IT'S NOT MY BIRTHDAY

Yesterday I went to Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune to get my hair cut. I really enjoy going to the Base and rubbing shoulders with some of America's greatest heroes. It was my turn and I took a seat in the chair. A very nice Korean lady asked me how I wanted my hair cut and I told her. They were really busy so small talk was out of the question. Finally, I asked are you ready for Christmas? She stopped and looked at me and said, what's a matter you I am Korean I don't celebrate Christmas, any way it's not my birthday, it's Jesus' birthday. I was shocked she was right. All I wanted to do was make conversation and boy did I get a lesson from God. I wonder why we give each other presents on Jesus' birthday? That would be like me getting presents on your birthday. Do you know no where in the Bible did Jesus or anyone else say to remember His birth. I wonder why we spend some much time, money, not to mention the stress involved in doing something that is not important to Jesus? All of this present buying does not make much sense, but it does make good business cents. Where did we go wrong? Did you know Christmas was not observed by the major American denominations; Presbyterians, Baptist, Quakers, Methodists, and Congregationalist until the end of the 19th Century. In colonial New England this religious disapproval extended to actually making the holiday illegal with celebration punished by a fine. Ah, but the store keepers and money changers got their way and now Americans spend billions of dollars (of which most do not have) in about an one month period (27 Nov. to 24 Dec.) of time.

I am afraid many Christians have missed the mark with respect to non-Christian traditions like decorating trees, a custom which the Bible clearly forbids, "Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. 3For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. 4They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not." (Jeremiah 10:2-5) and all of this gift-giving, (when it is not our birthday) which became important to the middle class as a custom and status symbol also in the late 19th century. What have we done? Yes, it is true the Wise Men gave Jesus gifts two or three years after His birth, but does that mean we must buy gifts every year for our family and friends? And please remember, the Bible never put the Wise Men at the manger the night of Jesus' birth with the Shepherds. This too is portrayed wrong every year doing the many Christmas pageants. What are we doing? Now here is the rub, if we are keeping Christmas by decking the halls, trimming the tree, and buying presents, were are not keeping the real meaning of the birth of Jesus Christ. Jesus came not to live, but to die. His sole mission was to do the will of His Father and that was to die a horrible death for the remission of our sins so that we may have His eternal life. Jesus is not looking for an IPOD, wide screen TV, or latest Internet toy for His birthday, but is looking for the gift of our heart in obedience to His words and desires we come to an understanding where we can identify with His death not His birth. "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:" (Romans 6:3-5) If we are not "baptised into His death" (not His life) we will never "walk in newness of life," we will never experience His resurrection life. My friend this is the real Christmas story, not all of the traditions and customs we do today. If we do not keep this truth in our heart our Christmas time will be a sham and all we do will make us a hypocrite. It is no wonder people in world like the Korean barber want nothing to do with the American Christmas. Earlier I said Jesus never asked us to celebrate His birth, but do you know, He did ask us to observe or remember His death. "And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 26For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come." (1 Corinthians 11:24-26) It is the death of Jesus we must keep. It is His sacrifice, the breaking of his body and shedding of His blood, we must remember to have His "newness of life."

My friends, it is time for the Church of Jesus Christ to stand for the truth and stop all of this gift-giving and Christmas idolatry. The stores have made enough money on us. For the truth to be known, our greed and our self-life wanting to get is at the center of gift-giving. My friend people are dying and going to a Christless eternity in hell while we frolic in the yule tide season singing songs and wrapping presents, and it's not even our birthday.