Many of you asked, "If Halloween has pagan roots, what about Christmas?
Should Christians celebrate it? Is it truly a holy day or is it another pagan tradition dressed up in Christian language?
I've read every single comment and I've prayed over this topic. And after many days of seeking the Lord, I believe today's message will bring light, clarity, and peace to your heart.
Because this sermon is not about arguing over holidays.
It's about seeing how God redeems what the world once distorted.
The enemy loves to confuse God's people.
He wants you to question what is sacred, to doubt what is beautiful, to turn celebration into suspicion.
But God wants to open your eyes.
He wants you to see how his hand has always been at work, even through history, even through culture, pointing back to one eternal truth.
Jesus Christ is Lord of all.
Every December, Christians across the world face the same question.
Should we celebrate Christmas?
Some say it's just a family holiday.
Others say it's rooted in paganism and believers should reject it.
And many simply don't know what to think. So before we jump to conclusions, let's pause and ask the question that truly matters.
What does Christmas really celebrate?
Is it a pagan ritual?
Or is it the story of divine redemption of God stepping into human history to save us from sin and death?
That's the question we're going to answer together.
Now, I want you to read and listen carefully.
Christmas is not about a date. It's about an event. It's not about December 25th.
It's about what happened in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago when the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
That's John 1:14.
And that's the heart of Christmas.
The miracle of the incarnation, God becoming man, is the center of our faith.
And no amount of historical debate can erase that truth.
So, let's start where the Bible begins with the birth of Jesus Christ.
Luke 2:8 tells us, "There were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.
That simple detail gives us an important clue.
Shepherds in Judea did not stay in the open fields during the cold, rainy winter months. They brought their sheep into shelter from November through February, which means most likely Jesus was not born in December at all.
Many biblical scholars believe his birth took place sometime in spring, perhaps around March or April when the weather was mild and flocks could safely graze outside.
So yes, the Bible gives us good reason to believe that Jesus wasn't born on December 25th.
But the question isn't when was he born, the question is why did he come?
And that's the difference between religion and revelation.
Religion argues over dates. Revelation transforms hearts.
God didn't preserve the date of Christ's birth.
He preserved the meaning.
Because he doesn't want us to worship a day.
He wants us to worship his son.
If the date was essential, he would have included it in scripture.
But he didn't.
Instead, he gave us the story, the announcement, the angelic song, the shepherds in the night, the child wrapped in swaddling clothes.
Why?
Because he wanted us to see who was born, not when.
The angels didn't say, "Mark your calendars. This is December 25th."
They said, "Unto you is born this day a Savior who is Christ the Lord." The miracle defines the day, not the other way around.
So when people argue we don't know the exact day so we shouldn't celebrate at all. They miss the point entirely.
God is not limited to dates.
Every day belongs to him.
Every day is holy when his presence fills it.
And that's the first lesson of Christmas.
God sanctifies moments, not calendars.
When heaven opened over Bethlehem and the angels declared peace on earth, it didn't matter what month it was.
What mattered was that redemption had come.
Now, let's ask the next question.
If Jesus was not born on December 25th, then why do Christians celebrate on that day?
To answer that, we need to look back into history, not to attack it, but to understand how God works through it.
By the 4th century, Christianity had spread across the Roman Empire.
The world of that time was filled with pagan rituals, idol worship, and seasonal festivals.
Among them was Satinelia, a Roman feast honoring the god Saturn, celebrated around mid December.
It was a time of feasting, gift giving, and social disorder.
Another celebration was Soul Invictus, the unconquered sun held near the winter solstice.
When the days began to grow longer, pagans celebrated the rebirth of the sun, the return of light after the darkest night of the year.
When the early church emerged in this environment. the question was not early church emerged in this environment, the question was not how can we join them.
It was how can we confront them?
Christians didn't adopt pagan worship.
They redeemed the season to proclaim a greater truth.
