Christmas: “To Celebrate or Not to Celebrate”

Introduction: The Practical Question of Christmas Celebration

0:01 It will be my purpose this morning, breaking from our regular consecutive ministry of expounding a given section of the Word of God, to address myself to the very practical question, Christmas, to celebrate or not to celebrate, that is the issue.

0:23 We have come again to that time of the year called the Christmas or the Yuletide season, and whether we like it or not, we are forced to reckon with that indisputable reality. The crowded stores, the gaily lighted and ornately decorated public places, the dozens of cards stuffed into our mailboxes, the kids off from school botching up our plans for how to get our work done at home, these are all grim and hard-nosed facts that we cannot avoid. The Christmas season is upon us. Now, since a Christian is called upon to glorify God in the real world, he must be called upon to glorify God in the real world in which he lives, and since the Christmas season is a part of that world, the child of God must wrestle with this matter and come to some definitive position, both with respect to his attitudes and his actions, in the Christmas season. You just can't blink your eyes and hope the thing will go away. I've tried that many times, and it doesn't work. Now, to come.

Pressures Impinging on Convictions

1:36 To come to some definitive, that is, clear, well-defined biblical convictions in this area is most difficult because there is a threefold pressure impinging both upon our minds and upon our spirits. There is the pressure of tradition. There is innocent tradition, which is hard to relinquish, which is hard objectively to evaluate. There is bad tradition, towards which it is easy to relinquish.

2:07 And there is the second line of pressure, and that's personal and sentimental attachments or detachments from ways of celebrating or not celebrating the holiday. And then, of course, there is the third pressure coming from society itself, the pressure Paul was conscious of as he sought to glorify God and his generation, and therefore said, don't let the world squeeze you into its mold. Romans. Romans 12 and verse 2.

Three Indisputable Facts About Christmas

2:41 So whenever we're called upon as Christians to think clearly and right thinking under Gerd's right action, we must try to come at the subject at hand, clearing away the fog and the mist of tradition, sentiment, and the pressure of society, and lay hold of undeniable, indisputable facts, both of scriptural revelation and of what we might call natural revelation or the fact of the matter. And so what I propose to do this morning is, first of all, to start with three indisputable facts relative to the celebration of Christmas. Now, I say indisputable. Some of you may want to argue with them, but I hope if you have any argument, you will see me personally, and I hope to demonstrate to any objective mind the factuality of these assertions. Having done that, we're then going to consider in the second place the simplistic response to these facts. And there are two simplistic responses to these facts. And then in the third place, and this will form the bulk of our study, I want to lay before you the biblical principles which must guide us in answering the question, Christmas to celebrate or not to celebrate, that's the issue.

4:04 All right, then the indisputable facts relative to the celebration of Christmas. Fact number one, there is no biblical warrant for the remembrance of the day of Christ's birth as a day of special religious celebration. There is no biblical warrant for the remembrance of the day of Christ's birth as a day of special religious celebration. Now, listen to my words.

4:34 I've chosen them carefully and worked them and reworked them. I did not say there is no biblical warrant for the remembrance of Christmas. remembrance of christ's birth i hope you remember the wonder of the incarnation many many times throughout the year and stand amazed that he who was the eternal word became flesh and dwelt amongst us i hope you remember again and again as you come to such passages as philippians 2 the wonder of the incarnation the self-emptying of the son of god there's a sense in which every time we come to the communion service we remember his birth for he says this is my body a body assumed in the mystery of the incarnation so i'm not saying there is no biblical warrant for the remembrance of christ's birth i did say there is no biblical warrant for the remembrance of the day of christ's birth as a day of special religious celebration now as christians we're convinced that all religious ceremonies must be expressly commanded or laid upon us by just and necessary inference from the word of god when it comes to religious ceremonies we look for precept that is command or precedent that is

5:55 example from the word of god and as christians we will not allow our consciences to be bound by any word of man any tradition of man any tradition of the church for religiously religious celebrations, for religious ceremony, for religious activity, we say to the law and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this word, do not bind my conscience. And frankly, I've never met anyone who claims that the celebration of Christmas was rooted in a desire to obey some very clear precept or precedent set down in the scriptures. No, we are commanded to remember his death in the breaking of bread and wine set apart as emblems of that death. We are commanded to forsake not the assembling of ourselves together. We are commanded to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. We are commanded to make disciples and to baptize them. Therefore,

6:59 these religious ceremonies, gathering to his table, the baptism of confessed disciples, periodic gathering for the singing of psalms and hymns and spiritual songs and the exposition of the word, these are not traditions. These are laid upon our consciences by the explicit command of God and by the apostolic precedent. But there is no command in the word of God to remember the day of Christ's birth as a day of special religious celebration. And since the Christian conscience cannot be baptized, we are commanded to remember the day of Christ's birth as a day of special religious celebration. And since the Christian conscience cannot be baptized, we are commanded to remember the day of Christ's birth as a day of special religious celebration. And since the Christian conscience can't be baptized, we are commanded to remember the day of Christmas Eve service. Why don't we call a Christmas Day service? Why do we not sing the great old carols here on the Lord's day prior to or immediately following Christmas? Well, for the simple reason that we would be binding the

8:08 The conscience is of Christians to engage in something for which we had no biblical warrant. That's what we would be doing. We would be binding your conscience to remember Christmas. And we would be doing so without warrant for the word of God.

