	
WOW.....thank you....
I was posting my own warnings and ideas
on my apartment complexes Cork News Board.
This is even better....

A good description of how Christmas came about....
and the paganism behind most of the celebration of it.

Mary
<http://lastdaysministries.org/Articles/1000030834/Last_Days_Ministries/LDM/
Discipleship_Teachings/Mary_of_Nazareth.aspx> of Nazareth	
Article of the life of Mary More
<http://lastdaysministries.org/Articles/1000030834/Last_Days_Ministries/LDM/
Discipleship_Teachings/Mary_of_Nazareth.aspx> ... 	
Melody Green	

Zeal:
<http://lastdaysministries.org/Articles/1000008658/Last_Days_Ministries/LDM/
Discipleship_Teachings/Zeal_Love_Ablaze.aspx> Love Ablaze!	
Enoch had prophesied, saying, "Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of
His holy ones." I More
<http://lastdaysministries.org/Articles/1000008658/Last_Days_Ministries/LDM/
Discipleship_Teachings/Zeal_Love_Ablaze.aspx> ... 	
Leonard Ravenhill	

Your
<http://lastdaysministries.org/Articles/1000008657/Last_Days_Ministries/LDM/
Discipleship_Teachings/Your_Day_In.aspx> Day In Court	
In a very brief and very brilliant biography of a famous English preacher,
one of the greatest preachers that ever preached in America or England, it
says that he had some very strange habits. More
<http://lastdaysministries.org/Articles/1000008657/Last_Days_Ministries/LDM/
Discipleship_Teachings/Your_Day_In.aspx> ... 	
Leonard Ravenhill	

You
<http://lastdaysministries.org/Articles/1000008656/Last_Days_Ministries/LDM/
Discipleship_Teachings/You_Are_A.aspx> Are A Dangerous Generation	
So it is with your generation. More
<http://lastdaysministries.org/Articles/1000008656/Last_Days_Ministries/LDM/
Discipleship_Teachings/You_Are_A.aspx> ... 	
Melody Green	

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