BASIC CHRISTIANITY Q&A
LESSON NUMBER 44 – December 21, 2014
RIO Revolution Church – 3419 East Lamar Alexander Parkway – Maryville, Tennessee
www. riorevolution.net – (865) 984.9200 – Pacer Hepperly, Pastor
This lesson is written to teach basic concepts of Christianity. RIO Revolution Church desires that members and visitors begin
studying the basics of Christian faith. Please study each lesson, as we learn together what we Christians should know and believe.
Lessons are numbered. If you miss lessons, we have replacement lessons available for you. Please share copies of any lessons
you find useful with relatives, friends, neighbors, or co-workers. Help us spread the Good News (the Gospel), which is: Jesus the
Messiah died for our sins and is resurrected to live eternally with those who believe in and follow Him!
DO YOU HAVE UNANSWERED QUESTIONS ABOUT CHRISTMAS?
INTRODUCTION. You may have unanswered questions about Christmas. We will try to anticipate– and briefly answer– some of these
questions.
WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF THE NAME “CHRISTMAS?” WHY IS THIS EVENT CELEBRATED? “Christmas” is derived from the Catholic
observance of “Christ's mass.” Jesus' birth is mentioned in only two of the Gospels– Matthew and Luke– and is prophesied in the Old
Testament. So little is written about Jesus' birth because Bible authors may have thought this event was not as important as other aspects of
His life. Certainly, the death and resurrection of Jesus are far more important than His birth. Your salvation is secured by Jesus' death (New
Covenant), not His birth. Trying to piece together a chronology of Jesus' birth is often difficult and controversial.
WHAT WAS THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM? Many have speculated about the Star of Bethlehem (read Matthew 2:2, 7, 9-10), but the true
nature of this star remains a mystery. Messiah's star may have been prophesied in Numbers 24:17, but the star in this verse may prophesy
Jesus' Second Coming, rather than His First Coming, or may prophesy the Messiah Himself. Possibilities for the Star of Bethlehem include:
●-Comet: A comet, a rock-ice body, can have a dramatic tail, as it nears the sun. A comet could have passed near earth at the time of Jesus'
birth and is now hurtling through space far from our view. The world's most famous comet, Halley's Comet, passed too early to earth (11 BC)
to be considered. Chinese records indicate a “new” star (comet? nova?) was seen between March 10 and April 27, 5 BC.
●-Conjunction of planets: Planet orbits occasionally cause two or more planets to seem to lie closely side by side as viewed from earth,
giving them an unusually bright appearance. Jupiter and Saturn were involved in such an arrangement in 6 BC.
●-Supernova: A star occasionally explodes, creating a supernova, which shines brilliantly for a brief time before dimming and becoming
invisible. If a supernova caused the Star of Bethlehem, light from that exploding star has long disappeared by now. (Latin nova = “new”)
●-Created star: Of course, God, the Creator of the Universe, may have created the Star of Bethlehem just for this occasion.
The common explanations noted above presume a bright light in the sky. If the magi tried to travel from the east toward a bright light in the
west, they would never find a manger in Bethlehem. The light would always travel in front of them, similar to the Irish tall tale of finding a pot
of gold at the end of a rainbow. God could easily have directed a beam of light from the sky to Jesus' birth place, and only the magi saw or
recognized the light.
WHO WERE THE MAGI? The magi (“wise men”) were scholars in lands to the east of Israel (Babylon, Persia. Media, and other nations).
Magi served as teachers, priests, physicians, astrologers, seers, interpreters of dreams, augers, soothsayers, and sorcerers. They would
have had knowledge of numerous religious teachings, including the Jewish prophecies of a Messiah who would be born in Judea, and they
would have had knowledge of the motions and appearances of heavenly bodies of light. We first read about the magi in Matthew 2:1: Now
after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,....
[our underlining for emphasis]
We usually think that there were three magi because they brought three gifts to the Holy Infant and probably because of a Christmas song,
“We Three Kings of Orient Are.” The magi were not kings, as this song suggests. We do know there were at least two magi (the New
Testament Greek text indicated these men were magoi [plural of magos]). Our English word “magi” obviously comes from the Greek magoi.
