The Meaning vs the Spirit of Christmas — Stand to Reason Podcast
Greg reflects on why it’s hard for him to get into “the spirit of Christmas,” then he answers questions about responding to someone who says he’s a good person and how to distinguish between the power of the tongue talked about in the Bible and the New Age “Law of Attraction,” chats with Tim about a Christmas-related challenge, and closes with some more thoughts on Christmas.
0:00 Introduction
1:20 The meaning of Christmas vs. the spirit of Christmas
19:22 Responding to a friend who says he has become a good person on his own
29:40 Why is the “Law of Attraction” unbiblical?
38:09 Mr B. from Red Pen Logic asks, should Christians celebrate Christmas if it has pagan origins?
50:53 A Christmas reading from “The Story of Reality”
#StandtoReason #Apologetics #Christianity #MerryChristmas #Christmas #JesusChrist #JesusitheReasonfortheSeason
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The Man Who Invented Christmas – Film: https://bleeckerstreetmedia.com/themanwhoinventedchristmas/
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I understand the stresses of the holiday. I have some bad Christmas memories; and gift-giving is where "performance anxiety" really drags me down. But Greg touched on an idea that stimulated the following thoughts:
The child understands what adults have forgotten: the long anticipation of a wonderful surprise reaching its climax in receiving gifts long desired.
The entire history of God's revelation to man pointed forward to a wonderful gift; and one day, in a village called Bethlehem, the Gift arrived.
When the full weight of the Mosaic Law or the Law of Conscience has weighed you down, redemption through God's incarnation merits childlike anticipation, and redemption's realization through faith in Christ's death and resurrection merits childlike joy.
Some can experience such joys repeatedly. Some don't; they have to lean on faith and maturity. And that's OK, because maturity means refocusing on bringing that joy to others.
But for those of us who didn't grow up with good memories of Christmas traditions, focusing on Christ is the only thing that gets us through.
Use this time to actually open the Bible and read it! Christmas like Christianity is a man made creation has nothing to do with scripture in the King James Bible. The Bible in scripture references it as a pagen custom to have a decorated tree in the house.
Thank you so much! I too had that magical Christmas experience as a child and carried it on with my children. It took a little different path as we added our own tradtions from both my husband's and my experiences. Now, being widowed and terribly missing my husband the tradition will change again. But Christ is here, he is my strength, my redeemer my Saviour, my rest, my comfort. He is my sacrificial lamb and I am forever grateful.
We can redeem any day for the Lord! Great show brother!
I stopped the gift giving and stuff a few years ago because I see it as a ritual these days. But we still gather to have fellowship and have a party of sorts. But we always pray before dinner and my family sees why I chose to distance myself from these things of man. And I'm not calling another wrong if they don't see it the way that I do.
First comment. Merry Christmas🎄