It is evident that the Christmas celebrated around the world falls into 2 categories A & B.Every person celebrating Christmas will be either in A or B.
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| Nativity scene of Christ born at the manger.... |
A ) 1.Political Christmas
2 .Religious Christmas
3. Social Christmas
B ) 1.Heavenly Christmas
2.Wisemen Christmas
1.Political Christmas: “After
Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from
the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born
king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to
worship him.”
When King Herod heard this he was
disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
Then Herod called the Magi
secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent
them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as
you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”(Matt 2:3-5,
7-8).
When Herod heard about the Christmas he
worried that a new KING has born. Even today the Birth of Christ is remarkable
in the politics of the world. I mean the Birth of Christ worries the political
world because Jesus has brought a New Kingdom which is from Heaven with
different set of rules and standards. Many nations are closed doors to the
Kingdom of God. Many nations are persecuting the Kingdom of God. They think because
the Birth of Christ may change the nations, politics and government. The
standards of His Kingdom is not compatible with the standards of this world.
However Herod told the Wiseman that He would like to worship Christ but his
heart was far away to kill Christ for the political gain rather than humbly
submitting to worship the KING of Kings and Lord of Lords. Today many people
are celebrating the Political Christmas with their mouth but their heart is far
away from God. Politicians of this world are ready to rever Christ as a great
man of the history rather than worshipping Him as a Son of God.
Here is an excerpt from Last Day
Christians…….about the time of Herod’s rule.
When Jesus was born, the biggest
issue of the day was wanting lower taxes and a different government. Sound
familiar? In Jerusalem, the capital, we read, 'When Herod the King heard [about
Jesus], he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.' (Matthew 2:3 NKJV) As a
result, he committed one of history's greatest atrocities by killing every
Jewish baby boy under the age of two, in order to get at Jesus. And today Jesus
still forces a reaction in the hearts of men and women! That's why some people
want to take Him out of the classroom, the courtroom and government. The forces
of darkness are set on a course of trying to remove His name, His influence and
His authority from all public life. Why? Because when you do away with God,
there's no higher power than yourself, so you get to play God! Lenin, the
father of Russian Communism, reputedly said of Christ, 'His kingdom is
invisible, His rule is in the hearts of men, so He can't be tolerated.' As a
result, over 20 million people died during the Russian revolution in an attempt
to build an atheistic state. But fighting God is futile; it's a battle you
can't win, because ultimately '...every knee shall bow... and every tongue
confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.' (Philippians 2:10-11 NIV) Every prophecy
concerning Christ's first coming was fulfilled to the letter, and every
prophecy concerning His second coming will be too. So if you want to meet Him
in peace, surrender your life to Him today and accept Him as your Saviour.
2. Religious Christmas: The Religious Christmas is the Christmas celebrated by the so called Christian Religion. See how the Christian Religion celebrates it with huge pomp and gaity.Less time for the word of God to worship Christ and more time for fun & entertainment. The Chief priests and teachers of the law they have full knowledge of the Bible and prophecies but their heart is far away from humbly worshiping Christ. They are not at all bothered about the child born in a manger. All they worried about is the Religion. None of the priests and teachers had been to the manger to worship Christ who has born according to the prophecies. How bad religion is for the people today. I noticed this is same with the so called Christian Religion today. How many people have personal relationship with Christ and how many people regularly worship Christ as David and Daniel who praised and prayed to God 3-7 times a day.
2. Religious Christmas: The Religious Christmas is the Christmas celebrated by the so called Christian Religion. See how the Christian Religion celebrates it with huge pomp and gaity.Less time for the word of God to worship Christ and more time for fun & entertainment. The Chief priests and teachers of the law they have full knowledge of the Bible and prophecies but their heart is far away from humbly worshiping Christ. They are not at all bothered about the child born in a manger. All they worried about is the Religion. None of the priests and teachers had been to the manger to worship Christ who has born according to the prophecies. How bad religion is for the people today. I noticed this is same with the so called Christian Religion today. How many people have personal relationship with Christ and how many people regularly worship Christ as David and Daniel who praised and prayed to God 3-7 times a day.
"When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.”(Matt 2:4-7)
3. Social/Commercial Christmas: We see Christmas as festival celebrated around the world from various societies. However we do get some opportunity to present the gospel in such social Christmas celebrations. We see commercial establishments, companies, clubs, hotels and business celebrating this as a great event but their heart is far away from worshiping Christ. When Mary was pregnant and about to deliver the baby Christ the society has not given room for the mother and child so they got a place in manger.
King Herod and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem got disturbed when they heard the birth of christ.
"When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him"(Matt 2:3).
Everything goes well as far as the christmas is celebrated by the societies and commercial establishments but it disturbs people to take further step to see where He has born and why He has born on this palnet earth and accept Jesus Christ as the personal savior and worshiping Him alone as the KING of kings and LORD of Lords.It is my personal experience with my near & dear.It is real today that cities and societies are getting disturbed when they hear about the gospel of LORD Jesus Christ.
My friend even today the society has no room for the true Christmas.
“And she had her first son; and folding him in linen, she put him to rest in the place where the cattle had their food, because there was no room for them in the house” (Luke 2:7).
My Dear friend! What type of Christmas are you celebrating!
Are you happy with celebrating Political Christmas! Religious Christmas! Or Social/commercial Christmas?
There are only few people who worshiped Christ with humbleness in their heart and that is the true spirit of celebrating Christmas.
1. Heavenly Christmas: The angels came with good news praising God.
“Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”(Luke 2:13-14).
2. Wiseman Christmas: Wisemen bowed down and worshiped Christ offering him great treasures as gratitude. First worship and then offer your treasure.
“After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route” (Matt 2:10-12)
Jesus admonished us ""Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal."But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal"(Matt 6:19-20).
What is our treasure on earth?Inheritance, gold, money, talents, education and skillset to be used for the Kingdom of God so that we will store up our treasure in Heaven.Why the Bible called them wisemen because they are really wise in the sight of God by offering their valuable time, treasure and wisdom of astronomy to know more about the savior of this world
The Bible always admonishes us "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own"(Matt 6:33-34).
3. Shepherds Christmas: Shepherds came to worship Christ at the manger. Eventhough shepherds are considered to be illiterate people,God chose them to deliver the good news.Above we have seen the wise became real wisemen by knowing Christ and worshiping Him.Here the shepherds who are considered to be weak had the revelation from God.God uses the simple things of this world to shame the strong.The Bible has the history of Genesis to Revelation people belonging to various ethnicity, cultures,languages, professions were being revealed the word of God.All of them have a simple beginnings but achieved mighty things for GOD.
The Bible Says:"For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong,and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are"(1Cor 1:27)............
“When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told”(Luke2:15-20).
Only the Heavenly Hosts, Shepherds and Wiseman had the true spirit of Christmas! Accepting and worshiping Christ as the savior of this world!
I hope and encourage you to have the the true spirit of Christmas like Heavenly Hosts, Shepherds and Wiseman.
Kingdom Blessings!
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