They said, "You celebrate the sun that rises and sets.
We celebrate the SON of God who never fades."
In the year 336 AD under the Roman Emperor Constantine, the church designated December 25th as the official day to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ.
Not because they believed that was his actual birthday, but because they wanted to proclaim his incarnation during the very season when the world was celebrating false light.
It was a bold statement. It was a confrontation, not a compromise.
The early believers were saying, "We will not worship the sun. We will worship the One who made it.
We wil not bow to creation. We will glorify the Creator.
John 1:9 declares, "The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world."
That was their message.
In a world of darkness and deception, they used that time of year to preach the true light, Jesus Christ.
Do you see the difference?
Christmas was not borrowed from paganism.
It was a declaration against paganism.
When the world celebrated the unconquered sun,
Christians proclaimed the unconquered SON.
That's the real story behind December 25th.
Now, some believers today are afraid of that history.
They think if pagans ever touched it, it must be evil.
But my friend, listen carefully.
If that were true, then the cross itself could never be used again.
Because before Jesus died on it, the crucifixion on a cross was a Roman instrument of torture.
It was the most shameful, painful form of death imaginable.
But what did God do?
He took that symbol of horror and made it the greatest symbol of hope.
If God can redeem the cross, he can redeem a date.
If God can redeem the grave, he can redeem a holiday.
Our God does not hide from darkness. He invades it with light.
And that is exactly what the early church did.
They didn't imitate the world.
They illuminated it.
They didn't copy pagan rituals.
They declared Christ's victory over them.
When you understand that, you begin to see that the story of biblical Christmas is not about compromise.
It is about conquest.
The triumph of truth over lies, light over darkness, and grace over sin.
You might be wondering, "But isn't it safer to just reject all of it? The tree, the gifts, the date, and avoid misunderstanding."
You can, of course, but ask yourself this.
What message are we sending when we surrender every cultural space to the world?
God didn't call his people to hide.
He called them to shine.
The Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 2:15, "You are to shine as lights in the world. That is your calling."
So instead of running from the world, shine in it.
Instead of arguing about dates, proclaim the truth about Jesus Christ.
Instead of letting culture define Christmas, let the church display Christ.
That is what the early believers did.
And that is what you and I must do today.
9:45 5 The world around you may celebrate Christmas without understanding it, but you know the real story. You know that
9:52 the child in the manger is the creator of heaven and earth. You know that the light on the tree points to the light of the world. You know that the giftgiving represents the greatest gift ever given,
God's son for our salvation.
So instead of allowing cynicism to rob your worship, let revelation restore your joy.
Every song, every decoration, every candle can become an opportunity to glorify God if your heart is centered on him.
Christmas, my friend, was never meant to drain your wallet.
It was meant to fill your soul.
It's not about presents under a tree.
It's about God's presence in your life.
And when you understand that, the entire season takes on a new meaning.
You begin to see December 25th not as a borrowed festival but as a redeemed opportunity.
A moment in history when the church chose to proclaim the true light has come and darkness cannot overcome it.
Now let me close this first part with a simple truth to carry into your heart.
Christmas is not about how it began in history. It's about what it declares eternally.
It declares that God so loved the world that he gave his only son.
It declares that light has conquered darkness. It declares that redemption has come.
And as we move into the next part of this message, we're going to look deeper into how God transformed even the symbols, the tree, the star, the gifts, the traditions, and gave them new meaning in Christ.
Because the story doesn't end with the date.
The story continues with the divine redemption of every symbol that once belonged to the world but now belongs to the saviour.
So stay with me and in our next section we'll uncover how Christmas far from being pagan has always pointed to one eternal truth that Jesus Christ the light of the world has come.
My friend let me begin with a question.
When you look around at the symbols of Christmas, the tree, the lights, the star, the gifts, what do you see?
Do you see superstition or do you see salvation?
Do you see pagan tradition or do you see divine transformation?