IS THERE SIGNIFICANCE TO THE GIFTS OF THE MAGI? Yes. The magi's gifts were highly prophetic of the life and ministry of Jesus the
Christ (Matthew 2:11): And when they [the wise men] had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and
fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and
myrrh. [our underlining for emphasis] The prophetic implications of the three gifts are:
●-Gold was a symbol of royalty (kingship). A king's crown was usually made of gold. In His First Coming, Jesus came as the Prince of Peace.
In His Second Coming, Jesus will come as King of kings and Lord of lords.
●-Frankincense was a symbol of priesthood. In His First Coming, Jesus came as Priest. After His resurrection, Jesus became and still is our
High Priest. The method of harvesting frankincense may also be significant. See following boxed comments.
●-Myrrh, a component of the Jews' burial ointment, was prophetic of Jesus' death on the cross as our Passover Lamb, by which the shedding
of His blood provided the New Covenant for the remission of all persons' sins through the grace of God. Because of His death and burial,
multiple prophecies were fulfilled. Jesus came as Prophet.
Thus, Jesus came to earth to fill three offices– Prince, later, King (read Revelation 19:16); Priest, later, High Priest (read Hebrews 5:5, 10,
etc.); and Prophet, which will be obsolete after the Tribulation (read Matthew 15:57, Luke 13:33). The magi's gifts foretold the future ministry
of Jesus.
Although the Bible is silent about what happened to the gifts of the magi, let us suggest one possibility. We read about the flight of Joseph,
Mary, and Jesus to Egypt to spare Jesus from the “slaughter of the innocents” – Herod's maniacal killing of male infants to eliminate a rival to
his throne (read Matthew 2:16-18, earlier prophesied as Rachel weeping for her children, which was a partial fulfillment of Jeremiah 31:1517). A Jewish name for God was Jehovah-jireh (“God will provide”). God's provision surely would have extended to Jesus and His family.
Mary and Joseph were a young, poor couple. When told by the angel that they must flee to Egypt (read Mathew 2:13-15), the cost of food
and lodging in a foreign country would have been beyond their means. The magi had given three costly gifts to Jesus– gold, frankincense,
and myrrh. Joseph could have sold these gifts and used the money to flee to Egypt. Jehovah-jireh– God provided!
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE GIFTS OF THE MAGI
Frankincense is an aromatic, dried tree sap (a resin) obtained from Boswellia sp. trees. Consider these interesting points:
●-Worship of God: The resin has been used for thousands of years to manufacture perfume and incense. As one of the consecrated
incenses described in the Bible, frankincense was burnt as a sweet-smelling sacrifice to God and in other ways in First and Second Jewish
Temple worship services. Jesus was sent to change the ways of worship from the old ritual practices (such as, burning incense) to a new
worship practice granted by the grace of God and the sacrificial shedding of Jesus' blood during His crucifixion (the New Covenant). There
are many Scriptures related to the New Covenant, but we mention only two (read Jeremiah 31:31 and Hebrews 8:6).
●-Harvesting: We have been unable to find an explanation of how frankincense was harvested in ancient Israel. We
suspect, though, that ancient harvesting is similar to modern harvesting in the Middle East, as it is such a low-tech
process. Frankincense is harvested from an unattractive Boswellia tree. The unattractiveness of the tree reminds us
of a prophecy about the Messiah (Isaiah 53:2b): He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is
no beauty that we should desire Him. The bark of the tree is slashed– a procedure called “striping,” which reminds
us of another prophecy about the Messiah (Isaiah 53:5d): … and by His stripes we are healed. Sap bleeds from the
stripe slashes, drying into a resin which can be used for incense or perfume. The dried resin is called “tears,” which
reminds us of still another prophecy about the Messiah (Isaiah 53:3a): He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and
acquainted with grief. It also reminds us of the anguish Jesus showed during the Gethsemane Garden prayers (Matthew 14:33-34): And
Jesus took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be troubled and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, “My soul
is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death....” – AND – (Luke 22:44): And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat
became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
Myrrh is an aromatic resin from small trees of the genus Commiphora (most commonly Commiphora myrrha).
Israelites probably learned about myrrh during their Egyptian bondage. Egyptians used myrrh to embalm and
mummify their dead. Like frankincense, myrrh was a consecrated incense used in First and Second Temple worship
services and was offered to God as a sweet-smelling sacrifice.
