DANGERS AT CHRISTMAS TIME

By David J. Riggs

Intro.
   A. There is probably more sin and unrighteousness committed in the
      few weeks that stretch from late Dec. through Jan. 1st., than  
      at any other time of the year.
      1. Many people, in their religious celebration of Christmas,
         think they are honoring Christ, but in reality, they are
         dishonoring Him.
      2. Let's list some ways Christ is dishonored at this time of   
         year.

I. BY VAIN WORSHIP.
   A. All worship must be done in accord with truth, and not through
      the traditions and doctrines of men. John 4:24; Matt. 15:9
   B. Christ is dishonored when men celebrate His birth without His
      sanction.
      1. There is nothing wrong in remembering the blessings of
         Jesus' birth.
         a. However, when men add the celebration of Christ's
            birth to God's pattern for worship, it becomes sinful and
            wrong.
         b. There was nothing wrong with the Jews washing their
            hands before they ate, but when they made it an act of
            worship; they added to God's law. Mark 7:1-3, 15
         c. There was nothing wrong with practicing circumcision
            for medical or social reasons, but when the Jewish
            Christians made it necessary for salvation, they sinned.
            Acts 15:5; Gal. 2:4-5
   C. The importance of having authority for every belief and        
      practice cannot be overstated.
      1. If the Lord had wanted us to celebrate Christmas as His
         birthday, He would have given us the precise day, and would
         have showed us how and when to practice it.
         a. Precise dates were given under the Old Testament, and
            certainly could have been under the New if the Lord had
            wanted it.
         b. We are instructed in the Scriptures to remember Jesus'
            death on the first day of the week by partaking of the
            bread and the fruit of the vine. 1 Cor. 11:23-26; Acts
            20:7
            (1) We do not honor Christ by engaging in a practice
                which His word doesn't authorize. 1 Cor. 4:6; 2
                John 9; Matt. 7:21-23; Gal. 6:8-9
   D. We know from historical records that the significance attached 
      to Christmas day originated hundreds of years after the Law of
      Christ was given. We give one example. Many others could be
      given.
      1. The Encyclopedia Americana: "Christmas was, according
         to many authorities, not celebrated in the first centuries  
         of the Christian church...A feast was established in memory 
         of Christ's birth in the fourth century. In the fifth       
         century, the Western church (the Roman Catholic) ordered it 
         to be celebrated on the day of the old Roman feast of the   
         birth of Sol, as no certain knowledge of the day of Christ's
         birth existed."

II. Another way Christ is dishonored during the holiday season is:
   DRINKING PARTIES.
   A. Christian's are often entangled in the company parties given at
      Christmas time and at the New Year.
   B. A study of the use of intoxicants in the Bible leads one to
      understand the evils of partaking in it.
      1. The effects of drinking are:
         a. It perverts judgment. Isa. 28:7-8
         b. It seduces and destroys. Prov. 23:29-35
         c. It is addictive - "enslaves the heart." Hosea 4:11
         d. It makes one sick. Hosea 7:5
   C. Drinking intoxicants is condemned in the New Testament. 1
      Thess. 5:5-7
      1. The word "sober" which is used many times in the N.T. is
         "nepho" in the Greek, and among other things, means, "to be
         free from the influence of intoxicants."
         a. "Drinking parties" are condemned in 1 Pet. 4:3.
   D. Let me encourage all to avoid drinking any alcoholic beverages
      during the holidays, and at any other time.
      1. Don't let fellow employees or schoolmates entice and seduce
         you into taking a drink.
         a. Even one drink can have an influence on the mind.
      2. Don't be hypocritical, but make a strong stand for what is
         right.
         a. I heard of one hypocritical Christian who said that at   
            the company party, instead of drinking the liquor, he    
            poured a little coke in a glass and held it in his hand  
            so as to give the appearance of doing what everyone else 
            was doing.
            (1) This is not standing boldly and firmly for the Lord.
         b. Some people might contend that religion has no place in
            the office, but a recent study proves otherwise. It might
            be to your advantage, the study concludes, if you
            profess your religious beliefs rather than keep silent
            about them. Professionals who actively expressed their
            religious beliefs were perceived to be more intelligent,
            more trustworthy, more moral, and better adjusted than
            those who did not.  (From Roger Bailey and Philip
            Doriot via "Pulpit Helps"). 
            (1) Let us boldly speak the word of God at every
                opportunity regardless of what men might say or
                think.
   E. In spite of all this, there are some brethren who say, "Paul   
      told Timothy to take a little wine for his stomach's sake."    
      See 1 Tim. 5:23
      1. Paul was simply instructing Timothy to take a little "pure
         juice of the grape" for his nervous stomach.
      2. Paul is not encouraging Timothy to begin drinking hard
         liquors.
   F. Some brethren want to make a big deal about Jesus changing the
      water into wine. John 2:1-8                 
      1. Let me ask a simple, but important question, "Was Jesus
         encouraging drunkenness?" In other words, "Did Jesus
         change the water into wine so that all the wedding guests
         could get drunk on the wine He made?"
         a. An honest answer to this question takes away the
            argument they are trying to make on this passage.
         b. The mild wines which were in Jesus' time are nothing
            compared to the alcoholic drinks which we have today.
            (1) Thus, we have the expression, "not given to much
                wine" in the Scriptures.