Because how you see Christmas determines how you celebrate it.
The enemy has always been a deceiver.
He twists what God has made beautiful and calls it corrupted.
But God in his mercy takes what was once distorted and makes it holy again.
That's the story of redemption.
And that's the story behind every true symbol of Christmas.
In our last message, we learned that the early church didn't borrow pagan festivals. It confronted them with truth. It didn't imitate the world. It illuminated it.
And in this part, I want us to look closely at the common symbols of Christmas to see how God has redeemed them, how he has rewritten their meaning, and how each one still points to Christ.
Because the question we should be asking is not where did it start, but who does it glorify now.
Let's begin with the one symbol most often misunderstood, the Christmas tree.
Many people say, "Didn't the Christmas tree come from paganism?
Isn't it idolatry to bring a tree into your house and decorate it?" Let's go to scripture because that's where truth is found.
Jeremiah 10:24 says, "Do not learn the way of the nations, for the customs of the peoples are worthless.
They cut down a tree from the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel.
They adorn it with silver and gold.
They fasten it with hammer and nails so it will not totter.
Now, some people stop there and say, "See, that's Christmas trees."
But if you read carefully, Jeremiah is not condemning decoration.
He's condemning idol worship, the act of carving a tree into a god, bowing before it, and praying to it.
That's idolatry.
The Christmas tree in your home is not an idol, unless your heart makes it one.
It's not sin to decorate a tree. It's sin to worship it.
So, let's go back to history.
Yes, long before Christianity, some ancient cultures used evergreen trees to symbolize life during winter.
But when Christianity spread across Europe, believers saw something more profound in the evergreen, a picture of eternal life.
While every other tree lost its leaves in winter, the evergreen remained green.
A living reminder that life can endure through death.
What a perfect image of Jesus Christ who conquered death and lives forever.
In fact, Martin Luther, the great reformer of the 16th century, is Said to have been the first to add lights to a Christmas tree. One night as he walked home through a snowy forest, he saw the stars shining through the branches of evergreens and thought, "That's what it must have looked like on the night Christ was born, the light of heaven piercing through the darkness."
He brought a small tree into his home, placed candles on its branches, and told his children, "See, my children, this tree points to Christ.
Its evergreen branches remind us of eternal life and its light reminds us that Jesus is the light of the world.
What a beautiful testimony. You see, the tree itself has no power. It's not good or evil.
It's a symbol and symbols get their meaning from the message they serve.
The question is not whether the tree once had a pagan meaning.
The question is what does it mean to you now?
If it points you to Christ, it glorifies God. If it distracts you from Christ, it becomes an idol.
Satan twists symbols, but God redeems them.
When you stand before your Christmas tree this year, don't see it as a pagan object. See it as a sermon in wood and light.
See it as a reminder that Jesus, nailed to a wooden cross, gave you eternal life.
See it as a declaration that even in the dead of winter, life in Christ never fades.
The evergreen preaches the gospel.
Life that never ends, love that never fails, and light that never dies.
Let's talk about the lights of Christmas.
Some people would say the use of lights began with pagan sun worship when people lit fires or candles during the winter solstice to help the sun return.
That may be historically true, but here's the greater truth. Jesus came to fulfill what pagans could only imitate.
John 15 says, "The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it."
Every candle that burns, every light that glows can remind you of this one reality that Jesus is the light of the world.
The darkness feared him.
The devil tried to extinguish him, but on the third day, the tomb was empty and the light still shone.
You see, God often uses what people once used for darkness to demonstrate his glory.
In ancient times, pagans lit fires to keep the night away.
But now every light we place on our homes, our trees, our streets tells the story that the true light has come and darkness has been defeated.
There's a reason light appears over and over in scripture.
From the pillar of fire that led Israel to the burning bush that called Moses to the star over Bethlehem, light is the that called Moses to the star over Betnlehem, light is the language of God's presence.