8:24 Now why have we chosen psalms to sing this morning? Because God says we are to minister one to another in psalms. Why have we chosen hymns and spiritual songs? Because he says speaking one to another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.

8:42 And therefore we have no problem binding your conscience as a Christian this morning to lift up your voice in praise to God in psalm and hymn because we have clear warrant. But if we were to try to cause all of you to give some special significance here in the stated gathering of God's people to the day called Christmas, we would do so without biblical warrant. Fact number one, there is no biblical warrant for the remembrance of the day of Christ's birth as a day of special religious celebration. Fact number two, the setting apart of December 25th as a day of special commemoration of Christ's birthday is rooted in a pseudo-Christian and pagan tradition.

9:31 The setting apart of December 25th as a day of special commemoration of Christ's birthday, is rooted in a pseudo, that is, false, partial, shallow, Christian and pagan tradition. Now all of the reading I've been able to do on this, there seems to be pretty much unanimous conviction by historians that a statement such as the one I am about to read is in all main points, its main points, accurate. The December 25th date comes from a pagan observance of the birthday, of the unconquered sun. A fortnight, that is, two weeks of festivities, was highlighted by feasts, parades, special music, gift-giving, lighted candles and green trees. Ambitious church members, and in 336, Emperor Constantine declared, quote, Christ's birthday an official Roman holiday. In other words, if you can't fight him, join him. Some church members objected to the observance.

10:35 Tertullian, a sharp-tongued critic, denounced it as pagan in its origin, chrysostom, rebuked weak Christians for adopting such worldly customs. The protests were overruled, and for centuries since, Western nations have revered December 25th as the anniversary of the birth of the Lord. In other sections of the visible church, the celebration goes on in January, and I think there's another wing in which it is carried on later on in the spring. So then, all who have any acquaintance with the history of the church and paganism, and the pagan Roman history and the history of the Roman Catholic church as we now know its present form, going back to Constantine's so-called Christianizing of the Roman Empire, agree that the origin of setting apart December 25th is of pseudo-Christian and of pagan origination. Therefore, the conscience of a Christian sensitive to holding on to traditions that may not be explicitly taught in the Word, but are the fruit of the most blessed periods of the church's history, need never feel at all disturbed if he looks with great suspicion upon this tradition. In other words, there are certain traditions, such as the tradition of gathering for special instruction prior to worship services, as we talked in the adult class a few weeks ago. There's no command,

12:00 thou shalt have an hour of instruction called Sunday school, but there is a general mandate to teach and to instruct the people of God, and there is in that sense an evangelical tradition that is a good tradition. It does not violate any precept or precedent, and a Christian has a sense of obligation to listen to his brethren who've gone before him, have lived previous to him. But with reference to this tradition, one need never fear that if he looks upon it with suspicion, he is being, as it were, proudly arrogant and indifferent to a better tradition within the framework, which is the Christian tradition. of true believers.

12:40 No, the setting apart of December 25th as a day of special commemoration of Christ's birthday is rooted in a pseudo-Christian and pagan tradition. Then the third indisputable fact is this. The current celebration of Christmas is essentially, don't you leave out my essentially, essentially pagan, humanistic, and ungodly in all its ramifications. The current celebration of Christmas, is essentially pagan, humanistic, and ungodly in all its ramifications.

13:18 Now at the highest level, it's humanistic. That is, when people talk about goodwill, peace, harmony, the better life, when they think of Christmas in its most elevated ways, it's purely humanistic. That is, it begins with man and ends with man. For instance, the annual Christmas prayer written by someone who either works for, or under New York Life Insurance Company, and this appears as a full-page ad in Time Magazine every year, a prayer of this nature.

13:47 Listen to this God-centered prayer. Let us pray that strength, it's called a Christmas prayer. Let us pray that strength and courage abundant be given to all who work for a world of reason and understanding. That the good that lies in every man's heart may day by day be magnified.

14:07 That men will come to see more clearly, not that which divides them, but that which unites them. That each hour may bring us closer to a final victory, not of nation over nation, but of man over his own evils and weaknesses.

14:25 This is praying, you see, that man will be his own savior. That's exactly what it's saying. That the true spirit of this Christmas season, dash, its joy, its beauty, its hope, and above all, its abiding faith, may live among us. That the blessings of peace be ours, the peace to build and grow, to live in harmony and sympathy with others, and to plan for the future with confidence.

14:49 You see, God doesn't enter into this whole thing.

