Why are we so biblically ignorant? Why are we so easily and comfortably deceived by our emotions and feelings? Why do we attribute such non-sensical, unbiblical, and unimaginable things to the Lord of lords, King of kings, our blessed Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour, the Son of God?
When you think you have seen the most ridiculous human imagination attached to our glorious Lord, stop, because someone will come up with something even more ridiculous. I have got to pull the plug on face book! I keep hearing or seeing the most ludicrous things imaginable.
A few minutes ago I checked in to see if there is anything of value or benefit and lo and behold what do I see? A 59 second video of the time elapsed installation of a billboard advertisement that says, "I Miss Hearing You Say Merry Christmas - Jesus. Really? You think Jesus really is grieved and pining away because of a bunch of ungodly politicians, the ACLU, godless atheists, religious anarchists who have decided to replace Merry Christmas with Happy Holidays? One more example of sentiment over substance.
The phrase wasn't even in existence until 1699 and didn't really catch any popularity until about 1843. How did Jesus feel about that? With the evangelical church in America almost apostate, the gospel re-defined until it is a good suggestion rather than the good news, immorality and godlessness rampant, II Timothy 3 becoming more and more the culture and climate, we think Jesus misses "Merry Christmas?"
First, let me say, that Jesus misses more our heart-felt worship and adoration for who He is than a trite phrase like Merry Christmas.
Second, Jesus wasn't even born in December, nor was He born on December 25th.
Thirdly, the "mass" is not even a biblical or Christian term or biblical event. In essence, the Mass is the ceremonial slaying of Jesus Christ over and over again, followed by the eating of his flesh and the drinking of his blood. The Mass is the death sacrifice, and the "Host" is the victim. This is official Roman Catholic doctrine, and "Christmas" is a word that they invented. Again, I ask, what is so merry about the pain, bleeding, suffering and death of Jesus Christ? Satan has done quite a job of getting millions of so-called "Christians" to blaspheme. What a deceiver he is.
Why did this cause my blood pressure to go up a point or two? Although we hear these words constantly as they resonate millions of times throughout the land, almost nobody understands what they are really saying.
A true Christian would want to examine everything they say, because Jesus said in Matthew 12:36-37, "But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." (KJV)
16 comments:
I am so excited about this post...I read it so fast I need to read it again! I love the Truth! LOVE LOVE LOVE. I'm sharing you ALL over FACEBOOK today! :)
OK...I'm calming and re-reading...enjoy your explanation of the mass. (in addition to the whole post.)
Please stop by and read my Very Merry Franklin Christmas if you haven't had time.
I'm still trying to get my head around the fact the Christmas isn't in December, I had to wait until I lived in Spain to discover that.
Loved the read.
Yvonne.
Preach it Brother! What a steaming pile of emotionalism. My skin crawls whenever I see or hear someone claim "God said" or "Jesus said" unless it's a direct quote from scripture.
woah tonto! breathe... enjoyed your post. it will probably offend some, but posting it on facebook anyway. :)
a great reminder this holiday season
Just to clarify: the "Mass" is not the re-sacrificing of Christ according to Catholic doctrine. Catholic doctrine states that the Mass is a re-presentation of the Once and for all sacrfice of Christ on Calvary as per John 6 and Matthew 28 and Rev 1-22, etc etc. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states in 1366: "The Eucharist is thus a sacrifice because it re-presents (makes present) the sacrifice of the cross, because it is its memorial (-my addition--as in the passover, the events memorialized are made present to those participating) and because it applies its fruit:
[Christ], our Lord and God, was once and for all to offer himself to God the Father by his death on the altar of the cross, to accomplish there an everlasting redemption. But because his priesthood was not to end with his death, at the Last Supper "on the night when he was betrayed," [he wanted] to leave to his beloved spouse the Church a visible sacrifice (as the nature of man demands) by which the bloody sacrifice which he was to accomplish once for all on the cross would be re-presented, its memory perpetuated until the end of the world, and its salutary power be applied to the forgiveness of the sins we daily commit." and again in 1367 "The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice: "The victim is one and the same: the same now offers through the ministry of priests, who then offered himself on the cross; only the manner of offering is different." "In this divine sacrifice which is celebrated in the Mass, the same Christ who offered himself once in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross is contained and is offered in an unbloody manner."
That is correct Catholic teaching, not what you have said above. Thought you might want to know so that you did not mislead your readers or stir them into an anti-Catholic frenzy.
@ Barbie - the Roman Catholic religion is a very eclectic religion. It changes ever so slightly as needed and it adapts to the culture, country, or peoples it annexes into its fold. Therefore Catholocism will differ from country to country, people to people. The official position from Rome's Dogma is that it is a sacrifice, and a repetitive one at that. I stand by what I wrote.
However, it is not my intent to stir up ant-Catholic sentiment. My point is my do we even want to say Merry Christmas when it is not a Christian sentiment but a Roman sentiment?
Nice post Gregg,
Many of us are not so keen on Christmas, and it is nice to know we are not alone.
What a great history lesson on the common holiday greeting we hear everywhere we go this time of the year.
Thanks for helping me to understand something I've never really given much thought about. I'll never hear the words Merry Christmas again without thinking about what you said.
Thanks again, ~Ron
Very thought provoking, Gregg.
Great post! Ya know, the Bible never tells us to celebrate Christ's birth anyway, but His death and resurrection until He comes again.
While I see nothing wrong with celebrating the birth of our Lord, I agree with the overall theme of the post. We have allowed sentimentality to completely overcome our thought process. Feel-good always trumps truth, it seems. And our celebrations this time of years certainly are more about emotion than reality.
Still, the grand miracle of God becoming man is certainly worth celebrating. I've always said that Christmas and Easter go together, that His birth has meaning because of His death and resurrection; but still: God becoming man is as worthy a cause for celebration as any.
So I give you an A+ for the insightful comments; and like stated above, I'll never hear those words the same again. But as for me and mine, we will continue to celebrate, focusing on the truth, not the sentimentality.
Thanks for the thought provoking words.
Good stuff Gregg. It is interesting how easily some are offended by those who are not believers. I suggest we replace the offence with love.
So true! It is just incredible how far our sinful heart can go!
Thank you for this post.
Holy overreaction! It's a silly billboard, and smug, but honestly, why are you anti-Christmas?
No, the bible doesn't mandate we celebrate Christmas, but why does that matter? And no one knows the exact date of Jesus' birth- that really doesn't matter. The point is that we have chosen a day to commemorate it and to remember the miracle that happened in Bethlehem.
Angels filled the sky to CELEBRATE Jesus' birth.
They exalted Him: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will to men.
Wise men followed the star and brought gifts to the child in Nazareth.
We emulate these events because there is no greater joy than recalling our Savior's birth and reveling in the greatest miracle of the bible (well- only after his resurrection.)
I would hate to go to your church. You're kind of- dare I say it?- a Scrooge!
I don't know. I agree with your points but am not sure, if I had a choice between that and nothing that I would choose nothing. Religion and Christianity are SO far apart these days...I'm surprised God is still tarrying.
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