Myrrh was used in the anointing oil for the Tabernacle, kings, and priests. Recall previous comments that Jesus came
as Prince (later, King) and Priest (later, High Priest).
The tree from which myrrh is harvested is small and has large thorns. Although another thorny plant may have been used, these large
thorns remind us of the crown of thorns thrust upon Jesus' head by Roman soldiers during His mock trial (John 19:2): And the soldiers
twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe. Myrrh gum is harvested in a similar manner as
frankincense. See above comments about the symbolic harvesting of frankincense.
WAS MARY A “VIRGIN” OR A “YOUNG MAIDEN?” Many persons are obsessed with trying to disprove the Bible. Some reject Mary's
virginity, claiming she was only a young, unmarried girl. One of the cardinal beliefs of Christian fundamentalism is belief in the virgin birth of
Jesus. If Mary was not a virgin or was married, the paternity of Jesus could obviously be questioned. If Mary was a true virgin, conception
could only be supernatural through the will of the Holy Spirit, as the Bible claims.
Non-believers and liberal theologians (skeptics) attack the virginity of Mary, of course, because they deny Jesus' Divinity. It takes strong faith
to believe in the supernatural birth of Jesus to a virgin. Such an event cannot be explained by our understanding of biology and reproduction.
In the Old Testament, there is a prophecy of the Messiah (Isaiah 7:14): [The LORD spoke] “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a
sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” [our underlining for emphasis] The Hebrew
word for “virgin” is almah (alma). Interpreters state that almah may be translated as “virgin, young woman of marriageable age, maiden.”
Those who attack Scriptures may argue that an almah is merely a young woman. R. Laird Harris et al. state in Theological Wordbook of the
Old Testament: "There is no instance where it can be proved that almah designates a young woman who is not a virgin. The fact of virginity is
obvious in Genesis 24:43 where almah is used for one who was being sought as a bride for Isaac." In Biblical times, marriageable young
maiden and virgin were synonymous. Young Jewish girls were expected to be chaste before and during their betrothal.
In the New Testament, we have accounts of the Messiah's birth (Matthew 1:22-23, quoting Isaiah 7:14 in italics): So all this was done that it
might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a
Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” – AND – (Luke 1:26-27): Now in the sixth month
the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of
the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. A confused Mary would ask the angel Gabriel (Luke 1:34): Then Mary said to the
angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” The Greek word translated “virgin” in these verses is parthenos, which has a single
translation– “virgin” (not merely “young woman”).
IN WHAT MONTH/ YEAR WAS JESUS BORN? DID JESUS HAVE A HALO? The short answer to the date or Jesus' birth is: No one
knows. Scholars have debated the date and year of Jesus' birth for years, and all we have are conflicting or inconclusive views. The following
may be helpful:
●-When was Jesus not born? It is highly unlikely that Jesus was born on December 25. We celebrate December 25 as Christmas because
early Church fathers picked several dates for the Christ's birth, ranging from November through May. The early Church even mocked the
Romans for celebrating birth anniversaries. Jesus' birthday was of little concern, as Scriptures and Church observances concentrated on
Jesus' miracles, ministry, death, and resurrection. The earliest Christian document attempting to date Jesus' birth was written in ca AD 200 by
Clement of Alexandria, but Clement did not mention December 25. By the fourth century, there was growing interest in Jesus' birth, and two
dates were considered– December 25 in the western (Roman) Catholic Church and January 6 in the eastern (Orthodox) Catholic Church.
December 25 gained more popularity and January 6 was re-named the Feast of the Epiphany to celebrate the arrival of the magi in
Bethlehem. The twelve-day interval between December 25 and January 6 may be the origin of the Twelve Days of Christmas.
●-Why was December 25 chosen? A December 25 date is not consistent with Luke 2:8 (shepherds watching their flocks by night). Jesus'
birth would be consistent with spring (during lambing season), when shepherds would assist in lambing and guard the helpless newborn
lambs; or, would be consistent with fall. Many scholars suggest Jesus may have been born during one of the fall Mosaic feasts. By late
December, cold, rainy winter nights would find flocks corralled and shepherds in their homes, not peacefully perched on the cold hills of
Judea. Also, Roman census (read Luke 2:1-4) would not be imposed in December because of difficult winter travel.
