Christ Traditions (Part 3)

Introduction

Attention:

So, we all know that Christmas is about the birth of Christ

But how many of you know that the roots of Christmas in CHristianity go even deeper than that?

There is a whole bed of symbolism that is placed in front of us at Christmas time that can be used to remind ourselves of Biblical things, but these things are so downplayed in our culture that it is hard to even notice

That’s why, this morning, we are going to be talking about Christmas symbolism!

Need:

Your knowledge of Christmas needs to move beyond what you already know

There is still more to learn about Christmas!

We need to learn to see Christ in as many ways as we can

Body

7 Christmas Traditions with Christian Symbolism

Tradition #1: Christmas Trees

Nobody is super sure exactly where these came from, although we are pretty sure that it was a German thing

Apparently, before they were used for Christmas, they were used for a feast that celebrated Adam and Eve

Some people claim that the modern tradition came from Martin Luther, who was walking through the forest

He saw stars shining down the trees, and then he cut one down (and supposedly even put lights on it)

Regardless of exactly how it started, it became increasingly popular as the 1800s went on

What we are more sure about is what Christmas trees represent

Christmas trees represent eternal life

JOhn 17:2

John 17:2 (NLT)

For you have given him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him.

Jesus was sent to give us eternal life, and Christmas is a time to remember this

What is it about Christmas trees that symbolize this exactly, you ask? Because evergreen trees flourish year-round!

So when you look at a Christmas tree, think of that as yourself if you have accepted Christ; he has given us eternal life, and now we flourish eternity-round!

Make it a practice to think about eternal life every time that you see a Christmas tree!

Tradition #2: Candles

There really isn’t much much info on the history of this, other than the rumor that Luther lit that tree from the Forest with it

But what it represents is a bit more obvious

Candles represent that Jesus is the Light of the World

John 8:12

John 8:12 NLT

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

Of course, what Jesus being the Light reminds us of is that he shows us the right roads of life to take; he shows us how to follow God

Jesus shows us the path to salvation, and he shows us the path to sanctification (growing in holiness) as well

Christmas reminds us of that. And what part of the Christmas story does this remind us of in general? That’s right; the star

The same light that led the wise men to Jesus is the same light that guides our hearts towards godliness.

Tradition #3: Candy Canes

Would you be surprised to learn that these also originated in Germany?

Here’s a direct quote from an article that I read about their origins: “A choirmaster of a cathedral in Cologne gave out candy during worship service to keep the kids quiet. He is said to have asked the candy maker to add a crook to the top of each stick to represent the shepherds who visited baby Jesus.”

So this shows us what the candy canes most liekly represent

Candy canes represent the shepherds.

Luke 2:16-19

Luke 2:16–19 NLT

They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.

We could talk forever about what the significance of this is; is it to emphasize that Jesus has come to save the least of these? is it to show us that Christ is to be our ultimate Shepherd? Maybe both?

Regardless, this is most likely where candy canes come from!

Tradition #4: Holly

I’m not going to lie; I didn’t even really know what holly was until this week (I just thought it had something to do with being jolly)

But yeah… you’ve got these green guys, and then the red berries

This has to do with something that you don’t always associate with Christmas!

Holly represents the thorns in His crown

Matthew 27:29

Matthew 27:29 NLT

They wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head, and they placed a reed stick in his right hand as a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mockery and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!”

So Christmas really does point us to the cross, then, doesn’t it?

This also shows us another area of symbolism for Christmas (but its so similar to this one that I am not including it as its own entry)

Red, as a color of Christmas, reminds us of His blood and death.

That’s pretty interesting, isn’t it? That for all that we can tell, that’s why there’s red stuff at Christmas time

So when we see the color red at Christmas time, we ultimately remember that Jesus was born to die

Tradition #5: Mistletoe

Here’s something that you’ll NEVER see at one of our Christmas parties!

Apparently, these came from Roman rituals along with Holly

But what do they represent? Or, well… what did they represent originally?

Mistletoe represents restored friendships

It was under mistletoe that it is said that broken friendships were restored

This ultimately was used at Christmas time and applied to Christ being the one who restores us back to God

Romans 5:1

Romans 5:1 NLT

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.

