Americans love/hate the “holiday season”!

• Feel good season• Candy, food, gifts• Family gatherings

• Loneliness/depression

• Materialism*• Family feuds

* $616 Billion estimated spending in overall holiday shopping in 2014

Do You Think Christians Should Celebrate Christmas?*

King James Bible News (Dec. 23, 2012)http://kingjamesonline.org/what-do-christians-really-believe-about-christmas/christians-celebrating-christmas-2

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Do You Believe December 25 is the true day that Jesus Christ was born?*

King James Bible News (Dec. 23, 2012)http://kingjamesonline.org/what-do-christians-really-believe-about-christmas/december-25-jesus-birthday

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The Great “Christmas” Debate

YES!ChristianLiberty

Rom. 14:5

NO!No Bible AuthorityCol. 3:16

Yes, but No - National/ secular celebration.

The Apostle Paul said…“Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: The former

preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; but the

latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.”

(Philippians 1:15–18)

The Lord Has

Come!

Facts are Facts: There was great joy when Jesus came into this world!

• Rejoicing from Elizabeth and her babe/John. Luke 1:39-44

• Wise men/magi/astrologers – came to worship “the King of the Jews”. Matthew 2:1-2

• An angel declares “good tidings of great joy” with the announcement of the Messiah. Luke 2:8-11

The Good News for this world

• Without the birth of Christ, there would be no death, burial and resurrection for us to remember.

• But, through Christ’s birth: • Fulfillment of prophecy. Isa. 9:6-7; Matt. 1:22-23• A life lived among us, as one of us. Heb. 4:14-16

Paraphrase of Psalm 98:4-9

Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise…. Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity (vv. 4-9).