Unwrapping Christmas #1
I.
Introduction
a.
Well
Christmas is almost upon us, and we are surrounded during this month with all
kinds of things to remind us of it…lights, trees, wreaths, holly, candy canes,
stockings, mistletoe, poinsettia, nativity scenes, and pictures of Santa
b.
During
this time of year it is easy to lose focus on the things that don’t really
matter, completely forgetting why we are doing those things in the first place.
c.
It is
like we have a gift that is wrapped beautifully, it has glossy wrapping paper,
and ribbons. And all we do is keep the
gift wrapped, without ever opening it.
We just stare and stare but forget that there is a gift, far superior to
the wrapping paper, inside that is ready for us to enjoy. But instead we just focus on the outside,
without getting to the center.
d.
Tonight
I want to indulge in the wrapping paper a little bit, I want to see why we do
some of our Christmas traditions and see a quick glimpse of the gift they are
wrapping up for us.
II.
Body
a.
December
25th
a.
The
early church celebrated January 6th calling it the Feast of the
Epiphany, which was a time to remember the Baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist
as well as the visit of the Magi to the young child Jesus.
b.
During
this time there were also many pagan celebrations going on around the 25th
of December.
i.
Most of
them were in celebration of the winter solstice (the shortest day of the
year). The sun was celebrated as being
reborn.
ii.
The
Roman festival of Saturnalia (celebrating the Titian Cronos) was during this
time as well, celebrating the return of the God of Harvest. (again a rebirth being celebrated).
c.
Christians
decided to take over the celebrations and repurpose them to direct people to
the one true God. They took the
symbolism of light being returned to the world and used it for their own
purposes.
d.
More
than likely the birth of Jesus was between March and May, not during the
winter.
b.
Santa
Claus
a.
Over
time the celebration of Jesus’ birth (celebrated by going to church) got
blended with another holiday (Saint Nicholas’ day). On that day children would typically get
gifts.
b.
So who
was Saint Nick? Nicholas lived in Turkey
in the 300’s. His parents ended up
dying, leaving him with a fortune. After
some time of travelling he ended up in the Holy Land (Israel) where he had a
life changing experience and devoted his life to Christ.
c.
After
returning to his home town of Myrna he became known for his generosity.
d.
During
one period of time there were 3 daughters of a man who had no dowry, thus they
could not get married, and most that couldn’t’ get married would end up in
slavery or prostitution.
e.
Nicholas
heard of the problem and snuck to their house at night, putting in 3 bags of
money for their dowry.
f.
It is
legend that he placed them in their stockings which were hung up to dry that
night (thus our use of stockings hung on the chimney…with care)
g.
Over
time he became merged with other traditions of jolly elves and men who
travelled with reindeer, or went down chimneys, or gave presents, or gave coal,
or worked with elves, or wore red, or had a beard, or said ho ho ho.
h.
The
giving of gifts was to help us remember the gift that God gave us, his Son, so
that we could have eternal life with him.
c.
Candy
Canes
a.
In 1670
a priest started handing out candy canes to keep kids quiet during the
Christmas mass.
b.
Now we
have lots of traditions why it looks the way it looks
i.
White
shows Jesus’ purity
ii.
Red
shows the blood he shed
iii.
3 fine stripes
of red remind of the trinity
iv.
The
shape looks both like a shepherd’s staff (Jesus is our shepherd), and the
letter J for Jesus
v.
The
flavor is peppermint, related to the hyssop plant used for purification and
sacrifice
vi.
It is
made out of hard candy because Jesus is our rock
d.
Plants
a.
Poinsettia
i.
In the
1500’s a little girl in Mexico was too poor to give a gift for the Christ child
on the altar on Christmas Eve.
ii.
She
ended up gathering some weeds form the side of the road putting them on the
altar, the weeds bloomed into Poinsettia.
iii.
The
flower was known as Flores de Noche Buena (flowers of the holy night). The red representing the blood He would spill
and the star shape to remind of the star that led the wisemen to Jesus
b.
Holly
i.
This was
a plant used by druids for the celebration of the solstice, but Christians
again repurposed them to represent something new.
ii.
The
pointed leaves represent the crown and thorns and the red berries represent the
blood on the cross
c.
Trees
(lights)
i.
In the
700’s a man named Boniface went to Germany to share the gospel converting
many. He left and came back years later
to find them still celebrating a pagan holiday in which they would sacrifice a
young man under an oak tree called “Odin’s tree”. He inturrpted the service by chopping down
the oak. The people were stunned.
ii.
Later he
arrived back at the oak and they found a fir tree growing from it. He used it explain the trinity to those who
were there. He told them to “let Christ
be at the center of your households.” So
they took them inside, hanging them upside down so as to help with the trinity
teaching.
iii.
The
evergreen represented everlasting life as well.
iv.
Over
time they started putting them right side up.
During the 1400’s the tree became a representation of the Paradise Tree
(garden of Eden). They were decorated
with apples (fruit of the tree of good and deal) and white wafers (to remind of
communion and those Jesus’ death). They
would do a play about the fall of man and end it with a prophecy of the Savior
to come.
v.
Over time the decorations became cookies of different shapes and then
ornaments.
vi.
Lights were introduced by Martin Luther in the 1500’s (originally
candles). He put them on to show his
kids the beauty of the stars of God’s creation.
A star was added on the top as a remembrance of the star of Bethlehem.
vii.
Eventually these lights also took on the meaning of Jesus being the
light of the world. (and stopped being such a fire hazard)
III.
Conclusion
a. So…I know a lot of this seems like…well history
class. But I wanted to show you
something really important tonight…the stuff we do at Christmas isn’t about the
stuff but about the one the stuff is supposed to point us to (the gift inside
the wrapping paper)
b. Read Luke 2:6-15 – “While they were there,
the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a
son. She wrapped him cloths and placed
him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shepherds living out in the fields
nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel said to them, ‘Do not be
afraid. I bring you good news of great
joy that will be for all the people.
Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ
the Lord. This will be a sign to
you: You will find a baby wrapped in
cloths and lying in a manger.’ Suddenly
a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and
saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his
favor rests.’ When the angels had left
them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to
Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us
about.’”
c. The present to us is Jesus, and that should
be our focus, not the wrappings. So
don’t get so caught up in the other stuff without remember God came to this
earth to save you from your sins, because he loves you. Let’s take a moment and thank God for that
gift. And make it a point every day over
the next 21 days to remember that.
d. Pray
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