Over time, many early Church rituals were blended with pagan rituals. Roman pagan practices were adopted and re-named by the Roman
Catholic Church. The earliest Christian church was an offshoot of Judaism, except that Christians believed the long-awaited Messiah, Jesus,
had come. Sadly, the Christian Church split from its Hebraic (Jewish) roots. In so doing, pagan rituals crept into the Christian Church. Early
Church fathers would probably defend their cozy relationship with Roman paganism as an attempt to gain relief from persecution.
From the first through fourth centuries AD, there was a secret cult religion in the Roman Empire. This religion– Mithraism– worshiped Mithras
(Mithra, Mitras, Mitra). Worship of Mithras was connected with worship of the sun. Mithras was said to be born on December 25, which is a
few days after the winter solstice. For a few days around the winter solstice, the sun is near its lowest southern descent, but by December 25
the sun definitely appears to be again progressing toward the north. (That is, the sun is “reborn” for another year.) The Romans' mid-winter
Saturnalia festival in late December, similar winter festivals of barbarians in northern and western Europe, and Mithras' birth date made
December 25 a popular choice for the day of Jesus' birth. On December 25 in AD 274, the Roman emperor Aurelian decreed a feast for the
birth of Sol Invictus (Latin Sol Invictus = “Unconquered Sun”). Scholarly debate about the choice of December 25 as Christmas is far too
extensive and complicated to cover in this lesson.
●-Did a halo encircle Jesus' head? No. Artists depict the Holy Family, with a halo around Jesus' head. As Jesus walked through the villages
and countryside, He likely appeared as an ordinary man. The halo is an invention of artists many centuries ago to confer Divine qualities or
favors to such subjects as Jesus. Interestingly, depictions of Mithras, the Roman sun god, show him with a radiating solar crown. That is, his
crown had sunbeams radiating outwardly from it. Mithras' solar crown was likely converted to Jesus' halo by artists.
●-Much discussed, but unknown: Why, then, is December 25 celebrated as Christmas? No one is certain, but this date was likely derived
from pagan traditions. Jesus' birth year is equally unsettled. Scholars have analyzed the death of Herod the Great, celestial displays, and
other events, without establishing a firm date. Most scholars believe Jesus was born during a “window” of time between 7 BC to 1 BC.
IF JESUS WAS NOT BORN ON DECEMBER 25, IS IT WRONG TO CELEBRATE THIS DATE AS THE DATE OF HIS BIRTH? No. You are
showing appreciation of and reverence for the birth of the Messiah, whom you love. You are not worshiping a space on a calendar marked
“Christmas.” The Jews face a similar dilemma. God told the Jews to begin their calendar on Passover in early spring (Exodus 12:2, 13:10).
This date is the beginning of the Jewish religious year. Yet, Jews celebrate Rosh HaShanah in early fall as the beginning of the civil year. If
God is upset by any Christmas celebration, He surely would be more upset by the celebration of “C&E Christians.” “C&E Christians” attend
church only on Christmas and Easter. A Christian should observe the birth and death of Christ throughout the year, not just on “holy days” –
especially holy days which have become more like secular, cultural days.
Birth vs. death– the more important of the two: The birth of Jesus pales in comparison to His death and resurrection. All persons are
born, but only One has died and been resurrected for the sins of mankind. Jesus was born to die. His sacrificial death, observed as
Passover/ Easter, is far, far more important than His birth. Thank God for the birth and death/ resurrection of Messiah, regardless of the dates
shown on a calendar.
ARE YOU UNABLE TO CALCULATE JESUS' AGE AT DEATH? IS THERE A YEAR ZERO? HOW CAN THE CALENDAR PROGRESS
FROM 1 BC (BEFORE CHRIST) TO 1 AD (“AFTER DEATH”), WHICH WOULD MAKE JESUS AN INFANT WHEN CRUCIFIED? There is
no year zero. The calendar progresses from 1 BC (“Before Christ”) to AD 1 (AD = an abbreviation for the Latin Anno Domini, translated: “The
Year of the Lord”). AD does not abbreviate “After Death,” as many erroneously suppose. Christians primarily use BC and AD. Non-Christians
and academics use BCE (“Before the Common Era”) and CE (“Common Era”). BCE and BC are synonymous; CE and AD are synonymous.