III. A third way Christ is dishonored during the holidays is: LACK OF
     FAITHFULNESS.
   A. Special activities associated with family and friends, school
      events, traveling, entertainment, shopping, etc. are all       
      conducted at a frantic pace during the holidays.
   B. Many Christians allow these secular activities to push God out 
      of His rightful place.
      1. Assemblies of the church are missed, giving is reduced,     
         Bible study, prayer, personal work and other activities are
         neglected.
   C. Thus, we may verbally denounce the religious observance of
      Christmas as a tradition of men, but, in practice, allow       
      Christmas to push Christ out of our lives.
      1. Please consider: Matt. 6:33; 1 Pet. 1:13; Col. 3:2
         a. To influence Christians to be indifferent toward the
            Lord's work is the devil's greatest work.
         b. In the book "The Screwtape Letters," by C. S. Lewis, a
            devil briefs his demon nephew, Wormwood, in the
            subtleties and techniques of tempting people. Through
            the letters the devil says that the objective is not to  
            make people wicked but to make them indifferent. Satan
            cautions Wormwood that he must keep the patient
            comfortable at all costs. If he should start thinking    
            about anything of importance, encourage him to think     
            about his luncheon plans and whether or not it might     
            cause indigestion. The devil then gives this instruction 
            to his nephew: 'I, the devil, will always see to it that 
            there are bad people. Your job, my dear Wormwood, is to
            provide me with people who do not care.'" (From Brett
            Blair).
         c. Let us not be lukewarm, but concerned, zealous, and
            active in the work of the Lord. 

IV. A forth thing to avoid at this time of year is: MATERIALISM.
   A. I'm afraid that some of us are setting a pattern for our       
      children,
      and their children after them, which is not good.
      1. My wife's mother, Mrs. Burgin, who died recently at age 86,
         said that when she was a little girl, all that she received 
         for Christmas was a little candy.
      2. Things have certainly changed from those old days.
   B. Jesus said that it is more blessed to give than to receive.    
      Acts 20:35
      1. Our children are accustomed to receiving, and they want to
         receive.
      2. They want, and usually get, the latest toy; not just that   
         one, but many others.
      3. What is sad, is that Christian parents debt themselves,     
         almost to the moon, to provide these gifts for their        
         children.
   C. Even denominational people recognize how commercialized
      Christmas has become.
      1. I am not saying that it is sinful to give gifts at this time
         of year, or at any other for that matter, but that we should
         avoid extremes.
      2. Let us avoid the dangers of materialism. Luke 12:15

Concl.
   A. We must never allow the pressures of traditions of men to cause
      us to observe something that is not ordained by God.
      1. The way to honor Christ is to do exactly as He commanded,
         no more, and no less.
   B. Furthermore, we must not allow the activities of the holidays  
      to cause us to deviate from faithful service to the Lord.

Chart:
Dangers At Christmas Time:
                        
Vain Worship
                        
Drinking Parties
                        
Lack of Faithfulness
                        
Materialism