Merry Christmas

Here is something about Christmas you may not know:

Christmas is celebrated on December 25^th; however the actual birthday of Jesus is a mystery. It seems no early historian thought to write down the date of what is easily the most important event in history save for Christ’s Resurrection. While many scholars doubt the December date, it was not arrived at out of the clear blue sky nor was it simply an attempt, as was All Hollows day on Nov. 1, to offset a Pagan Holiday. In fact none of the early theologians or historians references the winter solstice instead it seems that the concept originates from the belief that the conception of Christ like his death was associated with the Passover. A second evidence for a winter date is in the story of John the Baptist whose birth preceded by 6 months that of our Lord. The angel appeared to Zachariah in the temple and said that he and his aged wife, Elisabeth, would bear a son and name him John. It was then in Elisabeth’s sixth month that the angel appeared to Mary. If Zachariah was burning incense at the feast of atonement which is likely, and if his wife conceived shortly after then six months plus another nine would be a very possible late December early January date. A lot of if’s but than again we are speculating, but while there is no direct evidence that Jesus was conceived at the time of Passover but it is impossible to divorce the Jewish laws and traditions from the life of Christ after all those laws were intended to foreshadow the coming of Messiah.

Christmas is my favorite time of year, but what makes it special to me is that I know the Savior born so long ago. He did not enter the world merely to encourage peace and Good will; He came to be the redeeming sacrifice for the sin of the world. So when was He born, no one knows. It makes me happy to think it might be December, but in the end the important thing is that he was born and He died in the place of sinful man and He arose in glorious victory over the grave.  He is coming back too, not as a baby not as a bearded guy in sandles walking the beach with a dozen guys, He is returning as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, to judge the sin and misdeeds of men and only those who have received the forgiveness of His precious blood will stand.

That’s what Christmas means to me.

Finally most of us agree the nation is on the wrong path, so once again I look to the words of one of America’s greatest men to remind us what the right path is, this time Ronald Reagan:

  

When Americans reach out for values of faith, family, and caring for the needy, they're saying, "We want the Word of God. We want to face the future with the Bible"...

I'm accused of being simplistic at times with some of the problems that confront us. But I've often wondered: Within the covers of that single Book are all the answers to all the problems that face us today, if we'd only look there. "The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, but the word of our God shall stand forever." It's my firm belief that the enduring values...presented in its pages have a great meaning for each of us and for our nation...

Now, I realize it's fashionable in some circles to believe that no one in government should... encourage others to read the Bible... that will violate the separation of church and state...Well...the father of our country, George Washington, kissed the Bible at his inauguration...

John Adams called it "the best book in the world." and Ben Franklin said, "... the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth, that God governs in the affairs of men... without His concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel... our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a reproach, a bye-word down to future ages."...

This year, for the first time in history, the Voice of America broadcast a religious service worldwide - Christmas Eve at the National Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C.

Now, these broadcasts are not popular with governments of totalitarian power. But make no mistake, we have a duty to broadcast. Aleksandr Herzen, the Russian writer, warned, "To shrink from saying a word in defense of the oppressed is as bad as any crime." Well, I pledge to you that America will stand up, speak out, and defend the values we share. To those who would crush religious freedom, our message is plain: You may jail your believers. You may close their churches, confiscate their Bibles, and harass their rabbis and priests... But you will never destroy the love of God and freedom that burns in their hearts. They will triumph over you...

Think of it: the most awesome military machine in history, but it is no match for that one single man, hero, strong yet tender, Prince of Peace. His name alone, Jesus, can lift our hearts, soothe our sorrows, heal our wounds, and drive away our fears... With His message and with your conviction and commitment, we can still move mountains. We can work to reach our dreams and to make America a shining city on a hill (Ronald Reagan Presidential Library).

Until next time keep Christ in Christmas!