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Sunday, December 24, 2017

The Symbols of Christmas






This time of year everyone is putting up their holiday decorations. And while there are so many different styles of holiday decorations — from floating Christmas trees with shiny, colorful bulbs to real spruces with popcorn garland to even pink trees with silver tinsel  — the decorations are still so similar.

There are stars hidden between boughs and angel figurines on top of trees. Wreaths on doors.
We put these things up each year without even thinking, but what do they mean?

Here are the meanings behind some of those decorations:




The Tree - The genealogy of Christ. Just like we all have a family tree connecting various branches of our family, Jesus has a lineage that goes back 42 generations. You can read it in Matthew 1:1-17.

His birth knit together some heroic, courageous, faith-filled people that we can all look to for encouragement.

So many heroes of the faith brought together to help usher hope into the world in the form of a small child.


The Star - The star in Matthew 2:12 brought the Magi to place where Jesus was born. The celestial body bore witness to Christ’s birth, drawing people from near and far to see a miracle.

The star, in a way, is the most important Christmas symbol because it’s an inspiration to be living lights in our daily lives, drawing people to the miraculous transformation that comes when we behold the Christ.

In short, once you get to know to Jesus Christ, you’ll never be the same.


The Gifts - The original gifts were much simpler compared to today.

There were no crowed malls, blow-out sales, and no long lists of family members and friends you feel pressured to get gifts for.

No, the first gifts were so much more significant.

That gold, myrrh, and frankincense in Matthew 2:11 recognized the lordship and the mission of the tiny little baby laying in a manger.

Gold is a tribute given to kings.

Myrrh and frankincense are both tree saps once used in incense. Incense was a vital part of how the Israelites worshiped God and asked for forgiveness for sins.

Myrrh was also used in some medicines.

This baby would one day go around healing and attending to the sick before offering up his life to God as the ultimate atonement for our sins.



The Wreath - The Lord is exalted in the Old Testament as “a glorious crown, a beautiful wreath” at a time when God disrupts the norm and shakes up the leaders of the land. (Isaiah 28:5)

That’s what Jesus did when He was born. King Herod was shook when he learned of Jesus' birth.
 So much so he had all the baby boys in the area killed because he knew Christ was a threat to his crooked reign.

How could such a sweet infant be so threatening???

Because Isaiah 28: 6 says the Lord is "The spirit of justice"  and "The one who sit is in judgement, a source of strength."

Jesus came to be all those thing for us.

He is working  out his justice in our fallen lives. While He's working, God gives us the strength to push forward each day.

But that's for those who have a relationship with Him.

 For those outside of Christ, he is a judge  evaluating your conduct and doling out your just reward.

And's it not pretty...

That's because  there is only one perfect person who walked this earth, and he was born in a manger over 20,000 years ago.

Like the magi, Mary, and Joseph, Christ is a drawing and calling us -- especially this time of year -- to draw near to him, to behold him in all of his glory, and make room for Him in our hearts.


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