Pastor's Corner

11 Dec
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Mid-Week Challenge

We have not heard much about the “War on Christmas” this year, so does that mean Christians are winning? I guess it all depends on how you look at it.  In 2017 Pew Research conducted a survey that found a large majority of people in our country continue to celebrate Christmas.  The booming economy and packed shopping outlets of our day prove this to be true.  https://www.snopes.com/collections/war-on-christmas/  And that’s what I mean by how one looks at the answer to the question.  Most reports show us that traditional observance of the religious practice of Christmas is declining.  Only about 50 percent of people say they practice the Biblical version https://www.pewforum.org/2017/12/12/americans-say-religious-aspects-of-christmas-are-declining-in-public-life/

People are backing away from their traditionally held beliefs and practice.  Less are attending Church regularly, very few actually read their Bible to learn of the Christmas story and more are turning to media to get their information.  It might be hard to imagine but the “war on Christmas” in our country didn’t begin in our generation. Some have traced it back to the 1920s with Henry Ford.  In 1912 the Massachusetts School Board removed all references to Jesus from classroom “Christmas exercises” due to Jewish families objecting to the religious practice in the school.  Ford fought this and attempted to bring attention to groups profiting from Christmas in the marketplaces while removing it from schools.  https://www.snopes.com/news/2017/11/29/the-war-on-christmas/  Similar battles continue today.  The Freedom From Religion folks have their anti-Christmas banners up once again.  These mock the Nativity and Biblical teachings on morality at Christmas https://ffrf.org/news/news-releases/item/36477-ffrf-s-winter-solstice-display-returns-to-san-diego

To make matters worse we now have historical Christian denominational churches blending the story of Christmas with politics.  A Methodist church in Southern California is displaying a nativity with Joseph, Mary and Jesus isolated in their own chain-linked cages topped with barbed wire.  The display is supposed to bring attention to the treatment of illegal immigrants   https://www.christianheadlines.com/contributors/lori-arnold/church-naivety-scene-depicts-holy-family-in-cages-separated-at-the-border.html

Maybe the war on Christmas is working.  Working in a way to take our attention off of the truth in Scripture and focusing on things that have nothing to do with Christianity.  The world sees the hypocrisy in our political leaders who speak of praying for those they oppose when their actions run contrary to their words.  If this is what it means to be a Christian in America, who would want to become one?  Micah 2:1-2 speaks of this:     

Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it. They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them. They defraud people of their homes, they rob them of their inheritance. 

In reality, there has always been a war on Christmas, a war on anything that is associated with Christ! The devil knows that if he can separate us from the Bible, if he can get our minds on things we think are noble but in reality or destructive, he has won.  Because as Micah warned, “they carry it out because it is in their power to do it.” How are you exercising your “power” this Christmas season?  

Serving the Savior

Bro. Jonathan

 

By: Dr. Jonathan Richerson

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