#19 Luke uses testimony of 4 eye witnesses to validate his gospel. How does that give his gospel credibility?
Mary, Joseph, Simeon. and Anna are all used by Luke to validate his account of Jesus' birth being the birth of the savior of the world. All 4 knew Jesus was the Christ. Angels told Mary and Joseph. At His circumcision we learn Simeon (means = God has heard), was looking for the "consolation of Israel." a messianic term. The Holy Spirit revealed it to him that he would not die until he sees the Savior. When he sees Jesus he knows that Jesus is who he was waiting for, again revealed by the Holy Spirit. Anna was a prophetess who was in the temple at that time and started thanking God for fulfilling His promise and spoke of Jesus to ALL those who were looking for the "redemption of Jerusalem" (the savior). An evangel of (Jesus the savior is here). This was big news in some circles. All 4 confirm that Jesus was the Messiah, they connect salvation with God. He is a saving God and redemption can only be through His plan, nobody's plan or way of righteousness. Only by God. That is GRACE. That flows all throughout the bible. These 4 remind us of that.
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20 Truths of Christmas #20 Jesus wasn't born on Dec. 25th. Why do we celebrate this date?
Why this date.
The early Christian church decided to impose the birth of Christ celebration to sanctify major pagan revelry. Great idea, kinda backfired. The church couldn't force pagan conformity and what we have now is a mixed up holiday drug through pagan celebrations. A marrying of the two. Examples:
Romans; Dec. was the festival of Saturnalia. Saturn was god of agriculture. They celebrated by gift giving and hanging of evergreens, the always productive ag product in honor of Saturn. This is were we get gift giving and Christmas trees from.
Barbarian North-lands; celebrate YULE to the gods of Odin and Thor.
East Persia; it was Mythara god of lights. This is why candles and Christmas lights.
West Druids; hung mistletoe to force embarrassing each other in peace before sacrifices.
Don't have to get crazy now and throw out your lights and trees. Celebrating how you want is not sinful as long as you have the priority of purpose which is the birth of Jesus. Keep that center focused and keep God 1st. Just a history lesson on how and why we celebrate the way we do. Remember if its about Christ than the rest isn't pagan worship..unless you are worshiping the pagan gods.
REBUTTAL: Before you put up that Christmas tree you might read Jeremiah 10... just a thought... December 6, 2013 at 12:13pm
Response: Jeremiah 10: (vs 3 the customs of the people are delusion. ) So we create awareness. (vs 2 do not learn their ways. ) I don't believe most people today put the value and worship of the tree as in O.T. time. Their ways, does that apply to our ways today or the ways of then or is it the same. I think the theme of the chapter is in vs 6 & 10 (vs 6 There is none like you Oh Lord. vs 10 But the Lord is the true God) vs 21 they have become stupid and have not sought the Lord. vs 14 & 15 images are deceitful worthless and mockery. (paraphrasing). His complaint is they replace worship of the true God with worship of idolatry. That is sinful. they didn't have GOD #1. Take a stand, don't have a tree that is honorable by God for sure but sinful pagan worship to those who do...not if they are keeping God 1st. But this is by far the most jacked up holiday in the pagan ways it is celebrated. Don't get lost in it, Keep it Christ centered and Christ focused however you must.
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