Why Christians ought to Observe the Celebrating of JESUS'S BIRTH Especially on Christmas Day Ep 806

WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT, THURSDAY DEC 4TH 2025

• Why Christians (and everybody else) ought to Observe the Celebrating of JESUS'S BIRTH Especially on Christmas Day • Ep 806 •

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Let me start out by saying I don't want to mock anyone's beliefs, or degrade anyone who has genuine convictions about this issue. My goal is to give you a different perspective that hopefully you will be open-minded and take into consideration.

Thank you,
Jim Moore

THE CHRISTMAS CONTEST

In the past years, there has been an contest raging about the origins of Christmas (mostly it's date), how it got started, and whether or not people should have anything to do with it. I believe we should. It may seem like a trivial issue and not worth our time discussing it, however, anything that gets to have another tension this subject has, is probably worth taking a look at. So here's my perspective on the subject. And if you comment, please be respectful.

Romans 14:6 ~
“He that regards [observes] the day, regards it unto the Lord; and he that regards not the day, to the Lord he does not regard it.”

God cares about motive.

The word "Advent" means "Coming"

ADVENT:

The period of preparation and waiting for the celebration of Jesus’ birth, typically the 4 weeks leading up to Dec 25th. The English world Advent comes from Latin origin ~ "Adventus," meaning “Coming” or “Arrival" referring to Christ’s first coming.

HOW IT BEGAN:

Early Church (4th century) Christians began a 4 week fast and focus time (similar to the 40 day Lent fast and focus period) to prepare their hearts of the day of rejoicing. As tradition grew, by the middle ages Advent was marked with candles, prayers, and a sense of hopeful anticipation, of the celebration of Jesus's Advent, or first coming at His birth.

We are celebrating the first coming of Jesus, just like we are told to find hope in the next or Second Coming of Jesus:

Titus 2:13 ~
“Looking for that BLESSED HOPE, and the glorious APPEARING [Advent] of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.”

EVERYTHING CAN BECOME RELIGIOUS

Prayer can become religious
Giving to the poor can become religious
Going to church can become religious
Reading the Bible can become religious
Doing good works can become religious
Taking communion can become religious
Washing feet can become religious
Anything can become religious!

The point is, it is not what you do but why you are doing it. We call this motive. Has the act become a ritual? Or is it genuine and sincere from the heart? Are you doing something simply because you believe you have to, or because you always done It as a tradition? Or Are you doing one of the things listed above, out of a sincere heart because you are trying to honor the Lord and draw close to him?

Think of the men and women who wrote these unprecedented songs. Can anyone in their right mind imagine that they were simply celebrating a day religiously? Examine the words. Many of them have direct reference to scripture. It seems pretty obvious that they were bringing glory to the first coming of Jesus, just like the angels of heaven did:

"O come o come Emmanuel [God with us], and ransom captive Israel"

"Joy to the world the Lord has come, let earth receive her King"

"Away in a manger no crib for His bed, the little Lord Jesus lay down His sweet head"

And there are many more. These songs were obviously written for the purpose of bringing Glory to God, not to celebrate snow, or presents, or sleigh rides with jingle bells, and especially not jolly Old Saint Nick. All of those are add-ons to the main theme, and we're never meant to replace the main theme Jesus. There was a time when most of humanity recognized the first coming (Advent ) of Christ as something worth celebrating, just like heaven and the Angels of God did:

Luke 2:8 14~
"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 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. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

"Hark! The Herald, Angels sing,
'Glory to the Newborn King'
Peace on earth, and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled!”

"Joyful, all ye Nations rise,
Join the triumph of the skies
With Angelic Host proclaim:
'Christ is born in Bethlehem!'"

"Hark! The Terald Angels sing,
'Glory to the newborn King!'"

This is more than a song. It was a proclamation! It was an invitation to join what has been done by Angels so long ago. Join the song. Repeat the herald. Do what Heaven did. As it was was done in Heaven, so let it be done on earth.

People say we don't celebrate birthdays, because they didn't in the Bible. Really?

Luke 2:11 ~
"For unto you is BORN THIS DAY [that's a birthday] in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."

It may seem silly to celebrate the birthday of Jesus, but somebody was celebrating it, So why shouldn't we? Let's remember, we're not celebrating the "day" so much as we are celebrating the person. When I celebrate someone's arrival into the world, I'm not celebrating the day as much as I'm celebrating the person themself.

SYMBOLS OF LIGHT AND LIFE

Every symbol used to celebrate the first Advent can be looked upon as something that manifests good or evil. The Light of Christ or the darkness.

