It’s Not Secular - It’s Sacred
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· 7 viewsChristmas is not a secular celebration - It's Sacred
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It’s Not Secular - It’s Sacred
It’s Not Secular - It’s Sacred
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, Good will toward men.
Christmas is celebrated the world around - What a glorious time of year. probably the most celebrated of holidays in our culture...
It is a time of sweet memories from the past - and a time to make and enjoy the blessings of the present.
But this celebration - Christmas - is a special day that is celebrated not only by the believers of Christ - but is also celebrated by a secular society that has no time for our Christ and the celebration of his coming to earth.
This morning, I want to remind you - that even though Christmas is celebrated by the believers and unbelievers alike - that Christmas is not Secular...
It’s Not Secular - It’s Sacred
It’s Not Secular - It’s Sacred
Pray:
Is it Merry Christmas, or happy holiday -
Is christmas about:
People
parties
presents
Is christmas about:
Lights
Laughter
Love
Dining
Desserts
Decor
Most Christmas customs and family activities are secular in nature. For instance, the most popular Christmas movies are for the most part secular: It’s a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Carol, A Christmas Story, and Miracle on 34th Street. None of them are religious per se.
And the most popular Christmas songs are secular as well: According to the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, these are the Top 10 most-performed “Holiday” songs for the first five years of the 21st Century:
The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) – Mel Tormé, Robert Wells
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town – Fred Coots, Haven Gillespie
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas – Ralph Blane, Hugh MartinWinter Wonderland – Felix Bernard, Richard B. Smith
White Christmas – Irving BerlinLet It Snow!
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! – Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne
Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer – Johnny Marks
Jingle Bell Rock – Joseph Carleton Beal, James Ross Boothe
I’ll Be Home For Christmas – Walter Kent, Kim Gannon, Buck Ram
Little Drummer Boy – Katherine K. Davis, Henry V. Onorati, Harry Simeone
You may have noticed that not one of the top nine is the least bit religious in nature.
Randy K. Hammer...https://randykhammer.wordpress.com/2012/12/09/a-sacred-or-secular-christmas/
Our society is moving farther and farther from the Sacred to the Secular....
Not only is our society more secular -
Believers are becoming more secularly minded -
Based on the influences they have had in their lives...
Education
Ideology
World view
To the Christian - this time of year - that we stop and celebrate the coming of the Savior:
It’s not about:
Shopping
Santa
It’s about a Savior and His Salvation - he so freely offers as a gift.
It’s Not Secular - It’s Sacred
It’s Not Secular - It’s Sacred
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
1. Shining Signal
1. Shining Signal
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
We will never see the Lord without the response to the light He gives...
12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
Jesus said
b. God manifests himself and His plan to us:
1. His Creation:
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament sheweth his handywork.
2. His Son
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
3. His Written Word
6 The words of the Lord are pure words: As silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
7 Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, Thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
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14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
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4. Hearts of Man
14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
God is light -
God is light -
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
* Shining Light
* Shining Light
2. Sounding Servant
2. Sounding Servant
the angel of the Lord -
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
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The Angel of the Lord...
Proclaiming the Message of the Master...
Declaring the Good News...
The Savior is coming....
What Great News -
Gospel - good news...
* Shining Signal
* Shining Signal
* Sounding Servant
* Sounding Servant
3. Searching Shepherds
3. Searching Shepherds
15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Beth-lehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
Whether they left their sheep or brought them with them - we do not know - but what we know - is that:
these shepherds… Sought the Savior....
The shepherds sought the Savior - by the light given to them
The wise men would seek the Savior - by the light given unto them
Anyone who comes to Christ - will find him -
not on their own…
not in their own way
not is their own power
not in their own ability or intellect
You will find the Lord - when you follow the Light He Gives!!!!
The Lord sought them out first....
19 We love him, because he first loved us.
Our Calvanist friends have this wrong -
They believe that the good Lord has predestined some for eternal life and other’s for eternal damnation -
My bible says:
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
And in the final invitation of the Bible:
17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
* Shining Signal
* Shining Signal
* Sounding Servant
* Sounding Servant
* Searching Shepherds
* Searching Shepherds
4. Savior & Salvation
4. Savior & Salvation
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
have you found the Savior????
Christmas is about Christ -
April 23, 1983 - on a sunday night at an old fashioned altar - I accepted Christ as my personal Savior.
I am on my way to heaven
I know the Lord Jesus as my Savior and my friend
My life has been transformed -
Because of a secular holiday?
No - because of a Suffering Savior… who willingly became the Gift of Eternal life for all who would receive him...
For the Christian - Nothing is secular - it is all Sacred -
31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
The Savior & Salvation.... CHRIST AND CHRISTMAS