I OBJECT TO CHRISTMAS... OBJECTIONS.

I OBJECT TO CHRISTMAS… OBJECTIONS

ROMANS 14:1-3

Pastor Rick Jackson

I love Christmas. I love the season… preaching on Christmas themes… carols, giving gifts, being remembered by others, etc. It is sad that some don’t enjoy Christmas. Some Christians are sour, cantankerous, and full of objections about Christmas. They should avoid criticizing others for honest, worshipful, spiritual and loving attitudes about Christmas. I want to answer some objections some people have about Christmas.

I. THEY SAY CHRISTMAS IS NOT REALLY CHRIST’S BIRTHDAY [Romans 14:5-6]

How do they know? I can prove from the Bible that it is actually pretty close if not on that day but that is another message for another time. Do they object to someone born on Feb. 29^th celebrating yearly? Do they think it is wrong to set aside one Thursday out of November being a national day of Thanksgiving? What is wrong with using Christmas to teach the REAL meaning of Christmas? Is it wrong to celebrate the birth of the Messiah and Saviour as the angels, shepherds, saints, and wise men did?

II. THEY SAY “CHRISTMAS” MEANS “CHRIST’S MASS” AND THUS A CATHOLIC HOLIDAY [to be avoided by Baptists & Protestants]

That seems a foolish objection to me. Many places have heathen names but rarely does someone associate them with heathenism. I lived in “Chattanooga” for 13 years and never had a person object to it being a non-Christian name, nor associate it with heathenism. 7^th Day Adventist use a similar foolish argument about worshipping on Sunday- (as if we should not worship God on every day). They say “Sunday” was named for sun worship. Well, news flash- “Saturday” was named for the heathen god “Saturn”. No-one has reference to Saturn when they worship, work, or play on Saturday. January is named from the Roman god “Janus”- are we sinning by using that name? Do the objectors use it? Christmas to most means Christ mas- Catholics may have a mass- but we don’t. [Romans 14:5-6]

III. THEY CLAIM DECEMBER 25 WAS A HEATHEN HOLIDAY ADAPTED BY THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.

Aside from the fact that this is unproven- who cares? Heathen people do something every day. Indoor plumbing is used by heathen everyday- does that mean Christians shouldn’t use it? We would have less Scripture, less spiritual songs, less spirit of honoring Christ if we quit using electricity to get out the Gospel. All days belong to Jesus and December 25^th should be used to honor Him as well. We have changed ourselves- once the world, the flesh and the Devil controlled us (Eph. 2) but now Christ lives within- why not use every day to honor Christ- Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween, and all days ending in the letter “y”. [Romans 14:5-6]

IV. THEY SAY JEREMIAH 10:3-4 FORBIDS CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS.

Read verses 5-11. They aren’t talking about Christmas trees and such. They are talking about idols. If you worship your tree you are wrong of course but even when I was lost I didn’t do that. An English missionary named Boniface went to Germany and found the Germans worshipping oak trees. Boniface told them God was LIKE the evergreen- which didn’t appear dead in the winter and is unchanging.  Malachi 3:6 says “For I am the LORD, I change not;”

The Bible doesn’t forbid Christmas trees. Yes, some people foolishly worshipped trees. Some foolishly worship animals, science falsely-so-called, nature, stars, planets, etc. A Christmas tree is merely a decoration- an expression of joy. How about the decoration of graves on Memorial Day- is that worship or abomination? I think not. [Romans 14:5-6]

V. THEY SAY THERE IS TOO MUCH REVELRY DURING CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS. [1 Peter 4:2-5]

I agree, so- don’t do that. Be a testimony. Be an example of how Christmas should be celebrated. Don’t drink alcoholic beverages, don’t be materialistic, don’t lie about mythical beings when you can tell the truth about Christ. Should we turn it over to Satan and wicked people just because some misuse it? What about the Bible? They misuse it [2 Peter 3:16]. What about the name of Christ [James 2:7]?

VI. THEY SAY IT IS NOT PROPER TO GIVE GIFTS TO OTHERS ON CHRIST’S BIRTHDAY [Esther 9:22, Neh. 8:10; Mt. 19:21, 20:15, 25:40, Lk. 19:8 be sure our motives are correct]

Certainly Christ should be first- every day! [Mt. 6:33]

VII. THEY SAY THE WORLD IS TRYING TO ELIMINATE CHRIST BY SAYING “X-MAS”.

If that is the case, then they are ignorant. “X” is an abbreviation for Christ because in the Greek alphabet it is the first letter of the title “Christ”. I only use it for myself to save time in writing and don’t use it publically to avoid confusion, but historically that’s not what people who used it were doing. I don’t use certain words for much the same reason though historically speaking there is nothing wrong with the word.

BOTTOM LINING IT- [Romans 14:5-6]