Remember Jim's "fire shirt'

A tree can represent an idol
So can a wreath.
Giving can represent selfish commercialism.
Santa can represent a man replacing Christ.
Lights hung everywhere can represent gaudy, flashy, attention-grabbing commercialism.

-Or-

An ever-green tree can represent something eternal.
(The story of chopping down the oak)

A wreath can represent something without beginning or end...also eternity. Same concept.

Giving can represent the gifts the Wise Men (Magi) brought to the young Jesus. Or even giving unto one another as we would unto the Lord Himself.

Santa can represent a past Saint, Saint Nicholas, who had compassion upon the poor and did something to lighten their burden.

Lights can represent of course... Jesus the Light of the world.

Your perspective creates motive in your own heart, which can spread to others and be a testimony of Christ coming into the world. The first advent.

Ask yourself this question: would the world actually be a better place without Christmas? That's not a joke. Think of yourself as God for a moment (not talking about blasphemy). If you had the power to wipe Christmas away forever would you do it? Is the negative that comes from the misrepresentation of the first Advent, worse than the good that comes from it? Including all the historic good? Something to ponder.

Christmas is not just a "Western holiday." It is stunning, that this one holiday or "holy-day," has engulfed the world like no other. There's a reason for that.

CHRIST--MASS WHAT IS THE MASS OF CHRIST?

They're two ways to look at the word "mass." One is the Catholic tradition of the mass. Which in simple terms means that the host or bread taken at communion literally becomes the mass or flesh of Christ. I for one do not believe this even a little. It is impossible for me to believe that Jesus's intention when He said "eat My flesh" was that somehow, mysteriously when a priest prays over bread, that turns into actual human flesh. And then it is consumed in a spiritualized form a can****lism. Impossible. Not trying to be derogatory here. Just stating plainly what I believe.

The second idea of mass is the scientific one. Again, using the most simple terms, mass means something that is solid. Something that is the opposite of the invisible, or not solid. The ether waves, radio waves, sound waves, the wind, etc etc etc. Mass simply refers to that which is solid.

Christ-Mass, or "Christ becoming Mass", is the mystery of mysteries and the miracle of miracles. It's simply means God became human flesh. The invisible, eternal, uncreated God, decided to become human flesh or mass, in order to relate to mankind, demonstrate who He really is, and finally sacrifice Himself for the forgiveness of all who would receive that gift.

The word "Emmanuel" simply means God with us. That is Christ--msss. God becoming flesh.

In the first chapter of the Gospel of John we read that the Word was with God and was God, and the Word became flesh. Same principle. And He walked among us and we handled the Word of life.

Some people say they don't celebrate Christmas day. I would say to them we're not celebrating a day. We're celebrating a Man. And not any man, but the God-Man. The God who became a Man so that we could all be saved. It was a FIRST Advent, which points to a SECOND Advent, when He returns to rule and reign.

These are simple historic facts and teachings that our enemy has tried to justify taking away from us. Of course celebrating Christ first coming to the earth is a witness to the globe. And that is something our enemy hates.

And here's one final principle. You've heard the saying, "If you can't beat em join em." This is literally the strategy of the enemy. If he cannot altogether PREVENT people from honoring the First Coming of Christ, then he will change his tactics, and try to turn it into something secular or meaningless. If he can't push you one way he'll get behind you and push you the other.

It is true that much of the world has lost the very reason we celebrate the First Advent. And yes, for many it has become something that does not glorify or honor Christ. But not for everyone. The same way the Resurrection or Easter (and that name is definitely from pagan origins), has been turned into something secular, that often does not include the Son of God.

Is this a reason to abandon these things which at one time held deep religious and spiritual meanings for true believers? Rather than cursing the darkness well to turn on the Light. The
Light of Jesus!

(My own personal testimony about the WW 2 battlefield and Noel. Soldiers exchanging gifts and then refusing to fight on Christmas Day.)

Recently the Lord reminded me of the very first time I ever sang publicly in front of people. It was in the "Sunnyslope Christian Reformed Church" in Salem Oregon. I sang a solo on stage for a Christmas pageant. The song was "Away in the manger."

I never realized it, but my career (for lack of a better term) and history of singing in front of others, actually began with singing about the Lord Jesus. I never realized that. And He waited till I was in my latter years to reveal that to me. So there was a connection for me, between the advent of the Lord, and my singing as an act of worship unto him. At the time, I was seven or eight years old, I did not consider it singing to the Lord, but for people. Now I realize God allowed me to have that moment as a sign, that I was destined to sing for Him and not for the world.

Joy to you. Joy to me. Joy to the world.

He has done all things well.

Jim Moore