With this understanding of the calendar, it is easily explained that Jesus was born probably one to a few years BC (some time during 7 BC –
1 BC?), and was crucified in the early AD years (some time during AD 30 – AD 33?). Christians should use “BC” and “AD” because they hold
the Christ, not an “Era,” as Divine. Ideal usage places BC after the year (example: 4 BC) and AD before the year (example: AD 33). BC and
AD may be written with periods (B.C. and A.D.) or without periods (BC and AD).
HOW OLD WAS MARY, WHEN JESUS WAS BORN? The Bible is silent about Mary's age at the time of Jesus' birth. Details we would like to
know today were unimportant to New Testament authors. Most likely, Mary was a young teenager, and Joseph was a young man (perhaps a
decade or so older than Mary). This pairing– young bride, older bridegroom– was typical for a first century marriage. Death often occurred at
an early age for people at this time, and an early start in establishing a family was of great importance. After puberty, a young girl could
conceive and bear a child and would be marriageable. The husband, needing to establish himself in a trade or business before ma rriage in
order to support a family, usually would be older.
●-Sidelight– appearance of Mary and her Son: The Bible is silent on the appearance of Mary and Jesus. Most (all?) Roman Catholic
churches prominently display a statue of the Virgin Mary. A statue of Mary in a Protestant church (other than a crèche, or nativity scene,
during the Christmas season) is almost never seen. Catholic statues (icons) of Mary depict a youthful, somewhat tall, beautiful Mary with
European features (even with perfectly coiffed, blonde hair and makeup [lipstick and rouge]), elegantly dressed in beautiful robes. The real
Mary was probably a very young teenager at the time of Jesus' birth. She probably was of short stature by today's standards, and had dark
brown or black hair and dark skin (typical for a Jewish woman exposed to the Mediterranean sun). Her clothing would have been drab and
typical of clothing worn by members of her lower socioeconomic class family– that is, clothing worn by a working man's family and, probably
later, by a widow. She would not have used lipstick or rouge. She likely would have blended unnoticeably with other Jewish women in her
village. At His first appearance (First Advent), Jesus was HaMashiach ben Yosef (“The Messiah, Son of Joseph [the patriarch Joseph]”), who
came to save His people and all mankind from their sins. Jesus' Kingship in His first appearance was recognized only by some of His
followers, through faith. Most others saw Jesus as an itinerant preacher. Some thought He had interesting ideas, but others saw Him as a
blasphemer. You can walk into any church in America and quickly know whether you are in a Roman Catholic or a Protestant church by its
fixtures. A Catholic church will have a statue of the Virgin Mary and a cross, with Jesus nailed to the cross. A Protestant church will have no
statue of Mary and, if a cross is present at all, the cross will be empty. Protestants view Jesus' crucifixion as a one-time sacrifice. When He
exclaimed, “It is finished!” (Greek Tetelestai! = “It is finished!” or “[The debt of sin] is paid in full!”), He was taken down from the cross, never
to be nailed again to that instrument of death. Jesus and His Holy Family were poor and lived in a dusty land. We remove Jesus' humanity,
when we scrub Him clean of the grime on His carpenter's hands and His dusty feet from walking many miles from village to village.
WAS MARY A PERPETUAL VIRGIN? Catholicism teaches that Mary was a “perpetual virgin” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 499-507).
Protestantism teaches that Mary and Joseph married and had children from that union. The Gospels name four “brothers” of Jesus– James,
Joses, Simon, and Judas (read Matthew 13:55 and Mark 6:3). Catholics teach the mother of these sons was “the other Mary” mentioned in
the New testament, but not the Virgin Mary. “Brothers” (adelphoi) comes from the Greek adelphos. Adelphos can be used for a brother born
to a husband and wife, but it can also be used for another male relative or a person of kindred spirit. You may hear a person in church
address a fellow male congregant as “brother,” although there is no family bond between the two. Most Protestants believe that Joseph and
Mary had children, and these boys were Jesus' half-brothers. Jesus was born into a family as part of His experience of human life. The
Joseph-Mary family was a “blue collar” family, headed by a working man– not a royal or priestly family. It seems logical that Jesus would
have had siblings. Mary's virginity was required only for the immaculate conception of Jesus to avoid confusion over Jesus' paternity. Mary's
continued virginity is unimportant to the Gospel message.
