GIFTS -- A CHRISTMAS CUSTOM
A Christmas Sermon by the Rev. Patrick A. Rose
A Christmas Sermon by the Rev. Patrick A. Rose
" . . . none shall appear before Me empty." (Exod. 23:15)
THE CHRISTMAS SEASON IS HERE. For many people, this celebration is the most festive event of the whole year. Not only the day itself, but also the many preparations and celebrations associated with it, bring a joy and a gladness which has often been referred to as "the Christmas spirit."
This Christmas spirit is partly religious. To a large extent, though, it has a lot to do with the fun and festivity which comes from reenacting the many traditions surrounding this festival. Christmas is rich in tradition. There are a great number of customs associated with it. In a way, Christmas is a two-fold celebration. On the one hand, it is a religious observance: the observance of the Lord's birth in Bethlehem. On the other hand, it is also a traditional time for merry-making. And many of the customs associated with this merry-making have origins which are not Christian at all, but are, rather, pagan and secular.
In the New Church we have tended to go along with these many customs and traditions. And to do this is not necessarily wrong. The original meaning of these customs has, in general, been forgotten long ago. Mostly, they are just a way of having fun. Indeed, some customs have since taken on a decidedly useful symbolism. The Christmas tree, for example, has come to symbolize for many people the peace of the hearth and home and family.
We need not condemn the many traditions associated with Christmas. It is well though that we bear in mind that this celebration is, and should remain, essentially a religious festival -- a fact so easily overlooked. As we all
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The LORD JESUS CHRIST calls Himself the Bright and Morning Star. He brings light to our minds and direction to our lives. We worship Him because we believe He is God, the one and only God of heaven and earth. Our faith is a simple one. We worship Him. We do not worship three People, because we believe that there is only One. Jesus Christ is our Lord. The Father is His Divine soul, not some other person (John 14:9).
The Holy Spirit is His influence, His reaching out to inspire us (John 20:22). Jesus Christ is our God, and we adore Him.
Jesus told His disciples that one day He would come in the clouds of heaven (Matt. 24:30), the clouds of the mind. He told them He had many things to tell them, but they could not yet bear them (John 16:12). We believe that He has, as He promised He would, revealed wonderful new insights, helping us understand far more fully the depth of meaning of the Old and New Testaments. We believe He has taught us wonderful things about the life that waits us after death. Most of all, He helps us understand ever more deeply the love and compassion He feels for each and every one of us.
Some, mostly out of ignorance, have dismissed abruptly what is said in the theological books of Emanuel Swedenborg. However, Swedenborg was a worshiper of Jesus Christ, and he states that he was the servant of Jesus Christ. Many who read what he wrote realize that what is written is a revelation, a clear, simple and wonderful vision of Jesus Christ as the one and only God.
We invite you to join us in our worship of Jesus Christ. Our prayer is that this small church will be His Church. Our mission is that we may become true disciples in the way we live our lives. Our faith and our trust is in Him alone.
Jesus told His disciples that one day He would come in the clouds of heaven (Matt. 24:30), the clouds of the mind. He told them He had many things to tell them, but they could not yet bear them (John 16:12). We believe that He has, as He promised He would, revealed wonderful new insights, helping us understand far more fully the depth of meaning of the Old and New Testaments. We believe He has taught us wonderful things about the life that waits us after death. Most of all, He helps us understand ever more deeply the love and compassion He feels for each and every one of us.
Some, mostly out of ignorance, have dismissed abruptly what is said in the theological books of Emanuel Swedenborg. However, Swedenborg was a worshiper of Jesus Christ, and he states that he was the servant of Jesus Christ. Many who read what he wrote realize that what is written is a revelation, a clear, simple and wonderful vision of Jesus Christ as the one and only God.
We invite you to join us in our worship of Jesus Christ. Our prayer is that this small church will be His Church. Our mission is that we may become true disciples in the way we live our lives. Our faith and our trust is in Him alone.
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