If Christmas is pagan, should Christians be involved?

Should Christians get involved in supporting or celebrating Christmas? Have you ever heard that argument? Why in the world would Christians want to get involved in something that was really a “pagan holiday,” that we the Church co-opted? So for those critics, I have three points.
Number one: Do you give your kids birthday gifts? You celebrate your kids birthdays, why not celebrate the birth of the Savior? If we’re not going to do it now, when would you decide to do it? That would be a question.
Secondly, in 1st Corinthians 9:22, Paul says, “I became all things to all men, that by all means I may win some.” I can’t think of a time, and I doubt that you could think of a time in the year when there is more focus on the birth of Jesus Christ. Once a year, the world is confronted with the reality of His coming. And I think that’s great!
The third point is in Matthew 16:18,where Jesus said, “On this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” The idea is not that we are holding out against the world. The idea is that we are assaulting a world and they cannot overwhelm us. They cannot withstand the assault of the Church. The very fact that you and I are here, 2000 years after the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, is evidence of that. The world has done everything it can to squash the message, destroy the Word, and intimidate believers. Yet, all around the world today there are those who are singing praise, spreading the Word and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. So, if we co-opt or take over Christmas, that’s what we’re supposed to do. We’re supposed to seize the gates of the enemy. This is why we’re here and why this season is so important.

Gene Cunningham - January 28, 2003

Hebrews 03

Hebrews teaches more than any other book what Jesus Christ is doing right now. Theme: Superiority of Jesus Christ in His High Priestly ministry Heb 8:2 Three main division of the book: 1. Theme and the Uniqueness of Christ in His Person Heb 1:1-14, Heb 2:1-18, Heb 3:1-19, Heb 4:1-16, Heb 5:1-14, Heb 6:1-20, Heb 7:1-28, Heb 8:1-5, 2. Superiority of His Work Heb 8:6-13, Heb 9:1-28, Heb 10:1-39, 3. Practical application, superiority of faith vs. works Heb 11:1-40, Heb 12:1-29, Heb 13:1-25 Five warning sections (all referring to the same problem. Christ already accomplished His work on the cross, and the temple was still standing. Revolts started by the Jews against the Romans. In about 67 AD, the author wrote it as a warning. The warning is the Savior has come, His work is complete, so do not reject Him. He is talking to believers.) 1. Warning against neglect and apathy Heb 2:1-4 2. Warning against the voluntary hardening of the heart Heb 3:7-19, Heb 4:1 3. Warning against falling short or failing the grace of God Heb 5:11-14, Heb 6:1-8 4. Warning against the willful sin (refusal to engage in the ministries God has given with you as well as meeting with other saints) Heb 10:26-39 Acts 1:8 These warnings were due to apathy to His word, but also a failure to fulfill His purpose for us as a priesthood, to share the things with God to others. To hear the word and not apply it makes it a curse for you, because now you are accountable. Heb 10:19-25 reveals all the ministry of the believer (priesthood, ambassadorship, ministry to other believers) 5. Warning against refusing to be corrected Heb 12:25-29 All warnings are about the same thing, about its progression. Superiority of Jesus to angels Heb 1:4-14 Superiority of Jesus: Sonship Heb 1:2, Heirship Heb 1:2, Creator Heb 1:2, Revealer of God Heb 1:3 Joh 1:18, Sustainer of universe by His verbal word Heb 1:3, Redeemer Heb 1:3, High Priest Heb 1:3 Heb 1:4 the humanity of Jesus is better than the angels. Heb 1:1-3 is what Jesus did in His incarnation, as a man. This is the largest passage in the Bible on angels. Lucifer was the greatest of all the angels. It is significant that as a man Jesus is greater than Satan too. Passages that reveal the divinity of God: Joh 1:1-51, Col 1:1-29 Heb 1:1-14 Love of God in Christ-so far beyond our understanding we have to bring it down to application. He would have died for the whole world even if only one person believed Him. Because Jesus was willing to come to our rescue as a man, He was elevated above everyone. Phi 2:5-11 The exalted humanity of Jesus is greater than the angels. Our exalted standing or seating in Christ, places on us maximum accountability. We’ve been given greatest eternal resources in Christ and this is at our disposal. But it’s of no value unless we spend it. You can’t out-give God. Who are you in Christ? Everything He is, you share, you as seated with Him. We have more in Christ than any of the Old Testament believers, our cloud of witnesses, so we see what they did without the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit, without this endless treasure-store of resources. Seven superiorities of Jesus to the angels: 1. Heb 1:4 Christ has inherited because of His obedience in His humanity. The name speaks of the honor and integrity and renown of the person, because of His humility and submission to the word of God. Psa 2:7 Written a thousand years before Christ, and that day is referring the day of the virgin birth. Everything God was going to do, He told in advance. 2. Heb 1:6 The angelic realm was to worship the person of Jesus, in His humanity. 3. Heb 1:7 Angels minister to Jesus 4. Heb 1:11 He will remain in His glorified humanity 5. Heb 1:13 There is a war in the universe. God declared ahead of time how it would end. The genius of God’s plan, after God’s completed work on the cross, He sat down to watch it work out, through it church.

Scripture References: Hebrews 1:6, Hebrews 8:6-13, Hebrews 1:3, Hebrews 2:1-4, Hebrews 1:1-3, Hebrews 2:1-18, Acts 1:8, Psalms 2:7, Hebrews 8:1-5, Hebrews 1:2, Hebrews 13:1-25, Hebrews 1:4, Hebrews 1:1-14, Hebrews 10:26-39, Hebrews 1:4, Hebrews 7:1-28, Hebrews 1:2, Hebrews 12:1-29, Hebrews 1:3, Hebrews 8:2, Hebrews 6:1-8, Philippians 2:5-11, Hebrews 6:1-20, Hebrews 1:2, Hebrews 1:13, Hebrews 11:1-40, Hebrews 1:3, Hebrews 5:11-14, Hebrews 1:1-14, Hebrews 5:1-14, Hebrews 1:4-14, Hebrews 1:11, Hebrews 10:1-39, Hebrews 1:3, Hebrews 4:1, Colossians 1:1-29, Hebrews 4:1-16, Hebrews 12:25-29, Hebrews 1:7, Hebrews 9:1-28, John 1:18, Hebrews 3:7-19, John 1:1-51, Hebrews 3:1-19, Hebrews 10:19-25