DID JESUS FIRST APPEAR ON EARTH AT HIS BIRTH TWO-THOUSAND YEARS AGO? No. Jesus was not created (did not first take life)
at the time of Mary's conception, a little more than two-thousand years ago. Rather, the Bible teaches He has existed throughout eternity past
and will exist throughout eternity future. There are too many Scriptures about the eternal nature of Jesus to attempt to list them all in this
lesson,
but
consider
three:
●-In the Genesis creation account, we read that God created man, saying “Let us make....” “God “comes from the Hebrew Elohim. Elohim is
plural, because of the -im ending, which literally would be “Gods.” However, the Israelites/ Jews were uncompromisingly monotheistic
(believers in one God). Some interpret Elohim as a plural intensive word, with singular meaning– God. “Us” is blended into a verb for “make”
(coming from the Hebrew asah). Most Christians interpret Elohim as “God in Three Persons.”
●-We read an inquiry about the Holy One and His Son (Proverbs 30:4): Who has ascended into heaven, or descended? Who has
gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His
name, and what is His Son's name, if you know? [our underlining for emphasis] Why would a monotheistic Old Testament author inquire
about the name of God's Son, if God the Father did not have a Son?
●-The Apostle John began the Gospel of John (John 1:1-5) by explaining that in the beginning was the Word, who existed with and created
all things, along with God the Father. John's use of “Word” (Greek Logos), is his way of introducing Jesus. Strong's Concordance has a brief
note explaining the use of “the Word” as describing Jesus: “In John, ['Word'] denotes the essential Word of God, Jesus Christ, the personal
wisdom and power in union with God, his minister in creation and government of the universe, the cause of all the world's life both physical
and ethical, which for the procurement of man's salvation put on human nature in the person of Jesus the Messiah, the second person in the
Godhead, and shone forth conspicuously from His words and deeds.”
Jesus appeared to man in several Old Testament Scriptures. Such an appearance is called a “Christophany.”
By removing Jesus from the Godhead (the Holy Trinity) who existed from the beginning and who will exist throughout eternity, the basis for
Christianity is destroyed. If Jesus was a mere man who was born a little more than two-thousand years ago and died, but was not
resurrected to eternal life, there is no Christianity. Even worse, Christians would practice unforgivable blasphemy against Creator God.
WHY WOULD SOME “MINISTERS” PREACH AGAINST THE VIRGIN BIRTH OF JESUS? Are such “ministers” Christians? They may be
the false teachers and false prophets of whom Jesus and New Testament authors warned (multiple verses). They may possess the antichrist
spirit, being the forerunners of the sham one-world religion the False Prophet will establish to worship the Antichrist/ Satan during the
Tribulation (read Revelation, chapter 13). Paul warned us against preaching “a different gospel” (read 2 Corinthians 11:4 and Galatians 1:7).
Jesus said those who do not do the will of the Father– and perversion of the Holy Scriptures is not the will of the Father– will not enter
Heaven (read Matthew 7:21-23). In the Book of Revelation, we are sternly warned not to add to or take from the words of God (read
Revelation 22:18-19). We are implored to fight for God's words passed from God to our forebears to us (Jude 1:3-4): Beloved, while I was
very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend
earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were
marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our
Lord Jesus Christ.
You may consider yourself a Christian fundamentalist. To be a fundamentalist, you must believe in five fundamentals of Christianity:
(1)-The
Deity
of
Jesus
the
Christ
(read
John
1:1;
John
20:28;
Hebrews
1:8-9);
(2)-The
virgin
birth
of
Jesus
(read
Isaiah
7:14;
Matthew
1:23;
Luke
1:27);
(3)-Jesus' blood atonement for the sins of mankind (read Acts 20:28; Romans 3:25, 5:9; Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 9:12-14);
(4)-Jesus' bodily resurrection as the First Fruit of God's New Covenant (read Luke 24:36-46; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, 15:14-15); and
(5)-The inerrancy (freedom from error or fault) of Holy Scriptures (read Psalm 12:6-7; Romans 15:4; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20).
