Truth or Tradition?
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Turn to and read Luke 2:1-20. Pray.
For the next few moments I would like you to ponder this question.
“Is your celebration of Christmas based upon truth or tradition?”
Now, before you answer that question too quickly, stop and think…
Is a Christmas tree truth or tradition?
Are stockings hung on the mantle truth or tradition?
Is gift giving truth or tradition?
Are sugar cookies, peanut butter balls, candy canes and other such goodies that seem to only be made this time of year truth or tradition?
There’s much more that we could offer here but I believe that you get the point. While I am not advocating that we do away with those things as some might suggest; could we still celebrate Christmas without those things? I believe all of understand that we could still celebrate Christmas without those things…but we sure do like our traditions!
So, it bares asking again...
“Is your celebration of Christmas based upon truth or tradition?”
In Colossians 2:8, the Apostle Paul gives us this warning:
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.
The word, “spoil,” there means to “damage or impair.” Paul was writing to a local church that he was thankful for. He was thankful for their faith in Jesus Christ.
We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,
For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;
However, Paul was also concerned. He was concerned that their relationship with Christ and their witness for Him was being damaged. How? By the traditions of men and the rudiments of this world!
Is our relationship with God and our witness for God being hampered by our Christmas traditions?
Instead, shouldn’t we, as Christians, allow “the most wonderful time of the year” to build our relationship with God and to enhance our witness for Christ?
Keep Your Focus on the Truth of Christmas
Keep Your Focus on the Truth of Christmas
Throughout Scripture we see the truth of Christmas.
Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, And shall call his name Immanuel.
Turn to and read Matthew 1:18-23.
In Luke 2:10 the angel said:
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
The word that is used for “good tidings” is the word that is usually translated as “Gospel.”
Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
That is the truth! The Gospel message is the truth! The truth that Christ – the Son of God – came to the earth, was born, lived a perfect life, died upon the cross, was buried, and rose again the third day. That is why you hear people, this time of year, say, “Jesus is the Reason for the Season!”
Why is that message – the message of Christ – so important?
Without that truth – we would have no hope!
Without that truth – we would have no hope!
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Without the truth – we would be damned to an eternity in hell!
Without the truth – we would be damned to an eternity in hell!
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
While you may be eager to open the gifts that have gathered under the Christmas tree , my question to you is...
“Have you received the truth of Christmas?”
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Turn to and read Colossians 1:3-5; 12-14.
Do you need to receive Christ, His forgiveness of sins, and the gift of eternal life? Do it this very night and experience the truth of Christmas.
If you know Christ as your Savior determine not to allow tradition to trump the truth!
If you know Christ as your Savior determine not to allow tradition to trump the truth!
Don’t emphasize tradition; emphasize Truth.
Don’t emphasize tradition; emphasize Truth.
Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, Good will toward men.
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
Make sure that you all of your celebrations this year, that you emphasize the Truth!
Make sure that you all of your celebrations this year, that you emphasize the Truth!
And....
Don’t get carried away by tradition.
Don’t get carried away by tradition.
According to statistics, even in this crazy, “anything but normal,” year, consumers in the United States are expected to spend approximately $850 on average on Christmas gifts.
I believe that it is safe to say that some people got a little carried away by the tradition of spending money!
Many people get carried away by the traditions because they are seeking to experience the joy & peace that they can’t seem to experience any other time of the year!
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.
If you want to experience true joy and peace, then spend more time with Christ this season than you do in the shopping mall or on Amazon.com!
Don’t neglect Truth for tradition.
Don’t neglect Truth for tradition.
There is one thing that seems to characterize the Christmas season; everyone is busy!
There is so much “hustle and bustle” that the days between Thanksgiving and Christmas seem to speed by.
It seems that people are running from one tradition to the next.
However, in all that hustle and bustle, be sure that you don’t neglect the Truth.
Why? Because when we get busy, one of the first things that tends to get put on the back burner is our walk with the Lord.
The shepherds said…
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.
During this time of the year, be sure to spend time with the Lord in His Word.
Not only that, but be sure not to neglect to share the truth with others just as the shepherds did.
And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
Take some “Merry Christmas” cards with you this evening and share with others.
Make sure your celebrations are controlled by Truth not tradition.
Make sure your celebrations are controlled by Truth not tradition.
It is easy to allow traditions to dictate how we spend our time, especially during the Christmas season!
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
Instead, allow your celebration of Christmas to be controlled by your love for the Lord Jesus Christ and your desire to please Him!
Several years ago, a good friend of mine, Dr. Dan Troutman, posted this on his Facebook page:
Every year about this time, FB memes propagate about "Don't say "Happy Holidays, say Merry Christmas" and "Don't take Christ out of Christmas." If, as a fundamentalist Baptist, I'm not bothered by the "MASS" in "Christmas," then I probably shouldn't get all bent out of shape by the "HOLY" in "holiday." In addition, the secularization of society is not the problem. I, as a Christian am the problem. The quickest way to take "Christ" out of Christmas is for me to focus on festivities instead of the person of Christ. When I'm more concerned about my lights than being a light, when I'm more enamored by recitations than the incarnation, and when I'm more worried about buying gifts than the Gift I have received in Jesus, than I'm the one that is guilty. I have left Christ out of Christmas, not Walmart. May God give us the grace to remember and share Him all of our days. Then they can all be "holy."