Tis the season.
Or tis it not?It’s December now.But does that mean it IS Christmas time, does it really mean ’tis the season’?
Culturally, there is a real change in the emotional atmosphere during this time of year. • Weather can make it feel that way • The Thanksgiving holiday can start that vibe • Christmas music can create that holiday spirit
• TV, radio, billboards and advertisers can prompt it
But why?What for?What is the real reason for the season?
What is the purpose for all of the shopping, music, and get togethers?
Where in the Bible does it say to celebrate Christ’s Birthday every year?
☆ Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?
• Matthew 15:3
Well, this meme about the Die Hard movie put it into perspective for me.
Why?
Because it has been used as a cute sign that the start of the Christmas ’tis the season’ is now finally upon us.
Think about this:
– A picture of a deadly criminal who is being killed, by falling to his death from a skyscraper, in a movie about a crime, that is being thwarted by a cop.
– That just happened to occur during a Christmas Party, that included sex and drugs.
THAT is something being used (with humor) for people to gauge the cultural barometer of when the season of the birth of Christ starts.
That meme used to start showing up mid December.
But NOW it could actually be used in October before Halloween, as now we see Commercials on TV, Retail stores decorated and music on the radio.
– So, this meme is a microcosm of exactly what my point is.
The worlds culture (Including Christians) celebrates 12/25 completely different today than it was celebrated just 20 years ago, and almost diametrically opposite than 100 years ago.
• But that is exactly what the enemy wants.
• Because that is exactly how the enemy works.
• He starts with the frog in the pot process; gradually, but consistently,
But then
• He changes it to the rocket ship method of explosive acceleration.
The world used to collectively know, generally, what December 25th was all about, and many of the those who would celebrate it, would understand that.
But where did this ritual come from?
☆ In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.
• Mark 7:7
But this ’tis the season’ RITUAL stuff, and especially that day one in December, has been incorrectly respected, and is still honored (in almost ALL cases) for way more importance than what it should be.
Tis the Season, in our culture, is now programming our children, from very early on, to have;
• Greed
• Selfishness
• Pride
• Anxiety
• Unrealistic Expectations
• Inappropriate Behavior/Reward Systems
• Resentments
And what was once just ‘The 12 Days of Christmas‘ back then
We now, as a country, ‘Tis the Season’ for a full 60 days, helping these worldly characteristics bake deeply into the Christian, and especially the child.
But we were told NOT to do this in the Bible!
☆ Do not love this world nor the things it offers you,
For when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.
For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions.
• 1 John 2:15-16
In around 330 AD, when the Catholic Church started to recognize Christmas, it was because it was combating a secular holiday.
So in about 900 AD the Church commandeered the Winter Solstice celebration of the ‘heathens’ and instituted it into its annual rituals.
But there is no Biblical precedent to support any ‘tis the season‘ jubilee.
So what is the reason we should Celebrate Jesus?
The reason for celebrating Christ is NOT His birth!
The reason for celebrating Christ is NOT His death!
The reason for celebrating Christ IS HIS RESURRECTION!
But in contrast to Christmas:
– How are we doing, as a country, on the cultural celebration of that?
– How many days do we, as a church, ’tis the season’ there?
How many advertisements, songs or movies do they have for that?
☆ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
• 1 Peter 1:3
Christian,
‘Tis the season’ should be for us all, as I hope it is for you, is EASTER!
Let us enjoy this season.
Let us have fun this Christmas
Let us remember the real purpose of that day
But…
Let us keep the main thing, the main thing…
Christ was NOT born to be celebrated
Christ did NOT die to be celebrated
Christ ROSE AGAIN!
And for that we should…tis the season…every single day!
I love you guys.
