Sermon Tone Analysis

Should you Celebrate Christmas?

יהוה = YHWH (יהוה – The True Name of our Creator);

יהושע = Yahushua (Yahweh is our Saviour)

Tradition

Sometimes tradition is acceptable and perhaps even pleasing in the sight of יהוה.

Sometimes it is not acceptable and is even hated by Him.

The evil of traditions that transgress the commandment of יהוה was a key teaching of יהושע the Messiah:

Mattithyahu/Matthew 15:1-2 “Then there came to יהושע scribes and Pharisees from Yerushalayim, saying, 2 “Why do Your taught ones transgress the tradition of the elders?

For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.”

I hear people ask me this, "Why do you not celebrate Christmas (transgress the traditions of our elders)?"

Nowhere in the pages of scripture do we find a command to keep the celebration of Christmas.

Nowhere in the pages of scripture do we find an example of any disciple keeping Christmas.

The only time Christmas is even mentioned in the pages of scripture is to condemn it (as we will see).

So, my answer to this question would be, "Why do you also transgress the commandment of Elohim because of your tradition?".

Mattithyahu/Matthew 15: 3-6 “But He answering, said to them, “Why do you also transgress the command of Elohim because of your tradition?

4 “For Elohim has commanded, saying, ‘Respect your father and your mother,’ and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ 5 “But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me has been dedicated,” 6 is certainly released from respecting his father or mother.’

So you have nullified the command of Elohim by your tradition.”

This was an example of how the scribes and Pharisees forsook the commandment of יהוה in favour of their tradition.

As I will share, Christmas is also transgressing the commandment of יהוה in favour of tradition.

What does יהושע think about this?

Mattithyahu/Matthew 5: 7-9 "Hypocrites!

Yeshayahu rightly prophesied about you, saying, 8 ‘This people draw near to Me with their mouth, and respect Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. 9 ‘But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as teachings the commands of men.’ ”

Christmas is honouring with the lips but it is one of many vain doctrines and commandments of men.

Again, there is not a single scripture in the bible that tells us that we are to celebrate the birth or the resurrection of יהושע the Messiah.

Let alone in a pagan way!

So yes, I do believe we must question these traditions that have been handed down to this generation even though few dare to.

Many Christians speak against the Catholic traditions of Lent, Ash Wednesday, etc. but fail to recognize that the same types of pagan elements exist in the celebration of Christmas and Easter!

But how did these festivals get their start?

Origin of Christmas

The following is a quote from the 2000 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Volume 11 ; page 390.

"During the later periods of Roman history, sun worship gained in importance and ultimately led to what has been called a 'solar monotheism.'

Nearly all the gods of the period were possessed of Solar qualities, and both Christ and Mithra acquired the traits of solar deities.

The feast of Sol and Victus (open unconquered Sun) on December 25th was celebrated with great joy, and eventually this date was taken over by the Christians as Christmas, the birthday of Christ."

Notice how it says "both Christ and Mithra acquired the traits of solar deities"?

The Christians were apparently trying to get more converts so they tried to "paganize" the Messiah to make Him more attractive to pagans.

They even officially brought the feast of the unconquered sun into their worship in 336 AD.

This is the origin of Christmas.

But the real question is, "Who converted who?" Do we murder to bring a murderer to יהושע?

Do we rape to bring a rapist to the Messiah?

It is true that by 336AD, the mainstream beliefs of Christianity were already far from the truth the apostles taught anyway.

However, even giving them that, shouldn't true believers be teaching the unbelievers the true way of יהוה rather than the unbelievers teaching believers these pagan customs and practices?

Certainly!

Yet, the Christians not only learned these heathen ways, they also incorporated them into their worship.

Scripture says:

Eph’siyim/Ephesians 5:11 “And have no fellowship with the fruitless works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”

Today, Christmas is a very popular holiday.

However, as is often the case, what is popular is not always right and what is right is not always popular.

Christmas means 'mass for Christ'.

The name of the holiday is much newer than the holiday itself.

The customs associated with Christmas, in one form or another, have been celebrated for literally thousands of years.

'Christmas' is just a new name for an old holiday.

There is no doubt that the customs that are associated with Christmas, as well as the idea of a deity being born on December 25th are of pagan origin.

One need only look to an encyclopaedia or even many local newspapers in the 12th month of the year to find this truth.

The real issue is whether or not we should walk in these customs.

So what is so bad about it?

Is it just for the children?

What should we be teaching our children?

Truth or lies?

The truth is that the Messiah was not born on December 25th.

December 25th is the birthday of nearly every pagan god ever invented!

In fact, the pagan customs associated with Christmas are clearly condemned in the scriptures.

Paganism/Idolatry is something that is against יהוה.

If we know that the roots of Christmas are of pagan origin, shouldn't the roots of our worship be in the scriptures, rather than paganism?

Consider the scriptures that I will quote that clearly proclaim that the keeping of these festivals is sinful.

However, for now I ask that you seek this out for yourself.

יהוה's people should always seek the truth.

Consider these scriptures:

Yirmeyahu/Jeremiah 10:1-4 “Hear the word which יהוה speaks to you, O house of Yisra’ĕl.

2 Thus said יהוה, “Do not learn the way of the gentiles, and do not be awed by the signs of the heavens, for the gentiles are awed by them.

3 “For the prescribed customs of these peoples are worthless, for one cuts a tree from the forest, work for the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool.

4 “They adorn it with silver and gold, they fasten it with nails and hammers so that it does not topple.”

First of all, יהוה is telling us in this verse "Do not learn the way of the Gentiles" Don't even learn it, let alone practice it and incorporate it into the worship of יהוה!

Secondly, it says that the Gentiles were dismayed at the signs of heaven.

History tells us that when the sun began to go further away from the earth and the days grew shorter in the winter, the sun worshipping Gentiles were "dismayed", and feared that the sun would not return.

So they held certain festivals just after the time of the Winter Solstice when it did begin to return.

This return of the sun is why December 25th is the birthday of so many solar deities.

One of the customs the pagans has was to decorate a tree that they had cut down and fasten it so that would not topple.

יהוה tells us not to learn the way of the heathen.

And here He even goes so far as describe a custom that is a way of the heathen.

Yet, we see this same custom exist even today which is called the Christmas tree.

Have you ever wondered why in the world someone would do something as strange as cut down a tree and put it in their house and then decorate it with all different types of ornaments?

Not only is it odd, it is wrong!

This custom, along with other pagan customs like it are clearly condemned in this passage.

We don't need a prophet to come and tell us today that this custom is wrong.

Yirmeyahu/Jeremiah said so a long time ago!

This custom, along with other pagan customs like it are clearly condemned in this passage.

Other customs include Mistletoe, the Yule log and Santa Claus.

If you seek, you will find that these things are rooted in idolatry also.

Also do your research and you will find that less than 200 years ago ‘Christmas trees’ were banned in the USA!!!! Now why would that be?

Perhaps that generation knew some truth to this pagan practice, yet sadly fell prey to the pressure of holding fast to traditions of man while forsaking the commands of Elohim!

Santa Claus

All over the world, Santa Claus is God to the children of the world (move the n to the end of Santa).

Others say 'Father Christmas'.

Parents purposely and deliberately lie to their children and tell them that they should fear Santa Claus because "he knows if you've been bad or good".

These same parents also lie to their children about the Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy.

Then they wonder why their children become liars and don't believe the Messiah is real later on in life.

This is clearly a total abomination to יהוה.

You don't have to look very far in the word of יהוה to find out how much he loathes idolatry and lies.

יהוה is the only true Mighty One.

Our children look to us and believe every word we say.