So when you plug in your Christmas lights, remember they aren't just decoration, they're proclamation.
They say to every passer by the light still shines.
When you light a candle, whisper this prayer.
Lord Jesus, you are my light. May your presence shine through me this season.
Because my friend, Christmas is not just about the light that came 2,000 years ago. It's about the light that still shines today in you.
Now, let's look at the star.
Matthew chapter 2 tells us that wise men from the east saw his star and followed it all the way to Bethlehem.
That star was not astrology. It was divine guidance.
It was heaven's announcement that the king had come.
The wise men didn't worship the star. They followed it.
And where did it lead them? Straight to Jesus.
In that same way, every time you see a star decorates on top of a Christmas 🎄 tree or hanging from a window, let it remind you of this truth.
19:18 Real wisdom is still found in those who seek him. God still uses signs to lead his people.
19:26 Not signs in the sky, but signs in your heart. Moments when his spirit nudges you,
19:33 whispers to you, says, "This is the way.
19:36 Walk in it." The wise men didn't find Jesus by accident. They followed light until it brought them to truth. That's
19:44 what faith does. So this year, when you see that star shining above your home,
19:51 remember what it means. God still guides. God still leads. And if you follow the light he gives, it will always lead you to his son.
The star is not pagan.
It's prophetic.
It points not to superstition but to salvation.
Finally, let's talk about the gifts.
Some say gift giving at Christmas is materialistic and yes, it can be if the focus is on things.
But in its purest form, giving is one of the most beautiful ways to reflect the heart of God.
Matthew 2:1 says. "The wise men of God opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold. Frankincense and myrr.
Each gift was symbolic.
Gold represented royalty. Jesus is the King of kings.
Frankincense represented divinity. He is God in the flesh.
Myrrh represented sacrifice. He was born to die for the sins of the world.
So when you give a gift in love with gratitude and joy, you are participating in that same spirit of worship.
You're not imitating the world.
You're imitating God who so loved the world that he gave his only SON.
The world gives to impress others. Christians give to bless others.
That's why l often say, don't measure your Christmas by how much you spend, but by how much you share.
A gift doesn't have to be expensive to be meaningful.
A word of encouragement, a prayer for someone hurting, a meal for a neighbor, forgiveness for an enemy.
These are gifts heaven recognizes.
Because the greatest gift ever given was not wrapped in paper. It was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger.
That's the gift that changed eternity.
That's the gift that keeps giving.
You see, my friend, Satan can twist symbols, but God can redeem them.
The devil can only imitate.
He can't create.
He takes what God made for good and corrupts it.
But redemption reverses the curse. Grace restores the glory.
The Christmas tree, the lights, the star, the gifts.
They don't belong to the devil.
They belong to God now.
The question isn't where did they start?
The question is who do they glorify now?
If your Christmas points to Jesus Christ, it glorifies God.
If it draws attention to materialism or self, then it's lost its purpose.
But when you stand before that tree and thank God for eternal life, when you turn on the lights and remember that Jesus is the light of the world, when you place the star on top and remember the God who still guides you.
When you give a gift with love because he first gave to you then your Christmas becomes worship. That's what brother Paul meant when he said in 1 Corinthians 10:31, "Whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God."
Even the simplest tradition can become holy when your heart is surrendered to him. So let this season remind you that God still transforms.
He takes symbols of winter and fills them with warmth.
He takes traditions of man and turns them into testimonies of grace. And that's the miracle of Christmas. Not that we have lights and trees and stars, but that every one of them can point to a savior who redeems all things.
Because when Jesus came, he didn't just redeem souls.
He redeemed meaning itself.
And as we prepare to move into the next part of this message, we'll look at the heart of Christmas,
the incarnation itself, the God who left his throne to dwell among us. the word who became flesh, the creator who entered his creation.
Because beyond every symbol, beyond every decoration, stands
( Continue later )
