Christmas
Commemoration
or Confusion?
Facts About the Origin of
Christmas
 Christmas began in the
4th century
 Localized feast days
observing the birth and
baptism of Christ had
begun earlier
 The “church” did not
make December 25 the
day for celebrating Jesus
birth until 345 A.D.
Facts About the Origin of
Christmas
 The original ordinance
was an attempt to
“Christianize” the
pagan world
 Conglomeration of
various pagan
festivals
 Most closely fits the
festival of Saturnalia
Facts About the Origin of
Christmas
 “there is no month in the
year to which respectable
authorities have not
assigned Christ’s birth”
(Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 3,
pg. 74)
 The date never centered
around the actual date of
Jesus birth
 Most cultures had a festival
around the winter solstice
Facts About the Origin of
Christmas
 The hedonistic aspects of
the celebration were not
removed until 1645 in
England
 Christmas was actually
illegal in the Colonies from
1659-1681 because the
hedonism clashed with
Puritan culture
 Became an American
holiday in 1870
What Does God’s Silence on
the Matter tell us?
 The most unique event in
all of history
 Prophesied for centuries
 Unmistakable sign of
God’s direct involvement
in the redemptive plan
 Scripture is absolutely
silent in regards to a
commemoration of the
birth of Christ
What Does God’s Silence on
the Matter tell us?
 Silence authorizes nothing
 Scripture offers clear
indication of approved
observances
 We must learn the lesson of
Uzzah! 1Chron 13
 Many traditional practices
ignore the authority of
Christ to rule over His
kingdom
What Does God’s Silence on
the Matter tell us?
 What about nativity
scenes, angels and
stars?
 How do we separate
such from idolatry??
 Even “innocent” things
can become dangerous
if our understanding is
perverted
What Does God’s Silence on
the Matter tell us?
 What about religious
Christmas songs?
 Are we singing them
all year long??
 Are they so intimately
connected to
Christmas that we
cannot separate them?
Where is our focus??
 Salvation is in the death,
burial and resurrection of
the Lord
 We must be in constant
realization of the price
paid for our redemption
 Focusing too much on
the baby in the manger is
the product of selfish
thinking