willyloman....I think this is the anti-Christmas sermon...
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w56 12/15 p. 743 What Would Jesus Say? ***IMAGINE, if you will, Jesus walking down the gaily bedecked and brightly lighted streets of one of Christendom?s major cities. It is Christmas time. The town Christmas tree blazes in resplendent glory. Santa Clauses seem to be everywhere. And so do the shoppers. They are dashing in droves to department stores to make last-minute purchases. From loudspeakers blare Christmas carols interspersed with blatant commercials. Cash registers add their financially satisfying song to the din. A "Merry Christmas" slides off active tongues. The Christmas spirit has reached a high pitch. Amid all the commotion Jesus inquires of a celebrant about the meaning of all this unusual bustle.
"Oh," comes the reply, "this is Christmas, the greatest birthday party of the year." "But," asks Jesus, "whose birthday is it?"
Whose birthday is it? A strange question? Not really. A newcomer to Christendom would truly wonder. After all, does the furious exchange of gifts identify the one in whose honor the celebration is being held? Do the millions of dollars of advertising tell whose birthday is being celebrated? Do the lavish displays in store windows, the decorated Christmas trees or the colored lights strung in the streets tell whose birthday it is? And Santa Claus, the great central figure in millions of homes, who symbolizes this celebration as no other character does, fails to enlighten the stranger as to whose birthday it is.
Not strange, then, that Jesus would ask the celebrant: "Whose birthday is it?" "Oh," comes the answer, "it?s December 25, Christ?s birthday." Now what would Jesus say? That not only does the celebration fail to honor the Son of God but the date is all wrong. Referring to the Bible record, Jesus could show that he was not born in December at all. How so? Because the Bible shows he was born on or about October 1, 2 B.C., that he came as Messiah A.D. 29 and was put to death three and a half years later, or about April 1, A.D. 33.
Now what would Jesus say about Christendom?s religions? taking part in a hoax and leading people to believe he was born on December 25? He would point to the prophecy made by one of his apostles: "There will be a period of time when they will not put up with the healthful teaching, but, in accord with their own desires, they will accumulate teachers for themselves to have their ears tickled, and they will turn their ears away from the truth, whereas they will be turned aside to false stories."?2 Tim. 4:3, 4, NW.
Like the Israelites who tolerated religious falsehoods and abominations for what selfish gain they could derive from false stories, so are the Christmas celebrants who not only tolerate but prefer the hoax of Christ?s birthday party. So well might Jesus point to the words of Jehovah: "An awful and appalling thing has happened in the land: the prophets prophesy by false gods, and the priests make profit through them; my people love to have it so."?Jer. 5:30, 31, AT.
What would Jesus say to those professed Christians who try to justify Christmas in spite of its false date and pagan background? He would say that he never commanded it, that his birthday was never celebrated by any of his apostles or early disciples, that it was only after the foretold apostasy that the Christmas celebration came into existence among professed Christians. This apostasy was foretold by Christ?s apostle, who said that it would result in "twisted things.".... And what would Jesus say of all the prominence given to "three" wise men on Christmas cards and decorations? He would ask why all the honor is given them, for the wise men were astrologers or demon worshipers....
What would Jesus say of the endless portrayal of him as an infant? He would say that he no longer is an infant, so why cause people to think of him as a babe? Viewing Jesus only as a babe is dangerous. It diverts one from the vital fact that he has been empowered by his Father as King and that he now reigns and will shortly smash all nations with a rod of iron as he "carries on war in righteousness." Should a world-smashing King, indeed, the "King of kings and Lord of lords," be thought of as a babe? Thus the focusing of the people?s attention on Jesus as an infant is a deception, a deception perpetrated by that master Deceiver, Satan the Devil.?Rev. 19:11-16, NW.
And what would Jesus say of the Christmas celebrants themselves? Does their conduct honor Christ? In one sweeping statement Jesus could answer, quoting the prophecy concerning the "last days" in which there will be "lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God." Christmas time spawns an overabundance of these. Not only that but at Christmas time many celebrants, like the ancient pagans, hurtle into the sullied seas of overdrinking, overeating and immorality....Just what would Jesus say of the Christmas customs, the use of holly, mistletoe, Yule logs and Christmas trees? He would state the candid facts, just as the encyclopedias do: that such customs are not Christian practices but are of heathen origin.
What would Jesus say about giving presents? Certainly Jesus would not condemn giving; he commended it as a source of happiness. Yet the exchanging of gifts, as it is done at Christmas, would not receive Jesus? approval, for the giving is patterned after the exchanging of gifts during the pagan Saturnalia. Also, most Christmas giving is done on a reciprocal basis; Christ said to give to those who cannot repay you. And the Bible does not, as some think, set the pattern for gift exchanging. Who brought gifts to Jesus? None other than the demon-worshiping astrologers! Certainly Christians are not to follow their example.
And what would Jesus say of teeming celebrants whose excitement does not conceal their ignorance, their lack of knowledge of the kingdom that Christ preached as the hope of the world? He would say that the people are too busy to learn the way to life and Christmas only makes them that much busier....Nothing wrong with these pursuits, but the trouble is people busy themselves so deeply in them, especially at Christmas time, eating, drinking and buying, that they have no room in their lives for knowledge of God?s purposes through his Son. And so ignorance of the oncoming war of Armageddon and of the incoming new world remains widespread.
So what would Christ say of Christmas? That Christmas is a religious hoax, a commercial trap, a pagan holiday, a dishonor to him and a degrading of Christianity. He could never approve it; he could never recognize it as a true Christian practice. That means that those who celebrate it come under Christ?s disapproval. That being the case, why celebrate Christmas? Why not be free of this colossal commercial snare? No need to celebrate because other professed Christians do! Indeed, there is no need to be among those teeming professed Christians whom, despite their protests of doing works in Christ?s name, the King refuses to recognize:
"Many will say to me in that day: ?Master, Master, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many powerful works in your name?? And yet then I will confess to them: I never knew you at all. Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness." So that you never have to get away from Christ then, get away from Christmas now.?Matt. 7:22, 23, NW.
