From Secular to Sacred

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From Secular to Sacred

• From Santa to Savior
• From Holiday to Holy Day
• From Decoration to Devotion
• From Getting to Giving

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• From Decoration to Devotion

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? 1 Peter 33-4

• Your beauty should not come from outward
  adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing
  of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it
  should be that of your inner self, the unfading
  beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of
  great worth in God's sight.

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? Colossians 216-17

• Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what
  you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious
  festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath
  day. These are a shadow of the things that were
  to come the reality, however, is found in
  Christ.

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• SOME PEOPLE THINK CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS ARE
  WORLDLY, BUT THEY CAN BE AN OBJECT LESSON ABOUT
  THE BIRTH OF JESUS.

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Questions about the Decorations And Those Who
Dislike Decorations

• Why do we use decorations that have had earlier
  non-Christian meaning?

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? Acts 1722-29

• Please turn in your Bible to this passage.

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Questions about the Decorations And Those Who
Dislike Decorations

• Why do we use decorations that have had earlier
  non-Christian meaning?
• Evergreen Trees, Wreaths
• Pagan groves in the Old Testament
• Germanic objectsof worship andhuman sacrifice
• Christian meaningEternal life!

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Questions about the Decorations And Those Who
Dislike Decorations

• Why do we use decorations that have had earlier
  non-Christian meaning?
• ? Evergreen Trees, Wreaths
• Holly
• Chinese New Year
• Roman Saturnalia
• Druid protection
• Christians remindedof Jesus crown ofthorns

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Questions about the Decorations And Those Who
Dislike Decorations

• Why do we use decorations that have had earlier
  non-Christian meaning?
• ? Evergreen Trees, Wreaths
• ? Holly
• Mistletoe
• -Tree parasite w/ healingpowers- Druids used
  forprotection
• -Norse myth about Balders
• resurrection

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Questions about the Decorations And Those Who
Dislike Decorations

• Why do we use decorations that have had earlier
  non-Christian meaning?
• ? Evergreen Trees, Wreaths
• ? Holly
• Mistletoe
• -We love because Hefirst loved us!

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Questions about the Decorations And Those Who
Dislike Decorations

• Why do we use decorations that have had earlier
  non-Christian meaning?
• ? Evergreen Trees, Wreaths
• ? Holly
• ? Mistletoe
• Light(s)
• Sun gods - worshipduring Winter Solstice.
• Jesus is God the SON .

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Questions about the Decorations And Those Who
Dislike Decorations

• Why do we use decorations that have had earlier
  non-Christian meaning?
• ? Evergreen Trees, Wreaths
• ? Holly
• ? Mistletoe
• ? Light(s)
• Yule Log
• - Germanic root to turn Sun rises again

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Questions about the Decorations And Those Who
Dislike Decorations

• Why do we use decorations that have had earlier
  non-Christian meaning?
• ? Evergreen Trees, Wreaths
• ? Holly
• ? Mistletoe
• ? Light(s)
• Yule Log
• - The SON rises, and turns everything around.

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Questions about the Decorations And Those Who
Dislike Decorations

• Which decorations have distinctive Christian
  meaning?
• ? Nativity Scene

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Questions about the Decorations And Those Who
Dislike Decorations

• Which decorations have distinctive Christian
  meaning?
• ? Nativity Scene
• ? Star

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Questions about the Decorations And Those Who
Dislike Decorations

• Which decorations have distinctive Christian
  meaning?
• ? Nativity Scene
• ? Star
• ? Bells

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Questions about the Decorations And Those Who
Dislike Decorations

• Which decorations have distinctive Christian
  meaning?
• ? Nativity Scene
• ? Star
• ? Bells
• ? Candy Canes

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Questions about the Decorations And Those Who
Dislike Decorations

• Which decorations have distinctive Christian
  meaning?
• ? Nativity Scene
• ? Star
• ? Bells
• ? Candy Canes
• ? Christian Words (Love, Joy, Peace) and
  Scripture

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Questions about the Decorations And Those Who
Dislike Decorations

• Which decorations have distinctive Christian
  meaning?
• ? Nativity Scene
• ? Star
• ? Bells
• ? Candy Canes
• ? Christian Words (Love, Joy, Peace) and
  Scripture
• Christmas Music (Carols)

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Questions about the Decorator And Those Who Like
Decorations

• What do the decorations mean to us?
• ? Lights Jesus is the Light

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? John 812

• When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said,
  "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me
  will never walk in darkness, but will have the
  light of life."

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Questions about the Decorator And Those Who Like
Decorations

• What do the decorations mean to us?
• ? Lights Jesus is the Light
• ? Evergreens Eternal Life

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? John 316

• "For God so loved the world that he gave his one
  and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall
  not perish but have eternal life.

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Questions about the Decorator And Those Who Like
Decorations

• What do the decorations mean to us?
• ? Lights Jesus is the Light
• ? Evergreens Eternal Life
• Colors
• Green Eternal Life John 316

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Questions about the Decorator And Those Who Like
Decorations

• What do the decorations mean to us?
• ? Lights Jesus is the Light
• ? Evergreens Eternal Life
• Colors
• Green Eternal Life John 316
• Red Salvation by the blood of Christ Romans
  59

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? Romans 59

• Since we have now been justified by his blood,
  how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath
  through him!

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Questions about the Decorator And Those Who Like
Decorations

• What do the decorations mean to us?
• ? Lights Jesus is the Light
• ? Evergreens Eternal Life
• Colors
• Green Eternal Life John 316
• Red Salvation by the blood of Christ Romans
  59
• White Forgiveness Isaiah 118

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? Isaiah 118

• "Come now, let us reason together,"says the
  LORD.
• "Though your sins are like scarlet,
• they shall be as white as snow
• though they are red as crimson,
• they shall be like wool.

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Questions about the Decorator And Those Who Like
Decorations

• What do the decorations mean to us?
• ? Lights Jesus is the Light
• ? Evergreens Eternal Life
• Colors
• Green Eternal Life John 316
• Red Salvation by the blood of Christ Romans
  59
• White Forgiveness Isaiah 118
• Blue - Heaven

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Questions about the Decorator And Those Who Like
Decorations

• What do the decorations mean to us?
• ? Lights Jesus is the Light
• ? Evergreens Eternal Life
• Colors
• Green Eternal Life John 316
• Red Salvation by the blood of Christ Romans
  59
• White Forgiveness Isaiah 118
• Blue - Heaven
• Gold Christs Deity

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Questions about the Decorator And Those Who Like
Decorations

• What do the decorations mean to us?
• ? Lights Jesus is the Light
• ? Evergreens Eternal Life
• Colors
• Green Eternal Life John 316
• Red Salvation by the blood of Christ Romans
  59
• White Forgiveness Isaiah 118
• Blue - Heaven
• Gold Christs Deity
• Silver Christs Perfect Humanity

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Questions about the Decorator And Those Who Like
Decorations

• What is the motivation for having decorations?
• ? To impress other people? ?
• To make other people happy? ?
• To point other people to Christ? ?

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? 1 Peter 315

• But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.
  Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone
  who asks you to give the reason for the hope that
  you have. But do this with gentleness and
  respect.

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1 Corinthians 520

• We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though
  God were making his appeal through us. We implore
  you on Christ's behalf Be reconciled to God.

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? 1 Corinthians 1031-33

• So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do,
  do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause
  anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the
  church of God- even as I try to please everybody
  in every way. For I am not seeking my own good
  but the good of many, so that they may be saved.

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? Isaiah 714

• Born of a Virgin
• Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign
  The virgin will be with child and will give birth
  to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

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What Should We Do?

• X
• X