WORSHIPPING CHRISTMAS OR CHRIST

I’m afraid that is true in most folk’s lives in America and is probably what the majority of professing Christians do, we say how much we love Christmas, we say how important it is to us, but Christmas is not a replacement of Christ, it does not portray real worship.

So few people hear the Nativity story of the birth of a savior unless they see Peanuts character Linus recite Luke 2:8-14 in A Charlie Brown Christmas.

It is rarity that is read in pur homes or reviewed on the days that we say we honor the new born king.

I hope that you won’t be offended, but God’s Word is clear, and I want to say this with love. But often our Christmases are no better than the world’s or the lost. For it is not Christ that is appreciated it but it is secular humanism that is honored.

You say, how can you says such: Let’s spell it out.

I. Ways Christmas has become humanistic

The list is huge, but there a couple of simple reasons for it, and they are readily noticeable by anyone considering it.

A. Commercialization

What it comes down to in our society is - whatever will make money. Let me tell you what makes money, money is more important than anything to most people.

Christians on mass have traded in their standards, their convictions, their conscience for the almighty dollar. I know believers who justify their marijuana investments, so invest in Jack Daniels stock to, you won’t lose, they will always buy more booze.

God’s Word warns us very directly in:

1 Timothy 6:9–10 (AV)

But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Christmas is part of it. This world knows how to sell. They will use Christ and Christmas and an undefined “spirit” and words like love or “tis the season” and make it about money and things.

This world is clever. Consider some of the slogans that advertisers use to draw us in:

“Show them you really care”

“Show them how much they are worth”

In 2020, Budweiser put out this campaign: “Tis the Season to drive home safely”; “Wisemen don’t drink and drive”; and “We wish you a merry Christmas and Safe Drive Home.”

And Starbucks’ slogan was “Give Good”

Burberry coined this last year, “What is Love.” And the message was their clothing, lust, and weirdness.

I read about this (only in preparation for this message - believe me), The Kardachian Christmas list where thy list what they are buying their loved ones with links where they bought them so you can buy them to and be like the Kardachians. Praise the Lord, my spell check said I spelled their name wrong, that is a good thing.

Krispy Kreme did the 12 days of donuts

12 days of HBO

It was Lexus that started putting bows and car commercials about 20 years ago.

B. World Oneness

Amazon came up with a catchy campaign in 2018 and on, where they say, “CAN YOU FEEL IT, THE WHOLE WORLD IS COMING TOGETHER NOW.” Boy were they right, but it is not centered around Christ, or anything holy, but about the unification of all people.

There is a belief that is not a BIble belief that this world needs to be one.

As a matter of fact, He said he came to bring a sword.

Matthew 10:34 AV

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

Christ said that it won’t be one, it can be one. He came not bring peace to man - but peace to you.

C. Basic Goodness of Man

The last two years have not been good for mankind. Why, because they have drawn him further into the mentality of man is good. As a matter of fact, it you have religion, thats fine, but it better not a religion that puts God above man or government, then that is bad. Because human leadership is mankind’s godhood. If he can attain that position then he can do the most good because he is good.

But the Bible never says that so don’t you say it. It may be a small thing, but I still have people look at me strange when they ask me how I’m doing, I try to always say, I’m well. If they say something or look at me weird, I quote this verse:

Matthew 19:16–17 AV

And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

Matthew 7:11 AV

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

II. Ways We Worship Christmas over Christ

A. Prioritizing Festivities over Christ

Luke 10:41–42 AV

And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Consider yourself, do you spend more time this week, or last week or whenever you do it, putting up the tree and putting up decorations, than you do spending time in your devotion? Or attending church, or telling people about Christ?

B. Allowing Tradition to Trump Truth

We do so many things just because we like to or because we did it when we were young, but it has no bearing on God and the Bible.

Colossians 2:8 AV

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

Mark 7:8 AV

For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

I’ve told you before, I’ve lost people over their belief in Santa Clause, their kids were ruined because someone at church told them Santa Clause wasn’t real.

Left the truth over something so silly. Why would anyone try to portray a falsehood and keep it real for as long as they could, as long as their kids would believe them?

C. Letting the Flesh have victory over the Spirit

Sometimes my flesh doesn’t like doing things.

Can I be honest with you. At times, and they are very brief and I won’t get into some of the reasons, but sometimes I feel like cancelling Sunday school, for good. Sometimes, I think about cancelling Wednesday nights, I’ve got other things I could be doing. There are times when I think a Sunday night or Sunday afternoon service should be done away with.

But do you know what makes me think like that - THE FLESH. Because the flesh doesn’t like that which is spiritual. It doesn’t like that which takes me being something.

My flesh likes to do things, I don’t even mind doing physical things for God, but to do spiritual things is a lot more work and effort, because it has to happen on the inside, the unseen man. That is real the work is done, my flesh doesn’t like it.

So, at Christmas, I would rather buy a gift for someone, than humble myself before the Savior.

I would rather hang Christmas lights and decorations instead of being at Sunday school or a Wednesday night service.

I would rather watch a Christmas Movie with the family - than worship and pray to the Lord as a family, that is my flesh would like it that way.

So, I battle the flesh; I determine to set up rules for my life to help keep me from doing something I shouldn’t or to keep from disobeying something God wants me to do. I want to have these decisions made instead of allowing my flesh, in a moment of weakness make the decision for me.

I will be at church when the doors are open

I will tithe to my local church

I will give to missions

I will keep being soul conscious and seek to win souls

I will guard my eyes

I will be careful who I allow to influence me

I will do my devotions each morning

And there can be many things we add here.

But when it comes to Christmas:

I don’t let family visiting keep out of church, they can come with me or await me.

By the way, you don’t how important God is to you by missing church for someone.

III. Causing Christmas to be Vile

Bear with me for a moment, because I love it, but listen to what I am about to say. We make Christmas vile to God. We make it grievous to Him; we make it a sorrow to Him - and vain and worthless to us.

Isaiah 1:10 AV

Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.

Isaiah 1:14 AV

Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.

Isaiah 1:15 AV

And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.

What good is your Christmas - if you don’t participate in the Lord’s Supper.

There are many people that will not participate in it here at this church who could, but never do, because is not important to them, or because it is not important enough to get things on tract for God.

We weary God when we love Christmas, and continue in sin.

When we pray to Him, he says He will not hear, when we worship He wont look upon it.

What good is Christmas, if I won’t obey Him in baptism.

What good is Christmas to God, if you are not saved.

Notice Isa 1:18

Isaiah 1:18 AV

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

What good is Christmas, I can tell you that God does not care about your Christmas festivities in His name, when you are not even saved.

I LOVE CHRISTMAS! I LOVE CHRISTMAS TIME! But I will not let Christmas be my object of worship, I want my God to be. I hope that you do as well.

WORSHIPPING CHRISTMAS OR CHRIST

Isaiah 1:2-18

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