14:53 Man's betterment is the beginning, middle, and end, and it'll come by man's own steam. Now that's the kind of humanism that pervades Christmas at the highest level. Then you descend to the office parties, the pinching of secretaries, kissing under mistletoe, half drunk,

15:12 and then you see the orgiastic, nature of this type of celebration. And then when you descend to the programmed spirit of covetousness by that little red gimme man called Santa Claus. What do you want? I want Santa to give me this and that and the other.

15:33 I don't think any thinking person, Christian or non-Christian, would dispute this third statement of fact. The current celebration of Christmas is essentially pagan, humanistic, and ungodly in all its ramifications. This being so, a Christian knows that he is faithfully and forcefully to resist everything that is humanistic, pagan, and ungodly. A Christian is not indifferent to humanism.

16:01 That's why some of us can't stomach the public school system. We cannot accept the fact that humanism and theism will exist as viable options side by side. We say this is God's world. And that child of mine is God's creature.

16:18 And he must know himself and his world through the eyes of God's word.

16:23 We cannot stomach humanism. Not a viable option. Another alternative. The Christian stands against humanism.

16:30 He is called upon not to absorb the counsel of the ungodly. According to Ephesians 5 is to reprove the unfruitful works of darkness. Well then, in the light of those three facts that we've given you,

Critique of Simplistic Responses

16:46 what? Shall a Christian do? Well, let me give the simplistic answers to classes of Christians. You know what some of you are doing right now?

16:54 You're saying, I hope he's on my side.

16:57 I know exactly what some of you are thinking because sitting here this morning are some of you who have a simplistic answer and you're just hoping I'll be your David to slay those Goliaths. Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you.

17:10 Now listen, because right up till now, some of you have been saying, give it to him, give it to him, give it to him. And now, how can he slay those things and not come down on my side? Now, a simplistic answer. You see, is the answer of one who has that uncanny ability to make complex issues overly simple in their resolution.

17:28 I've often wished for the mind of a woman when wrestling with profound theological problems.

17:35 Now, don't anyone say I'm a chauvinist. No, this is one of the reasons why God has not decreed that women should take a place of leadership in teaching. God has constituted her mind much more profound in the fulfillment of her role as a mother. And I'm amazed.

17:52 The wisdom my wife has in areas where I'm as stupid as can be.

17:59 And I give due deference to the woman's uncanny ability psychologically and mentally to fulfill the role for which God made her. And that's all that was behind my statement. But I've been amazed at how women can, with one simple statement, resolve the theological problems that have just stretched the minds of the most profound Christian thinkers for centuries. And my wife has done that so many times.

18:24 To my amazement.

18:28 That's what a simplistic answer is, you see. It's oversimplifying an issue by failing to take into account all of its complex concomitants and ingredients. Now, here are two simplistic responses to those three facts. On the one hand, there is this response.

18:46 All Christians, and I've chosen my words carefully, should, in attitude and action and example, have nothing to do with the day and see to it that no one else does. No gifts, no cards, no trees, no carols, no nothing. And if you get anywhere near them, they're going to give you tracts on why Christmas is pagan and nobody ought to have anything to do with it.

19:12 Yes, sir. But now, descending from the humor, listen carefully. In their hearts, they cannot help but condemn and judge all who have anything to do with it.

19:24 We're told in 1644, the English Puritans forbade the observance and made December 25th a regular market day. And even if you made certain types of plum pudding or other things, it was illegal because they were considered pagan foods made in celebration of that pagan day. Now, that's a very self-consistent position, but may I say it is a simplistic answer? On the other hand, you have the other simplistic answer that says all Christians should seek to capture Christmas for Christ.

19:56 Make every gift speak of God's great gift. Make the tree remind you of that tree upon which the sun is shining. Of God hung and even tell their children this as that tree is the place from which the gifts are distributed. So God's gifts are given on the basis of the death of Christ.

20:13 And listen carefully. Now they look upon anyone who will not quote capture Christmas for Christ as being guilty of sinful retreat. And they say you're giving up the day to the devil. What kind of testimony is that?

20:30 Now, I'm going to suggest that both of these positions are wrong simply because they are. They are simplistic. They fail to take into account the whole picture. And they absolutize for others.

20:43 And that's the worst part of the error.

20:47 They make what is a personal conviction a universal duty.

Biblical Principles for Guidance: Nothing Intrinsically Evil

20:54 And there are some of you sitting here this morning that are sinning against God and against your brethren in that very area. Well, you say, Pastor Martin, do you have another position? No, I don't. I have no position to give you this morning.

21:07 What I have... What I have to give you, and this is the third area of our study, is some fundamental biblical principles by which you must wrestle to your own position and allow your brother and sister the same liberty to wrestle with the same principles and come to his position and not end up the same way you do.

21:29 And if God will help us to come to that, then the study together will have been profitable. Now turn, please, to Romans 14. That's why we had Pastor Blaze read the passage. Because Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8 are the passages with which we must wrestle when treating any subject of this nature.