Peace is a big theme at Christmas time! And mistletoe is one of those things that helps us remember that

It wasn’t until the Victorian period in England that people started smoochin’ each other under mistletoe

Tradition #6: Gifts

Well, I guess this is one of the main things about Christmas, isn’t it?

The story of gift giving at Christmas time is actually pretty interesting

Ultimately, the idea does come from the gifts that are given to Christ at Christmas time

But as far as the form of gift giving that we know today, well… it is a bit more complicated than that

Apparently, prior to the 1800s, all Christmas festivies were in public

AKA, there wasn’t an emphasis on having a PRIVATE family Christmas; it was a community experience,

But in the 1800s, you had the personalizing and privatizing of the Christmas season

“We went from cakes and ales shared in the public square to presents in home.”

So yeah, that’s what happened with that.

But what we are mostly concerned about is what they represent, and we’ve basically already said that, but let’s tie it up in a bow

Gifts represent Christ as our ultimate gift

John 3:16

John 3:16 NLT

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

The gifts that we give are in response to the ultimate gift that God has given to us; we love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19)

Ultimately, we give gifts because we have received the ultimate gift

We should always keep this in mind whenever asking for a Christmas gift or buying a Christmas gift for someone else; it is important to keep the right perspective about it

Tradition #7: Advent

Wait; what’s an advent???

Literally, I had no idea what this was growing up; my church never did it

Advent is something that churches celebrate throughout the entire month of December to prepare for Christmas; each Sunday, you light a candle, each representing a different Christmas theme

But where did it come from?

Well.... we don’t really know where it came from

Or, at least, we don’t know when it started exactly

But the earliest evidence that we have for it is in the 4th century in modern Spain and Europe.

So, Advent actually came as an answer to the gnostic-inspired movement called Priscillianism

And the cool thing about Advent is that it actually has a double meaning; advent comes from the Greek work parousia, which describes both Christ coming in human flesh and the Second Coming

Originally, they would spend two weeks focusing on the second coming, and then the next two weeks on the first coming

But let’s focus again on what Advent looks like and represents today

You remember what I said about there being 4 candles? Well, each one represents a thing that you focus on that week, and that you have corresponding Scriptures about

So let’s take a look at those!

Candle #1: Hope (or promise)

Isaiah 9:2

Isaiah 9:2 NLT

The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.

Christmas is a time to remember that there is hope

And one of the best ways to prepare your heart for a season is to spend an entire week meditating on the concept of hope

Candle #2: Preparation (or waiting or prophecy)

Isaiah 40:3-5

Isaiah 40:3–5 NLT

Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting, “Clear the way through the wilderness for the Lord! Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God! Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and hills. Straighten the curves, and smooth out the rough places. Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. The Lord has spoken!”

God prepared the way for Jesus

Imagine being in the Old Testament period and having this hope tied to awaiting the Messiah

God really did prepare the way for Christ! And this is a beautiful thing to reflect on

Candle #3: Joy (or peace)

Matthew 2:10-11

Matthew 2:10–11 NLT

When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

We looked at this passage this past Wednesday!

There’s just something about Jesus that gives us joy

Experiencing and encountering Jesus is a truly beautiful thing

Candle #4: Love (or adoration)

John 13:34

John 13:34 NLT

So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.

The main way that God has shown us that He loves us is by sending Christ to us

The love of Christ that Christmas represents is a truly remarkable thing that it is great to just sit and think/meditate on

Conclusion

The point of all of this is to show that Christmas is even more remarkable than we often realize

Christmas might be a Holiday that a large part of the world celebrates regardless of whether or not they are Christians, but for the Christian it represents so much about our faith and why we do things

I pray that this will give your Christmas season some much needed perspective for this year and the years to come!

As we get ready to split into small groups, be thinking about how you are going to take this information and to apply it to the way that you personally celebrate Christmas this Saturday.

PRAY

Small Group Question

Christmas symbolism that we discussed surprised you the most? Why?

How are you going to apply this information to the way that you specifically celebrate Christmas?

How can you use these things as an opportunity to share Christ with your unsaved friends and family?

Why do you think that it might be important to use something like Advent to really prepare ourselves for Christmas?

Read Luke 2:8-14. What about Christmas gives you peace and joy?