Any person who claims to be a Christian, even if he/she calls him-/ her-self a minister of the Gospel, but who does not believe at least these
five fundamentals of faith, should be considered a false teacher who has adopted the antichrist spirit. A congregant cannot be responsible for
a pastor/ priest who teaches anti-Christian heresies, but he/ she has the responsibility to flee that church and worship the Holy Trinity in
another church. In the predominant church at the end of the age– the church patterned after the church in Laodicea (read Revelation 3:14ff)–
Jesus portrayed Himself as knocking on a closed church door (a prophecy that He will not be welcome in many end-time churches). He
asked any true follower inside that church to open the closed door and fellowship with (follow) Him on an individual basis. Jesus was critical
of the religious leaders in His time, and He surely would be critical of many religious leaders today. Religious leaders who preach “a different
gospel” (read 2 Corinthians 11:4 and Galatians 1:6) will cause people to follow them to Hell. A person who is addressed by a religious title,
speaks from a pulpit, or wears special clothes is not necessarily a spokesperson for God. Jesus gave a very stern warning about people who
falsely think they are doing the will of God (or act as though they are doing His will) in Matthew 7:20-23. People who say “Lord, Lord” and
act* as though they follow God, but who do not bear good fruit, will spend eternity in Hell. Read the conclusion of this passage (Matthew
7:23): [Jesus said] “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”
(* “Hypocrite” comes from the Greek word for “actor.”) Do not follow any false religious leader (any actor or impostor) to Hell.
●-Sidelight: Jesus and New Testament authors prophesied that many people will lose faith and interest in God– apostasy and apathy– as
the time nears for Jesus' return. Christianity is the most hated religion and Christians are the most abused and persecuted people in the
world. Blasphemous “ministers of the Gospel” are blending Christianity and Islam into a bastardized religion– Chrislam. Bible translations
(from Wycliffe and others) are now being published, with replacement of Christ-honoring words, as was written in the original text, into
politically correct, Muslim-friendly words. Jehovah or the Father becomes Allah, Jesus is removed and becomes merely a Messiah (Muslims
believe in a “messiah” – the Imam Mahdi), and so forth. These movements are the forerunners of the False Prophet's one-world religion
(read Revelation, chapter 13). Remain strong in your faith! Resist following or patronizing false teachers. Hell will contain many
theologians, ministers of all stripes, and faithful congregants who, in life, arrogantly, defiantly refused to follow the words of the Bible but,
rather, preached and believed “a different gospel.” A Christian is known by the fruit he/ she bears (read Matthew 7:16-20). Spread of an
Islamicized gospel bears evil fruit, not good fruit.
ARE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS WRONG, AS SOME SECTS TEACH? Some religious sects (example: Jehovah's Witness) teach that it
is a sin to celebrate Christmas. Even America's early settlers, the Puritans, refused to celebrate Christmas. It is obvious that the true meaning
of Christmas has become lost. A time of thanksgiving and praise for God's Great Gift to the world, the Messiah, has been replaced by greed,
excessive concern with cares of the world, heavy drinking, and other activities unrelated to the birth of the Christ Child. You are not
responsible for the errors of the word, but you can restore the true meaning of Christmas in your life and in your family.
The Christmas tree was originally chosen because it is an evergreen– a symbol of eternal life. In December around the time of the winter
solstice, a green tree could symbolize eternal life, eternal life of the Messiah and His followers. Decorated evergreen trees in homes date to
sixteenth century Germany. Candles (later, electric lights) symbolized Jesus, the Light of the world. Reflective balls and tinsel highlighted the
light from candles or lamps, as the Light of Jesus should be reflected from and through you.
Other traditions have been passed to us from earlier generations. Unless the tree and decorations are actually worshiped (which would be
idol worship), what harm can there be in bringing the joy of Jesus' birth into your home? Relax and enjoy the season with family and friends.
Having a tree in your home will not cause you to miss Heaven. It may not be comforting, but be assured you that you have far greater sins
than displaying Christmas decorations.