21:56 You remember in the reading, the apostle was dealing with the eating or the non-eating of meat. He's dealing with the observance of certain religious days that were a carryover from the Jewish calendar. And he talked about days in verse 6. He talked about...

22:14 He talked about... He talked about...

22:14 about meats. In 1 Corinthians 8, the parallel passage, he talks about the partaking of meat that has been offered to an idol. You talk about something that had a pagan origin. What was more pagan than meat that had been offered up in the worship of an idol? And yet Paul says there are certain Christians, regardless of the origin of that meat, can eat to the glory of God. So when you come with this whole origin bit, and that's why I've never had much sympathy with these tracts that say, if you only knew what the origin of Christmas was, you'd have not. My friend, may I ask you a simple question this morning? Do you know the origin of buttons on a man's coat? How many of you men who wear buttons on your, all you men, look down, you got buttons on your jacket, right there. Now, how many of you know the origin of that? All right, suppose I were to tell you that that goes back to a day when people thought that demons could come in under your coats unless you buttoned them down. Now, I'm not saying that is the origin, but suppose, see, you don't know.

23:17 There are many things that you presently indulge in, the origin of which you know nothing about.

23:24 So you see, this whole business, if we know the origin, that's flatly contradicted. Paul says the origin of that meat is temple worship of an idol. And yet he goes on to say that a man can eat that meat to the glory of God. So then, let's reckon with the principles. What are they? Four principles.

23:43 I hope, well, we're just going to have to cover them. I may have to cover them a bit more briefly than I had anticipated. Let's look at them. Number one, we must recognize that nothing of this nature is intrinsically evil.

23:55 Verse 14, I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean of itself, save to him who accounteth anything to be unclean. To him, it is unclean. Verse 20, overthrow not for meat's sake the work of God. All things indeed are clean.

24:19 Now, you see, in the context, what Paul is saying is this. Here were Christians divided. Shall I be a vegetarian? Shall I not be a vegetarian? In the 1 Corinthians 8 passage, the question was, shall I eat meat that has been offered to an idol, or shall I not eat meat that's been offered to an idol? Now, the problem with that mentality is that people were thinking in terms of the evil being in the meat itself. And Paul says, no, I am persuaded in the Lord Jesus. That is, under the full canopy of his authority, dictating the conclusions of my mind that nothing is intrinsically unclean. That is, no material object is unclean. It is the creation

25:05 of God. And therefore, when we come to this whole question, shall I or shall I not celebrate Christmas, we're not talking now what the church does in setting aside a religious celebration. We've cleared the decks of that business. But we're talking now, what shall you do in your home? Shall you or shall you not have a Christmas tree? Shall you or shall you not give Christmas cards? Shall you or shall you not have a Christmas dinner? Well, remember this. A tree is a creature of God. There is nothing intrinsically evil in a tree, be it oak tree, maple tree, fir tree, balsam tree, blue spruce, white spruce, and anything in between.

25:50 Now, my friend, I ask you a simple question. Can you show me anything from the Bible that says a tree is intrinsically evil? It's an evil object. Well, of course you can. All right? Anything intrinsically evil with having one of God's gifts in my home? Oh, you see, you're trying to justify Christmas. No. Seventeen years of married life, there's only been two years when a Christmas tree has been in our home. I'm not justifying my own position. I'm trying to get you to see a biblical principle. Is there anything intrinsically evil in a tree that says a tree is intrinsically evil? With a colored light. Only pure white lights are virtuous? If so, we're sinning. We've got a yellow tint on the glass there. You see what I'm driving at? Is there anything intrinsically evil with a parent giving a gift to a child? Be it socks, toys, roller skates, ice skates, a new item of clothing?

26:51 Of course not. The Bible says that desire to give good gifts to children is a little reflection of the benevolent heart of God who delights to give good gifts to his children. If you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall the Heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him? Is there anything intrinsically evil with a turkey or a ham being set apart for a special meal on a special day? Of course not. The Scripture says all of the foods are gifts of God and are sanctified by the Word of God in prayer. Any mentality, therefore, and this is the large fundamental conclusion we draw from the first principle. Any mentality which looks upon the thing itself as evil is an anti-biblical mentality.

27:40 And the origin of a thing has nothing to do with its being evil or not evil in terms of its pagan or non-pagan origin. Is the thing itself a gift of God? Is friendship, the desire to share with one another, the desire to enjoy food and fellowship about a table, are those things intrinsically evil? Is it a gift of God? Is it a gift of God? Is it a gift of God? Is it a gift of friendship? Is it a gift of God? Is it a gift of friendship? Is it a gift of friendship? Is it a gift of friendship? Is it a gift of friendship? Is it a gift of friendship? Is it a gift of friendship? Is it a gift of evil? Yes or no? Or are they gifts of God? Oh, they are gifts of God, obviously. Yes, but, now hang in there. Just get them one by one. Principle number one, we must recognize that nothing of this nature is intrinsically evil. Verse 14, verse 20. Principle number two, we must come to individual convictions under the Lordship of Christ. Look at verses 4 to 9. Who art thou that judgest the servant of another to his own Lord? Who art thou that judgest the servant of another to his own Lord?

