 Pastor Wade Burleson
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Have you ever thought about the fact that there is no record of the celebration of a "birthday" party for Jesus in the gospels? In fact, for the first 200 years of Christian history, there is no historical record of any Christian celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. It was not until the 2nd and 3rd centuries that Christians took notice of the birthday of our Lord; even then it was often celebrated in January (most frequently), April, or May. So how do we come to celebrate Jesus' birthday on December 25? In A.D. 313 the Roman Emperor Constantine sought to move the Roman people from sun worship to the worship of Jesus Christ. For centuries the Romans had celebrated the "birthday of the sun" from December 18-25 in a festival called Saturnalia. The heavens were the gods of the romans (the days of the week were Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturday), but at the decree of Constantine, Saturnalia became a celebration of the rising of the Son of God. How do you set the day aside as special? The Roman Church had a special mass for Christ called "Christ's Mass" which later (about A.D. 1000) was shortened to Christmas. Santa Claus began as a Roman Catholic legend of a monk named St. Nick who lived in the 4th century and sold all his possessions to give to those who had been good. It wasn't until 1823, in the poem by Clement Moore, "'Twas the Night Before Christmas," when St. Nick became known as Santa Claus. Many evangelicals over the centuries have thought the customs of Christmas to be Roman Catholic in nature and have refused to participate. "There will be a fine and imprisonment for anyone who celebrates Christmas" The Board of Elders, Geneva Switzerland, 1525. In 1644 the Westminster Assembly in London, England, passed an act forbidding the observance of Christmas by any Christian family or evangelical church. On December 25, 1620, the Pilgrims convenanted together "to work steadily throughout the day" and to not pause for any observance of a Roman Catholic holiday. "Anyone who is found observing Christmas Day by abstinence from labor or feasting shall pay for each offense the fine of five shillings" 1660 Massachusetts Colony Law. All that is background to our text this morning. This is the only record of any celebration the night Christ was born. And what a celebration it was! The angels of heaven form an angelic choir and proclaim the birth of the Savior. No presidential inauguration or king's coronation could match the fanfare at the birth of the Son of God. Colonel James Irwin, one of America's finest astronauts, was once asked about his experience of walking on the moon. His response was beautiful: "Far more wonderful than walking on the moon is the fact that one day God walked on the earth." When God came to walk on the earth the angels made an announcement. It is the most incredible birth announcement you will ever read. It is found in verse 14 of our text! "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men" (Luke 2:14). This is a phrase that glosses off the lips without much thought. What does it actually mean? It may surprise you to know that the proclamation is far more personal than at first glance. This phrase has application for you this morning. Listen to the NIV translation: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests" (v.14).
Pastor Wade |
