Merry Christmas!

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Merry Christmas!
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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 Holiday to Holy Day

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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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• WITH CONSCIOUS EFFORT WE CAN KEEP OUR FOCUS ON
  JESUS, THE REASON FOR THE SEASON.

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Christmas andPagan Holidays

• Samhain Oct. 31
• ? End of Summer
• Celtic New Year
• Spirits may visit as the veil between This World
  and the Otherworld is the thinnest...

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Christmas andPagan Holidays

• Becomes Halloween
• ? All Hallows Eve
• All Saints Day
• Harvest Calendar
• Replacement
• Secularized and adopted by Wicca

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Christmas andPagan Holidays

• Samhain Oct. 31
• Yule Winter Solstice Dec. 21
• Pagan Germanic Darkest part of year
• Placed on Julian calendar - Dec. 25
• Became synonymous with Christmas

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Christmas andPagan Holidays

• Samhain Oct. 31
• Yule Winter Solstice Dec. 21
• Saturnalia Dec. 17-23
• Roman Festival
• Dedication of Temple to the god Saturn
• Feasting and Merryment

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Christmas andPagan Holidays

• Samhain Oct. 31
• Yule Winter Solstice Dec. 21
• Saturnalia Dec. 17-23
• "We hold this day holy, not like the pagans
  because of the birth of the sun, but because of
  him who made it." (A theologian in 320 AD)

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Christmas andSubstitute Holidays

• Winter Break
• Kwanzaa

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Christmas andSecular Holidays

• Party Time
• Materialism - Gift-giving

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Christmas andJewish Festivals

• Tabernacles
• Passover
• Firstfruits
• Pentecost
• Rosh Hashanah
• Yom Kippur
• Tabernacles

Birth
Sacrificial Death
Resurrection
Sending of Holy Spirit
Possible Rapture
Possible Tribulation
Possible Glorious Return
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Christmas andJewish Festivals

• ? Feast of Tabernacles September
• ? Birth of Christ
• ? While shepherds watched their flocks
• ? Jesus tabernacled among us

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? John 114

• The Word became flesh and made his dwelling
  among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of
  the One and Only, who came from the Father, full
  of grace and truth.

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Christmas andJewish Festivals

• ? Feast of Tabernacles September
• ? Birth of Christ
• ? While shepherds watched their flocks
• ? Jesus tabernacled among us
• ? Hanukkah Feast of Lights December
• ? Conception of Christ
• ? Visit of the Magi
• ? Jesus is The Light of the World

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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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Christmas andYour Celebrations

• Your Testimony
• ? Witnessing to Family, Friends and Others

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? 1 Peter 315-16

• 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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? Psalm 1265-6

• Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of
  joy.
• He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow,
  will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves
  with him.

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Christmas andYour Celebrations

• Your Testimony
• ? Witnessing to Family, Friends and Others
• Your Gatherings
• ? Not a stumbling-block to others
• ? Do all to the glory of God

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? 1 Corinthians 1031-32

• 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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? X

• Please turn to this passage in your Bible.

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? X

• ? X
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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