Biblical Principles for Guidance: Individual Convictions Under Christ's Lordship

28:33 Lord, he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be made to stand, for the Lord hath power to make him stand. One man esteemeth one day above another. Here's a man who still finds great meaning in remembering some of the old Jewish festive days.

28:48 Here's another man who says, look, I've got the real thing, man. I don't need types and shadows. Every day is a Sabbath. Every day is a Passover.

28:57 Every day is a Jubilee day. Every day is a feast. The man says, well, blessings on you, Henry, but I still like to remember the special days. One man esteems one day above another.

29:09 Another esteems every day alike. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it to the Lord. Here that new Christian at Rome gets up and says, Lord, I think of all the years when I went through the show in the form of special feast days, and I didn't know from nothing about what it was all about.

29:34 Thank you, Lord, I can come to this special day. Now I see the real meaning of it in Jesus Christ. And he remembers that day especially as to the Lord.

29:44 What about the other fellow?

29:46 No, he doesn't. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, and he giveth God thanks. And he that eateth not unto the Lord, he eateth not and giveth God thanks. For none of us liveth to himself, and none dieth to himself.

30:00 Whether we live, we live unto the Lord. Whether we die, we die. To the Lord, whether we live or die, we're the Lord's. To this end, Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord, both of the dead and of the living.

30:11 Verse 22, The faith which thou hast, have to thyself before God. Happy is he that judges not himself in that which he approveth. Now what's the distilled essence of these words? It's this.

30:24 You and I must come to personal convictions under the Lordship of Christ. First of all, notice, the emphasis upon the individuality of the convictions, and then secondly, the sphere of those convictions. The individuality is underscored in these words, the end of verse 5, Let each man be fully assured in his own mind. Let each man assured in his own mind.

30:56 In other words, you cannot rest on the convictions of another, nor blindly follow, nor follow the example of another.

31:07 I often have people say, Pastor, what do you do about Christmas? I say, that's none of your business.

31:14 I don't say it that way. I say, sweet.

31:18 But time is pressing, and I don't have time to be diplomatic now. And I have to, I essence, I telepresence, what difference does that make to you, what I do? What I do is the fruit of my own persuasion under the Lordship of Christ. You want to enter into the fruit of my labors?

31:36 No, no. Now, let each man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

31:42 Now, if that's so, then Paul is assuming that there will not be perfect uniformity amongst the people of God in matters of things indifferent.

31:54 Now, you don't say to a man, let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind whether or not he ought to steal or fornicate. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Where the law of God speaks with clarity, there is unanimity of mind amongst the people, the people of God.

32:10 But in these areas, the emphasis of Scripture is individuality of conviction. But now, the second strand of emphasis is conviction framed not in a vacuum or in the context of carnal desire or the pressure of tradition or society, but conviction formed in the context of the Lordship of Christ. Look at the emphasis. Verse 6, He that regardeth the day regardeth it not, unto his relatives, but unto the Lord.

32:43 You see. For to the Lord he gives thanks, and he that eateth not, to the Lord he gives thanks. None lives to himself, none dies to himself. Whether we live, we die, we're the Lord's.

32:54 To this end Christ died and lived, that he might be Lord. And then he goes on to say, and we'll give account to him. You see, to wrestle these things through in the context of individuality, detached from the Lordship of Christ, is to set yourself, set yourself up as a God. But we're to wrestle them through in the context of conscious acknowledgement.

33:17 Jesus is Lord. He is my God. He is my gracious sovereign and savior. I want to please him, and one day I shall be judged by him.

33:27 Verses 10 through 12. Therefore it is not my personal convictions arrived at on the basis of the inclinations of flesh, tradition, or the dictates of the world. Let me get it down to the nitty gritty. Is every day in the calendar year God's day?

33:44 All right, December 25th is his day. He is Lord of Christmas day. And whatever I do must be with conscious recognition Jesus Christ is Lord of December 26th and the 24th and November 6th and any other day in the calendar. I don't suspend the Lordship of Christ simply because the world and the decadent church said December 25th is Christmas day.

34:13 I hope you don't do that. He is Lord. The money in my pocketbook that is to be spent or not to be spent for gifts. Whose money is it?

34:25 The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof. The world and all they that dwell therein. I'm going to give account of the stewardship of my money. Not just January through November.

34:40 What I do in December, I shall give an account of the deeds done in the body, verse 12. Every one of us shall give account of himself to God. And part of that accountability is the stewardship of my money. My body is his, a temple of the Holy Ghost.

34:56 It's not to be abused with gluttony or drunkenness January through November. Neither is it to be abused with gluttony and drunkenness during the month of December. I must frame convictions about feasting, the measure of it, under the Lordship of Christ. Drinking under the Lordship of Christ.

