11/21/2012

• DARE TO BE DIFFERENT!

  DARE TO BE DIFFERENT!

   

  This is probably the single most difficult time of the year to uphold this resolution. As we enter into what has come to be known as the “Holiday Season” when, the name of Messiah, love and charity, people lie to their children (and get very angry of you don't go along with the Santa deceit), and people “traditionally ” over-eat, over-drink, over-spend, and over-party.

  Few people would disagree that there is nothing Religious about the majority of Xmas “traditions” (eg Santa, elves, mistletoe, reindeer, decorated trees, etc.) and many people are aware of the fact that Messiah was not born in December. (The inns were full in Bethlehem because it was tax time at the end of the harvest season, probably no later than October.

   

  Only the most confirmed Xmas “Junkie” would fail to recognize the many ways in which Xmas is commercialized and some people may also be familiar with Scripture such as Jer 10:2-4 which admonishes us not to decorate trees.

  “...Learn not the way of the heathen...For the custom of the people are vain; for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the ax. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and hammers that it move not.”

   

  And yet by Thanksgiving the majority of “good” Religious people are gearing up to celebrate this “Righteous Day”--buying cards and wraping paper, planning meals and decorations, contemplating gifts, etc. There is something to appeal to everyone about the day. The gourmet, the decorator, the doting Grandma, the shopper, the faithful. Everyone can get involved. It is infections and and addicting. Everywhere you go you hear Xmas songs, you see beautiful lights and decorations (millions of dollars) spent on items without a function, worthless things referred to in the Scripture as “vanity”, every family has their own additional traditions, everywhere the sights, sounds, and smells of Xmas entice you to participate.

   

  But let us judge this day as the Scriptures instruct us to, by it's fruits, For “A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.” (Mt 7:18).

   

  Listen to what adults say to children, and what children say to each other, wherever you do during and after the “Holidays.” Concersations revolved around “What do you want for Xmas.” “What did you ask Santa for” and then “What did you get” or “What did Santa bring you?” These have become ritualistic “Holiday” salutations encountered at schools, with relatives, at the grocery store, wherever and whenever you have any kind of social interaction.

   

  These greetings alone, make it abundantly clear that Xmas is a merchant's holiday. It is they, and only they, who ultimately profit. Contrary to popular opinion, obviating a convenient rationalization,

  most charitable contribution actually decrease during this time of year. Ask your Pastor, or any Pastor, if the average income of the Assembly goes up or down during the “holidays”. A full 50%, or greater of the total yearly sales volume of most department and toy stores is accounted for by “holiday” shopping. While the merchants are “selling” Xmas and earning tidy profits on their avertising investiment5s, divorces and suicide rates skyrocket, illness of all types abount (most likely related to sugar-coated, fat-laden, alcohol-laced “holiday” eating habits) and, in the spirit of “giving” or just because they get caught up in the merchant created buying frenzy, the average family goes into debt to support this once a year “habit.”

   

  Why do most Religious people continue to participate in such a worldly custom, a pagan holiday masquerading as a Religious observance? (A wolf in sheep's clothing? A stumbling block to so many of their brethren?)

   

  Many people, adults and children alike, are personally “hooked” on Xmas. We like receiving gifts, eating junk and the opportunity to “give in” to temptations without Assembly, parental or spousal admonition. (Another holiday tradition). Many others feel awkward telling family and friends that they are not going to participate in the single most universally popular celebration. And some people just don't know how to quit!!

   

  To ease our guilt, many Religious people are making sincere attempts to “put Messiah back into Xmas.” Unfortunately, Mess was originally “put into Xmas in order to make a pagan holiday more palatable to Religious people.

   

  Even if this was not the case, however, the 7^th Commandment, “Thou shalt not commit adultery” expressly forbids the “mixing” of worldly and spiritual things. According to Webster 1998 Dictionary, something which is adulterated is “corrupted, debased by a mixture with something of less value.” We are commanded, when we become Religious people, to put off “...the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after Yahvah is created in righteousness and true holiness.” (Eph 4:22-24). Mixing the two, the way of the world and Yahvah's way, is adultery.

   

  Webster defines an adulterer as “an apostate from the true faith, or one who violates his covenant engagements; a very wicked person.” Part of our covenant with Yahvah is his commandment to us to “come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Sovereign.” (2 Co 6:17)

   

  We are warned not to be a part of this wicked world unless we do not love our Father in Heaven.

   

  “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with Yahvah? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of Yahvah.” (James 4:4)

   

  “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (1 Jn 2:15-16).

   

  We are repeatedly admonished not to mix the new (Religious way) with the old (worldly way).

   

  “And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old. And no man putteth new wine will burst the bottles, and he spilled, and the bottles shall perish. But new wine must be put into new bottles, and both are preserved,. No man also having drunk old wind straightway desireth new; for he saith, The old is better.” (Lk 5:36-39).

   

  Creches (nativity scenes) under or instead of Xmas trees, “Happy B-day Messiah” signs or cakes, religious cards, even changing the day you celebrate only “adulterates” the holiday. Ultimately you must decide “whom ye will serve.” (Josh 24:15). Just like any bad habit, cutting back, smoking less, etc. doesn't end the addiction; YOU MUST QUIT, COMPLETELY!

   

  Hansel and Gretel were enticed by the confectionery cottage in the woods but once they ate of it, they became captives of the old lady who lived there, just as we are held captive by our own desires to partake of the worldly offering of the “Holiday Season.” They were finally able to overpower their blind captor, something they could probably have done at anytime, and escape. We, too, can overpower our foe, temptation, and escape of the “Holidays” with all its trappings.

   

  We must “STAND UP, STAND TALL” for Yahvah's days, regardless of what the rest of the “crowd” is doing. Yahvah commanded us to observe the Sabbath and messiah made the Last Supper an everlasting memorial to him to be “celebrated” by all of his followers. Yahvah never even suggested that we celebrate Messiah's birth and nowhere in the Scripture is there any evidence that the Apostle or anyone celebrated this day.

   

  If you have already begun your holiday preparations for this year, please keep your eyes and ears open, be observant, be aware of how people greet one another, be aware of how much money gets spent, pay attention to how many people have colds and the flue. Tune in to how many different techniques merchants use to put you in the spending mood (easy credit, traditional music, ads, “free” gifts, refreshments, entertainments, babysitting services, longer hours, etc). Try to take a truly objective look at the “Holiday” this year and maybe next “Holiday” season you will decide to do as a friend does—close up shop and take a vacation!

  Bro. Doc

  • 9:16 pm
  • 7 Comments