We know Santa Claus is for children only. However, Santa has as much relevance to the celebration of Jesus' birth as the Easter bunny and
Easter eggs have to the death and resurrection of Jesus. Santa Claus will “live” on, regardless of what we may feel, but we should
emphasize more important aspect of Jesus' birth for the sins of mankind, rather than a “jolly old elf.” It is sad that American communities
welcome Santa Claus, while prohibiting Jesus the Christ (example: “Santa Claus Parade” is acceptable, but “The Christ Child Parade” would
be unacceptable).
WHY WAS JESUS BORN IN AN UNIMPORTANT VILLAGE (BETHLEHEM), INSTEAD OF THE CENTER OF JUDAISM (GOD'S HOLY
CITY OFJERUSALEM)? One reason was to fulfill centuries-old prophecies (such as, Micah 5:2): But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though
you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth
are from of old, from everlasting. (Remember that the Old Testament is the Messiah prophesied and the New Testament is the Messiah
revealed.) Word Study: Ephrathah (Ephratah) may also refer to the town of Bethlehem. Rachel died and was buried in Bethlehem, which is
near Bethel.
Jesus
was
born
in
Bethlehem
for
other
reasons,
including:
●-In several Scriptures, Jesus was referred to as “Son of David.” This title fulfills prophecies (such as, 2 Samuel 7:14-16– the Davidic
Covenant, in which Nathan spoke to David): [Says the LORD] “I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will
chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men. But My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from
Saul, whom I removed from before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne
shall
be
established
forever.”
[our
underlining
for
emphasis]
●-God established a royal line extending from King David to King Jesus. Old Testament Scriptures note that David was born and lived in
Bethlehem. Bethlehem is called “the City of David.” it is appropriate that the “Son of David,” the Messiah, would be born in the City of David.
From
Israel's
ideal
human
king,
David,
would
come
the
world's
Divine
King,
Jesus
the
Messiah.
●-When Jesus returns after Armageddon to rule the world for one-thousand years, many believe He will sit upon the Mercy Seat of the Ark of
the
Covenant
(which
is
also
viewed
as
David's
throne).
●-The etymology of Bethlehem is significant. Bethlehem is a compound word, derived from bayith (“house”) and lechem (“bread”). Bethlehem
is literally translated “House of Bread,” probably because of nearby grain fields. Jesus called Himself the Bread of Life (John 6:35): And
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.”
Thus, the Bread of Life was born in the House of Bread.
Jesus came not only to save the religious and politically elite, who would be centered in Jerusalem, but He also came to save common men
and women, people who would live in Bethlehem and all other small villages throughout the world. You do not live in New York City or
Washington, D.C.– elite power centers in America. You live in eastern Tennessee. Outside of relatives and friends, you are unknown in
America. But, Jesus loves you as much as He loves any national leader. He came not to minister only to the religious elite or the rich and
powerful. He came as a little baby, to eventually die for your sins and save you through your child-like faith. This beautiful, simple plan is the
real story of Christmas. He was born– and He died– for you! Please do not let this Christmas season pass without discovering and following
the Christ!
CONCLUSION. Staff members of RIO Revolution Church wish you and your family a most blessed Christmas.
In this season, praise God who cares enough about you that Jesus was sent to live among us, to teach us God's ways, and to die for our
sins. This message of unparalleled love is the true meaning of Christmas. If you find the Christ this season, you can change and personalize
the words of a familiar Christmas carol from, “Joy to the world! The Lord is come....,” to “Joy to me! I have found the Lord....” You can, then,
know peace in your life, a peace which surpasses all understanding (read Philippians 4:7).
All Scriptures are taken from the NEW KING JAMES VERSION (NKJV), © Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. Holy
Scriptures are reproduced in red boldface font.
●-If you have questions about salvation or re-dedication of your life to serve God or if you wish to be counseled, call the RIO Revolution
Church office at (865) 984.9200, email the pastoral staff at www. riorevolution.net/contact-us/ , or come to the altar during any worship
service.
●-If you have questions, comments, or suggestions concerning this lesson series, contact the author, Raymond Finney, at (865) 984.1424
or raymondfinney@ charter.net . The author assumes full responsibility for any error or misstatement.
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