35:17 If I feast, it must be as under his eye. Lord Jesus, thank you for the bounty you've provided. And as long as we have the record of our Lord attending special feasts, no one can say that feasting in itself is a sin. He was holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners.

35:39 But when a man got saved and the only way he could show his joy was to have a feast and call in his friends, Jesus went and he didn't sit there as a party pooper. The scribes and Pharisees, saw him taken into that meat so well and coughing down his wine, they said, a wine-bibber and a glutton. He was no party pooper. He didn't sit there with a hyper-spiritual face, feasting himself.

36:05 What a distorted view of our Lord. He wasn't a party pooper at Canaan and Galilee either. He really got the party going. Things were winding down.

36:17 No more wine. And the Lord turned it, that water into wine, and they said, boy, most people float the bad stuff at the end, but you've kept the best till now. Isn't that what the Scripture says? The devil didn't write that.

36:31 God did. Ah, but if I feast, I must feast under his Lordship. Lord Jesus, I receive the good gifts you've given. If there is to be the sharing of gifts, it is under his Lordship.

36:45 If there is to be any other kind of celebration of the day as a national institution, as a family institution, we're not talking now about intruding into the church of God and giving religious significance. No. We're talking about what we do as families, as individuals. I must come to personal convictions under the Lordship of Christ.

Biblical Principles for Guidance: Do Not Judge One Another

37:06 Principle number three. We must not stand in judgment over those whose persuasion and activity differ from ours. The same Paul who said, let every man be fully assured in his own mind, says with recurring emphasis, don't judge your brother whose full persuasion differs from yours. Look at the emphasis.

37:31 Verse three. Let not him that eateth set it not him that eateth not. Let not him that eateth not judge him that eateth, for God hath received him. Who are you to judge the servant of another?

37:47 To his own Lord he standeth or falleth. Verse 13. Let us not therefore judge one another any more. You see, Paul was an astute observer of human nature.

37:58 When a man wrestles, through a matter individually under the Lordship of Christ, the issue becomes so clear to him that he reasons, if it is so clear in my mind, after my spiritual discipline of wrestling, it should be equally clear to every other person if he's wrestled as hard as I have with the problem. You see the stinking pride involved in that? You're saying, I have greater spiritual sensitivity. I have greater spiritual comprehension.

38:31 I have greater breadth of mind and sensitivity of spirit. Therefore, my conclusion must be the best. And therefore, I'm right to say to you, brother, you're wrong. You haven't really thought the thing through.

38:46 You can have that abominable tree in your house. You're just not with it. You see? On the other hand, his tendency is to look at me.

38:58 If I'm a non-indulger and to say, look, how in the world can you claim to be Christian? There's so many areas where you've got to say no to your kids because the law of God demands it. You're going to make them unnecessarily bitter. You're going to turn them against you.

39:13 How can you have any real love in your heart as a father and not give them some gifts? Let them have a tree. You see what happens? The man who indulges judges him who does not.

39:22 The man who does not indulge judges him who does. And God nowhere says you shall or shall not remember Christmas as a personal family national institution. But he does say at any point where you judge anyone, you're guilty of sin. That's clear.

39:39 The other's not clear. This is clear. Who art thou to judge another man's servant? You're both guilty of wickedness.

39:48 You've set yourself up as a judge and you've usurped the place of Jesus Christ. I direct your attention again to verse 6. He that regardeth the day regardeth it unto the Lord. I've been in Christian families.

40:06 Where I've seen Christ honoring Christmas days. Where a father would gather his family together in just the sheer joy of being able to express parental love, not with trinkets and junk, but with necessary items for the child's well-being. And that includes some things to play with. And they've stored up those things.

40:28 Instead of spreading them out over the year, they give them a year's worth on that special day. And they've gathered families about tables to thank God for His goodness through another year, and the happiness and the beauty of their family relationships. They've thanked God for the One who's made it all possible. And they've regarded that day as unto the Lord.

40:48 And I resent, I think with biblical resentment, anyone saying that that cannot be done. I may not be able to do it, but do I believe my brother's walking in his integrity before God? Do I believe he's my brother? Then let me allow him the liberty of his integrity.

41:09 Yes, my brother, you may. I cannot. But I believe you regard that day as unto the Lord. Now, I know this has been a mystery to a lot of people.

41:17 And for years, in our own situation when we had no tree because there was no good reason to have one, I know it was a mystery to some of you because you've indicated to me how in the world I could go year after year and never preach against Christmas trees. It's not my business. We had to be fully persuaded in our own mind. But convinced that you were being fully persuaded in your mind, there's perfect latitude.

41:44 And liberty before God. You see, there's the principle. Here's the man who gives thanks. Now, there's some of the rest of you get up on a Christmas morning.

41:52 You know how you give thanks to God? You say, Lord, thank you. Where once my life depended on these periodic shots in the arm to make life meaningful, you've brought me to the knowledge of your incarnate, crucified, glorified Son. I thank you, Lord.

