The secular world is always attacking Christmas. Oh, how the economy would suffer if we were still celebrating this holiday! It 'true that there are many who prefer that Christ had nothing to do with Christmas.
Before we Christians get our lederhosen in a twist in the defense of our beloved holiday, let's consider a few things about this celebration of the night was born of our dear Saviour. " There will be surprised to find that Christ - and many Christian traditions - haslittle to do with Christmas as we know it.
I'm not a troublemaker, MA ...
When it comes to the Christmas show and Nativity recognize, let us just how wrong they are. They always connect the visit of the Shepherds (found in the Gospel of Luke), with the visit of the Magi (from Matthew's Gospel), in a birthday party harmonized.
You see, in Luke's Gospel goes, the Bill's look like this: Shepherd's are displayed on the field and an angeland forwards them to Bethlehem to visit, in which the child is born (Luke 2). Verse 16 says, "they went with haste and found their way to Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger." We must not forget that the point: a child in the manger. The Greek word does not mean clearly refers to a newborn. Luke never mentions "wise men" or "magician."
Then, when you look at Matthew we read anything about shepherds or a manger. Here's how Matthew tells hisThe story (Chapter 2): "Now after Jesus was in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king had been born Magi from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, etc." After Jesus was born, they were the kings of Jerusalem and asked .. where a king was born in this particular area are six said, in Bethlehem So, here goes the story begins in verse 11: "After I entered the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and she fell to the ground. and loved it . Then opentheir treasures to Him gifts of gold brought, frankincense and myrrh. "You've got to come when the Magi come in and find a house, not a small child - as in Luke - but a small child over the age of a child, after the Greek word.
These facts demonstrate two things for us:
1) The shepherds came shortly after the birth of Jesus and visited him while he was still in the cradle.
2) The Magi arrived about two years later and visited the child inhome of her parents' in Bethlehem.
Matthew and Luke tell two different stories that we have somehow tried to merge. The accounts of creation should not be combined because they describe the different stages of the childhood of Jesus that Herod killed all Bethlehem boys age 2 and proved that Jesus was about age.
That's because, when scenes of the Nativity and the Christmas show are both shepherds and wise men, they do so against Biblical testimony andunlike the Gospels themselves short, in two separate telescope, a variety of events. This means that festivals are evil? No, but means that they are inaccurate.
The sensible gifts OF THE MAGI
The gifts were the Magi to the Christ Child (Re), where East. There were really three? Probably not, but there were at least two. Let's look at what these gifts and what they represent. The three gifts that we read in Matthew 2 are a large part ofthe story of the Gospel, because they are a symbol for the reason that Jesus was born in a human body, are an expression of his ministry on earth.
Matthew 2.10-11 "... After I entered the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and she fell down and worshiped him ... gave him gifts. Gold, frankincense and myrrh"
First, the gold of his king that he tell the true king of kings.
Secondly, says the incense of his real reason for leavingthe glory of heaven and of the Incarnation ... His priesthood. We read in Hebrews 2:17 that he, like us was that he could be our "faithful priest in things pertaining to God."
And third, myrrh, His death on the cross (Hebrews 2:17) "to make atonement for the sins of the people."
According to Joseph of Arimathea, a disciple of Jesus, had the right to remove Jesus from the cross and lay people gave to Joseph's tomb itself was built, Nicodemus came and broughtembalming materials to help with the burial of Jesus, we are told in John 19:39: "Nicodemus, who had come to him in the night, also came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds." Myrrh was used as an embalming ointment. Myrrh was also an incense frequently used in perfumes. It will be recalled, in John 12:1-7, that Mary, the sister of Lazarus, a glass perfume true nard and anointed the feet of Jesus took. When Judas Iscariot chastised her for this reason Jesussaid, "Let them ... in order to keep the joy of my funeral."
On the website Bible Fragrances --- --- http://www.biblefragrances.net/nard.html reads:
In the Old Testament, nard is referred to in Song of Solomon as a symbol of the intimate nature of love of the bride. This is the point at which initiated the relationship with their loved ones. If the perfume of nard is named, the bride recognizes her beloved as such.
In this sense, we see thatMary was represented, all Christians through the centuries, that the Bride of Christ, and recognizes the worship and adoring the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ.
Thus we see the gold representing His royalty, frankincense represented his priesthood, and myrrh, his death represented. This is the true meaning of gifts at Christmas, when the story of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to tell it all. If you really give your family, your children and especiallyGrandchildren, the best Christmas possible, very present with them the story of 'Birth of Jesus and why he came to earth as the mediator between God and man.
Do not go broke buying gifts. Instead, give your family the most precious gift, Jesus Christ.
Happy Birthday, Jesus?
I know many people say that Christmas is not really the true time of Jesus' birth right, because no one really knows the true date of his birth. We know that Mary and Joseph traveledin Bethlehem for the census of Caesar Augustus decreed that all must go to their city are recorded and counted. Now that the Roman government taxed the Jews, they would probably just have to wait after the fall harvest, to encourage them to leave their fields, or to tax the harvest would be smaller. The Romans wanted more for their money, you might say.
I also read that it was most likely in early autumn, when the shepherds in the field even withtheir herds. In December, it would be too cold for them to have their sheep in the fields.
It 'also true that December 25th was chosen because it was a holiday pagan festival, Saturnalia, a Roman festival, and has nothing to do with' the birth of Jesus Put yourself in the place of Christians in this period. They saw the bustle of the Roman Saturnalia festival all have seen many of their friends and families are attracted to the good old daysthat the festival. What could they do? Just like many Christians today Halloween "alternative parties" offer for their children, decided by the pagan rituals of Halloween, to keep the Christians in this day to celebrate an alternative to Saturnalia. What better than to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ? The most natural thing to do to celebrate the Christians a holy event, while their neighbors were busy celebrating their pagan festival. 'S why we celebrate December25. as the birth of Jesus Christ.
If you think we should celebrate his birth each day, there is no greater gift than the gift of God, the birth of his son, who had come to be our our King of kings, our high priest, and the order to die in our place because we had a chance to be reborn, free from sin.
Share this priceless gift for your family. Tell them the true story of Christmas.
They have an amazing Christmas! Uh ... Incidentally,the word "Christmas" comes from Middle English "Cristemas" and the Old English "Cristes fair, or festival of Christ .... If you are interested in.
Every blessing,
Michael Tummillo
A servant of God
[HTTP: / / www.YourTown4Jesus.org]
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