Babymakers is having a contest. She has posed a question about why we do what we do. Why, she asks, do we celebrate Christmas and Easter and not the feasts of the Old Testament?
That has actually been a topic of conversation in our home of late, as Chance reasons through things in his own mind, forming his own convictions. So, I thought I would answer for our family.
The feasts pointed to the coming of the Messiah, we do not celebrate them because He has come. The time of preparation has passed, that is no longer where our focus lies.
Instead, we celebrate Christmas. The birth of our Messiah, the fulfillment of prophesy. And I'm not convinced that Christmas is a pagan holiday, or that Jesus couldn't have been born on Dec. 25. Peter Hammond has some thoughts on that, and as for me, the jury's still out. But whatever the roots, Christmas is known as a decidedly Christian holiday now. There are school districts that have tried to ban using red and green in Christmas parties, stores that only allow their employees to say Happy Holidays, "holiday" trees, "winter" break. I don't hear anyone calling for a return to Christmas' true pagan roots, everyone seems to understand that Christmas is...Christian. It seems to me the pagans are trying to wrest Christmas from us, and I for one refuse to give it to them.
And we celebrate Easter, well, we celebrate Resurrection Day. No bunnies or eggs, but rather joy and thanksgiving over the fact that He IS Risen! Christ has defeated death. Is there anything better to celebrate?
As the feast days were times for the Jewish to remember the promises of God, to look to the coming of the Messiah, the holidays of Christmas and Resurrection Day are times for the Christian to focus on the fulfillment of prophesy, on the glorious gift of the birth and resurrection of our Savior.
ht to Carmon for the Peter Hammond link
This is where I will share lots of pictures of the kids for family and friends far away, as well as tidbits of our life. I'm also likely to share what I learn and what I think about a wide variety of topics, always coming from 2 steps to the right!
5 comments:
Hi!! I am glad you got this in early today! I am able to read it before going off to church.
You have the same opinion as the last HSB who commented on my blog. I will be back to check out the links.
Are you going to come back to HSB when you can get logged in? I use RSS so I am going to get you into it so I can continue to read your blog even if you stay here. Your blogs are to good for me not to.
Now, to go make some of that yummy popcorn stuff that you gave the recipe for on HSB...TexMex popcorn??
Hi!! I am glad you got this in early today! I am able to read it before going off to church.
You have the same opinion as the last HSB who commented on my blog. I will be back to check out the links.
Are you going to come back to HSB when you can get logged in? I use RSS so I am going to get you into it so I can continue to read your blog even if you stay here. Your blogs are to good for me not to.
Now, to go make some of that yummy popcorn stuff that you gave the recipe for on HSB...TexMex popcorn??
I don't think it is taking my comment so I posted as anonymous. This is babymakers.
Hi, I am just here to let you know that I have a winner and posted it on my blog-
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/babymakers/262316/Why+Do+We+Celebrate+Holidays%3F.html
Nice.
That's what I believe, too.
:-D
That was well put. I liked your point about us not seeing any pagans out there trying to reclaim Christmas. I had never thought of that.
I just love those little boys of yours. And the pictures you have up, his freckles get me every time. Hook, line and sinker! My DS has a few and they just showed up this year. I have quite a few. LOL
Also, thank you for you kind email about my Grandmother. Your words were greatly appreciated.
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