42:07 We don't need gifts and trees and trinkets anymore. And you have a hallelujah day without one semblance of Christmas in your house. You abstain from the day as unto the Lord. Two houses away, there's the equally godly brother, sister, regarding the day as unto the Lord.

42:26 Now, that's biblical, brethren, sisters. One regards the day as to the Lord. Another bypasses the day. But to God, he gives thanks.

Biblical Principles for Guidance: Do Not Cause Others to Stumble

42:36 We must be careful not to judge one another. Fourth principle is we must be careful not to unnecessarily cause others to violate their conscience. That's the whole teaching of verses 13 to 23. And you notice I'm just giving you not a detailed exegesis, but the general principles.

42:55 Verses 13 to 23, the emphasis is, though you must come to personal convictions under the lordship of Christ, not stand in judgment upon your brother, you not only have the responsibility to judge him not, you have a second responsibility. Do not cause him, unnecessarily, to stumble. Verse 13, let us not therefore judge one another any more, but judge ye this rather that no man put a stumbling block in his brother's way or an occasion of falling. And then he enlarges on that whole concept and carries it on into chapter 15, verses 1 through, oh, through verse 6.

43:38 That we have this responsibility to one another. Now, this matter of principle, this causing offense, and I hope to go into it in greater detail, I want to bring a more detailed series on the whole doctrine of Christian liberty in the coming months, but suffice it to say this, this causing offense does not mean that I do something that causes another man to judge me. That's the way it's generally interpreted. In other words, you bend to my standard or you grieve me.

44:07 No, no, no, no, no. If you're judging me, my brother, I'm going to stand my ground until you learn your lesson. You're not to judge me. Now then, when you've learned that lesson and you don't judge me, then if your conscience is being emboldened to partake in activities that to you are sin because of my example, then for your sake I will forego the exercise of my liberty, lest I encourage you in a course of sin.

44:36 For if you indulge in anything that you cannot do with good conscience as under the lordship of Christ, Paul says, you don't do it in faith. That is sin. And he goes on to say, it's not good to eat wine, drink meat, drink wine, eat meat, do anything whereby thy brother is caused to stumble. And therefore, we must seek to be sensitive to one another.

44:58 For instance, it would not be right if you knew that someone in the congregation felt very deeply about Christmas observance. To them, to them, the Christmas tree, gifts, a special meal with sin, it would be the height of callousness for you if you knew that. To invite them over to your home to try to persuade them. Paul says, no, the opening words, verse 1, him that is weak in faith receive ye, yet not for what?

45:28 Disputations about his scrupules. Don't invite him over to try to convince him. If you know that your celebration of Christmas as a family day and a family institution would be an offense to him, don't you invite him over? Lest you cause him to participate in activities which to him are sin.

45:49 But now, my friend, listen. If you are such a weak brother or sister and someone innocently invites you, then have enough Christian grace to say, look, I appreciate the expression of your love, but I'm fully persuaded in my own mind that Christmas and everything connected with it is out of bounds for me. I don't judge you. The Lord bless you and give you a good day.

46:11 But I really feel that I ought to decline your invitation. You see? It works both ways. So that instead of these differences being the occasion of friction and mutual judging, what do they become?

46:25 They become the occasion of manifesting the selfless love of Christ. Look at chapter 15. We that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please ourselves. Let each one of us please his neighbor for that which is good unto edifying.

46:41 For Christ also pleased not himself but as it is to him. He has written the reproaches of them that reproach thee. Fell on me. Is it possible that here in this congregation there can be as many different ways of non-participation or participation in Christmas as there are people and we can come through it without judging one another, without offending one another, without causing one another to stumble?

Exhortation to the Unconverted

47:10 Well, if we're acting biblically, we can. Now, you see, some of you are disappointed, aren't you? Pastor, you haven't given us any...

47:18 Yeah, I know, you're a good Roman Catholic and you want everything all thrashed out. Thou shalt...

47:24 The Bible doesn't do it, my friend. And if you're too lazy to wrestle through the principles in the presence of God under the Lordship of Christ, then it serves you right for being disappointed. You must do this. You as parents, you as heads of family, you as single men and women.

47:44 And then I feel I must say just a word in closing exhortation. First of all, to some of the unconverted amongst us, some of you may be sitting here saying, what a killjoy, what a modern Scrooge. I mean, the world's a mess, everything in the Middle East about to blow up, fuel shortage, energy crisis, and here we've got a few days to forget everything and have a good old rip-snorting time. And you tell us that God nowhere lays it upon us.

48:20 My friend, listen, the reason you don't understand that is because we've tasted realities that you know nothing of. We don't need to nibble on the sawdust of office parties and spiked eggnog and a fat turkey to find a little meaning in life. We found Him of whom Moses and the prophets did speak. The Star of David has risen in our hearts.

