Thursday, December 22, 2016

baby-jesusSome think that since no one knows the exact date when Jesus was born, because it is not given in scripture, that it would be a sin to recognize his birth on any day of the year.  True, a specific date isn’t mentioned.  Most believe it is December 25th but that was set by man, not God.  Yet Jesus did not miraculously appear as a thirty year old, mighty warrior riding on a magnificent steed.  He appeared as a helpless infant crying for his mother’s milk and like most babies, happy after a diaper change.  Some thought he could not be the expected Messiah because he was a carpenter’s son, not a might man of valor.

Is it blasphemy to pick out a day and celebrate Jesus’ birth?  Some hold that belief.  The shepherds were the first to celebrate his birth (Luke 2:8-19).  The magi or “wise men” traveled a great distance to deliver some very expensive gifts to a newborn baby a short time later  (Matthew 2:11).  Weren’t they aware that such an observance was forbidden?

If it is sinful to observed Jesus’ birthday on one specific day, wouldn’t it be more sinful to observe his birth on any of the 365 days of the year since the Bible is also silent on that detail?  Are we commanded to celebrate his adult life but  ignore his birth because the Bible is silent on the date?  Does the Bible tell us his specific age when he died?

Is the Bible void of all celebration at Jesus birth?  The shepherds celebrated it.  The wise men did.  Mary and Joseph did.  The angels did.  Simeon did (Luke 2:25-35).  Anna did (Luke 2:36-38).  But, God must not have, or so it seems from some of the objections being made?  Didn’t Yahweh send Him (John 3:17)?  Yahweh made arrangements for His birth (Matthew 1:18).  It happened.  Without that birth, we would still be looking for the Messiah.  We would not know or use the expression “New Testament” or “second covenant.”  There would be no such thing as “the church.”  Christianity would still be a future event.  To be believers of Yahweh, we would need to become proselytes to Judaism or have an encounter of some kind with Him.  We would still be offering animal sacrifices.  We would still be in that questionable state that Paul cried over (Romans 7:24).

Although there are people in the world who refuse to recognize Jesus’ birth or His mission, such as atheists, agnostics, skeptics, and some religious organizations, there are believers the world over who gladly celebrate it.  Whether it is December 25th or not, let us rejoice in the fact that the Anointed one of God was born.  Without that glorious birth, there would be no abundant life nor the other spiritual blessings found in the fellowship of Jesus (Romans 8:1; 14:5-6a).