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Christmas traditions and their origens • Sermon • Submitted
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· 3 viewscreating traditions that help us remember what Christ has done
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Introduction
Introduction
Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.” So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them with his son David to Saul.
David came to Saul and entered his service. Saul liked him very much, and David became one of his armor-bearers. Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Allow David to remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.”
Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take up his lyre and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.
1 Samuel 16:19
Through out life we create our own traditions our own ways of doing things.
Sights
Smells
places
All help us to remnise on things
We have communion so that we don’t forget what Christ has done for us.
It connects us to the work of Christ, his love and what that means to us.
Every year we put up a Christmas tree and decorate our home in celebration for Christmas. this is the season that We honour Jesus.
everything we do with Christmas the traditions and the celebrations have passed down from generation to generation.
Nicholas the Christ kind person who gave gifts to the poor children. He was made a saint in the Catholic church, as the years and centuries have gone by, we now have a greater understanding of scripture and its intent and what Christ has done for each of us and it is through Christ we are all made saints and heirs.
So this tradition of being generous and gift giving was passed from one generation to another. Not only does it represent our Heavenly father who gave us the ultimate gift of eternal life, but also the Maggai, the wise guys who gave a gifts to Christ Jesus.
Christmas tree
I find that at times we get hung up about things that don’t matter, but we make them absolutes in our lives.
One of the greatest things I love about the love of God, he looks at our heart, our heart and the intention of our lives is important to the Lord and even when we get it wrong he is working in our lives to restore, redeem and build our lives.
Here we have the Christmas tree, we have had big humungas trees here.
Some pagan traditions honoured the evergreen tree
then there were Christian’s in Europe who erected a tree in their homes at Christmas time to represent everlasting life.
There seems to mixture of Christian and pagan festivals. As the gospel went through out the earth.
Honouring Christ and keeping him first, is a crucial part of Christmas, understanding the reason behind the celebrations is important.
Like the Maggai presenting the gifts to the king.
Like us going to a person house and bringing something for our host, don’t go empty handed.
Our customs and traditions honour Christ.
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
1 Samuel 16:7
1 Samuel 16:
God looks at our heart. this is a principle of God.
What is in our heart this Christmas, is it one of honour to Christ.
We may find ours
I actually don’t think our heavenly father is concerned about how we celebrate Christ and the festivities.
The things that he instituted, are communion the new covenant, baptism and Marriage.
The thing that He commanded us to do is to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Often we try and make sense of history and context etc.
we need to use what is in our hand, our stone lift up Christ, not to condemn the world, Jesus said in that he didn’t come to condemn the world but to save it, he came to redeem people like you and me back into the relationship that we were designed to have with him.
Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled at Sokoh in Judah. They pitched camp at Ephes Dammim, between Sokoh and Azekah.
I Samuel 17
Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines. The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them.
I Samuel 17:2-
the battle lines were drawn, there was a valley in between,
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
Psalm 23:2
the Lord guides us through the valleys
A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span. He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels; on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer went ahead of him.
I Samuel 17:4-
So much description goes into explaining the power of the enemy, every one should be intimidated look at him…look at his accessarories,
First the enemy tries to intimidate us by what is behind him, what strength and power, he tires to render us powerless.
1 Samuel 17:8
Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.” Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.” On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.
Here we see the enemy trying to condemn, taunt, undermine who they are and who’s they are.
The enemy of our soul tries to render us powerless and without identity.
I’m here today to say we are powerful and created in the image of God because of what Christ has done for us.
Now David was the son of an Ephrathite named Jesse, who was from Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons, and in Saul’s time he was very old. Jesse’s three oldest sons had followed Saul to the war: The firstborn was Eliab; the second, Abinadab; and the third, Shammah. David was the youngest. The three oldest followed Saul, but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.
The story and calling is recapped again, it is a reminder to us the reader that David is call.
1 Samuel 17:12-
For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand.
The enemy is relentless, he continues to repeat himself the same dialogue over and over again.
1 Samuel 17:16
What are the words that you continue to hear
I’m not smart enough
I’m not good enough
I’m not worthy
.................................
But Jesus says He is enough,
His love and grace is sufficient for you.
He has fearfully and wonderfully made you
He hasn’t given you a spirit of fear but of love power and a sound mind
Our focus should be on who he is and what he has done.
Now Jesse said to his son David, “Take this ephah of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to their camp. Take along these ten cheeses to the commander of their unit. See how your brothers are and bring back some assurance from them. They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines.”
Early in the morning David left the flock in the care of a shepherd, loaded up and set out, as Jesse had directed. He reached the camp as the army was going out to its battle positions, shouting the war cry. Israel and the Philistines were drawing up their lines facing each other. David left his things with the keeper of supplies, ran to the battle lines and asked his brothers how they were. As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it. Whenever the Israelites saw the man, they all fled from him in great fear.
1 Samuel 17:17
Have you ever found yourself delivering some sanga’s and you found something that you were destined to do. You have had to take up your authority in God, step up to the plate and speak up or do something that Honours God.
You had the opportunity to speak into someones life. You’ve been able to encourage them or bless them.
God uses our everyday situations to slay giants, he uses them to reach our destiny.
Goliath shouted the usual defiance:
the words of the enemy or our fears have the same reteric, the same dialogue the same monlogue.
This is our giant that must be slayed and submit to the Lord Jesus Christ the kIng of kings and the Lord of Lords.
Conclusion
Keep Christ in our story keep honouring him, keep him at the centre of your devotion.
Whether you have Santa, raindeers, Christmas trees, prawns or turkey, plum pudding or Pavalova, it doesn’t matter
What does matter is our heart God looks at the heart.
Ask ourselves does the intent of my heart Honour Christ then our actions honour Christ.
His Story is your story, you have a story, Christ is the centre of it.
The enemy comes and brings intimidation, throws insults that undermine what Christ has done in you.
Jesus said when he was on that Cross it is finished, your sin and shame has been dealt with.
His love came down to rescue you in the form of a babe and now His story is your story.
We overcome by the blood of the lamb, the sacrifice that Christ has made, and the word of our testimony, our story with Christ as the hero.
Let Jesus Christ be the hero of your story this Christmas.
Think about what Christ Did to bring you salvation.