48:50 He's risen there, you see? Now you can't understand that. See, we don't need those things to give life meaning. Because the One who was born, whenever He was born, and it wasn't December 25th, whenever He was born, He's been born in our hearts by the Holy Ghost and He has brought to us what He said He would bring.

49:12 I am come that you might have life and have it more abundantly. And that's why many of us find it really fiddling while Rome burns to even get too uptight about celebrating Christmas because we have the substance and the reality of the One who came at whatever date, at whatever date He came. And He has come to us in saving mercy. And my friend, maybe that's why you've been offended, even at the thought that you shouldn't have a, quote, real Christmas.

49:43 Could it be that you know nothing of the reality of the Christ who came? Came to save His people from their sins? Came to be a king to sit upon the throne of David dispensing the sure mercies of David to every believing sinner? Oh, I plead with you, dear unsaved friend, and I plead with you, dear children, you won't live much longer before you'll discover how empty is all the anticipation of Christmas morning.

50:13 That thing that you wondered, oh, what have mommy and daddy got for you, opened it, and it just went sour in a day or two. That'll happen with every single thing that's born of earth. It's only when you come to know Him who was born from heaven, that you lay hold of that gift, which instead of tarnishing with age, becomes more and more precious with each passing day. Oh, look to Him, cry to Him for mercy.

Exhortation to Believers: Resist Worldliness and Do Not Judge

50:46 And dear Christian, I plead with you in my closing exhortation, and I plead with you along several very practical lines. Number one, don't let the world squeeze you into its mold. You and I are in the midst of a very dangerous, essentially pagan season. Don't let this pagan world dictate what you will do.

51:12 It's beneath your dignity. You're a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. You're no servant, no lackey of men. You're a servant of the Lord of glory.

51:23 Be sure that everything you do is done unto Him. And be sure whatever you cannot do is unto Him, is not done. That may mean a tremendous radical overhauling of some of your Christmas festivities. So be it.

51:45 I plead with you as a child of God not to suspend conscious recognition of the Lordship of Christ simply because it's the Christmas season. And then my second exhortation is don't judge one another. But you say, Pastor, I don't see...

52:06 Yes, you don't. That's right. You're fully persuaded in your own mind. And you have every right to be.

52:13 Will you allow your brother to be fully persuaded in his mind? Yes, but if...

52:17 Uh-uh. No, no, no, no, no. But I...

52:20 Yes, I know all about that. So did the Apostle Paul. That's why he said it again and again. That's why he said it.

52:27 When you say, Pastor, you're not being kind. You're being stubborn. No, I'm being biblical. Don't you judge anyone else.

52:35 So if you come into somebody's home this Christmas season and you see no cards, no green, no tree, don't you immediately say, huh, one of those killjoys. Doesn't love his kids. No, no. You say, I'm in the house of my brother whose household is ordered under the Lordship of Christ.

52:57 That's what you say. If you're one of those who has no such things in your home and you come into someone's home who does, don't you immediately assume, uh-oh, one of these people squeezed into the mold of paganism. No, no, my friend, to his friend, to his own Lord, he standeth or falleth. Those are the great principles.

53:17 May God help us to wrestle them through. And I have no fear if we do that in answer to the great issue, Christmas, to celebrate or not to celebrate, the answer we thrash out will be one for which we can give a good account in that day when we stand before him. It's a wonderful thing to come through any special season, whether of trial or festivity, with a clean conscience. And whatever else you've got at the end of it, if you don't have that, it wasn't worth it.

Closing Prayer and Benediction

53:49 May the Lord thus bring us through to his glory. Let us pray. O Lord, we are amazed again at how complete is the revelation you have given to us. You've left us in this blessed book all that is necessary for life and godliness.

54:08 We praise you for this. We do not seek nor desire additional revelation from you. But we do ask that you give us in this blessed book all that is necessary for life and godliness. We praise you for this.

54:22 Additional revelation. All we ask is light to understand the revelation given and grace to follow the light it sheds upon our path. We thank you for this time this morning. Lord, you know how delicate an issue this is with so many.

54:41 And we pray, oh, we would be bold to pray that grace may be given, that none shall resist the clear teaching of the scriptures, but that together we may be able we may be enabled by your grace to absorb and to implement the principles that we've studied together. We do pray that you'll help us in the midst of the wild paganism of our day. Oh, Lord, may there not be one shred of compromise. May we have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but may we rather reprove them.

55:18 Help us as a church that we shall manifest by our very conduct that we will not be bound to worship you in any other way than that dictated by the word itself. And then in the liberty of our own homes and individual lives, help us to be fully cognizant of the lordship of Christ in every area and give us grace not to judge one another, not to cause one another to stumble. We've asked much of you, our Father, but we thank you you're a great God and that you've stored up great grace in your beloved Son. Hear us and answer us out of the infinite fullness that is in him.

56:03 Seal the word to our hearts. Help us as we work out its application and be with us the remainder of this day that we may bring praise to you through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.