Crazy Theological Thoughts

Why Not just Celebrate Christmas? Over the years every Church has developed their own Christmas Traditions. They celebrate these traditions and practices as part of the Season. The time of year becomes a worship of trees and candles some even worship Nativity scenes. It is amazing how many Protestants become more Catholic at Christmas time. With the reverence to Tradition being the foremost example, but the real thing is the Reverence of Mary. All the World whether they believe in the perpetual Virginity of Mary or not celebrate the Holy Virgin during their various Christmas Celebrations. It is the one season throughout the Year that seems to avoid the Cross. Epiphany is the teachings of Christ pointing to his power to save. Lent, Easter and Pentecost all seem to keep us focused on the Cross of Christ. But Advent looks to end times and Christmas has an infant which would be seen as an abomination to put this infant on a cross. Christmas time becomes the one time of the year; yo...

The Christ Child is born for one purpose. The plan of Salvation goes through the Christmas Season. Salvation History starts at the Creation. Through the Fall and the calling of Abraham the plan moves forward. The Plan continues with the transformation from a Theocracy to a Monarchy. The Line of David and the King of Judah now provides a lineage for the Chosen one. Christ then is Born after Israel has fallen away from God. Throughout the Old Testament the people are promised a remnant that will remain. Jesus becomes the lat Remnant of Israel. He is the Child that becomes the entire Nation. He is the One Body in which all people are joined together. Therefore, even from his Birth he has one purpose to Save his people. Jesus is named such because he will save the people. This Child is born in the City of David and yet others are forced immediately (within 2 years) to die for him. Some talk about the first blood being at the circumcision but the first Sacrifice was made by thos...

The LORD comes to his people. Jesus comes to dwell with his People. Again the LORD goes back to the God who delivered his people from the Land of Egypt. This LORD is made flesh and goes from Bethlehem to Egypt and returns to dwell with the People of Israel. These Jews, one would hope, are all true beleivers in God. But this is not the only point to make. God comes in the flesh to be around his people. But God dwelling with His people is not just Christ's birth. The LORD travels with Abraham. The LORD looks after his people even in their time of Slavery in Egypt. The LORD tabernacles with his people following the time of Sinai. The LORD's presence in the Ark of the Covenant lead them across the River Jordan. The LORD continues to dwell with is people even after they request a King like the Nations. The LORD is seen by Ezekiel to leave the temple (Chapter 10). This happens before the Temple is destroyed. When the people come back the LORD is still with them but not i...

The name of God is given to Moses from a burning bush. God reveals who he is by means of 10 Plagues and saving his people from slavery in Egypt. God shows he is the Savior of his people. Therefore, when the LORD appears in the Old Testament, you can recall the God who delivered his people from Egypt. This LORD then becomes Incarnate or made flesh in the Christ Child. Here is the fulfillment of God Tabernacling with his people. God delivers people from the Land of Egypt. At Sinai God instructs Moses to build the Tabernacle or Tent of Meeting. This Tent was where Moses would meet with God. This Tabernacle was a tent that could be taken down and set up as the Israelites traveled through the Wilderness. Here was a place were they could have God traveling with them. This same idea was seen by the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark of the Covenant was considered by some the Throne of God. The top of the Ark of the Covenant is called the Mercy seat. This was used during the Journey of I...

Christmas is traditionally the time when people are called upon to celebrate the Incarnation. There have been many heresies with regard to the Second person of the Trinity, many of which concern misconceptions about the Incarnation. Therefore, Modern people seem to avoid detail and proclaiming the good news of the Incarnation. This makes the Incarnation a subject that can not be fully celebrated. Christmas seems to spend more time talking about Mary and Joseph having a baby. They talk about the humanity of Christ and the Natural Birth of Christ Jesus. Christmas has become a day that does not celebrate the Incarnation like it should. Discussions about Light, Wise Men, Angels, Journeys, and Mary are the focus of the season. Some of these may point us to this being the Son of God but when you celebrate other things the Incarnation takes a back seat. The Incarnation shows us that this is the LORD our God. This child is the Word made flesh. The Christ humbles himself to be born und...

Advent is a season of waiting for the coming of the Christ. The First Advent of the Holy One is considered at the Birth of our Lord and through his life on earth. The Second Advent of the Holy One is considered to come on the final day of Judgment. But one should also remember that Christ has never left his holy people. God came to his beloved Job and came to Abraham those who believed in him. God came to his people while they were in the Land of Egypt and sent them a great prophet and leader Moses to mediate for him. God then used his judges to mediate to the people his divine reign over them. When they rejected his reign and rule he allowed them to have a King like other Nations. There God placed his beloved on the Throne, namely King David. God reigned along with the Kings over the people. But finally he would bring the reign of David which would last forever with his own reign in his beloved Son Jesus Christ. Christmas is a Celebration of the coming of the Holy One of God....

The Birth of the King is a great time of Celebration. The King of the Jews is proclaimed as such at her birth and the death of the Kings of the Jews. This is one of the great theological emphasis of the Genealogy at the birth of Christ. Jesus is the Son of David the Son of Abraham. There are recorded 14 generations before the birth of the King. Then 14 generations after the Babylonian exile until the Birth of the King. This reminds us that we are celebrating the birth of the King of the Jews. The magi come to Jerusalem in search of this child. The Child is born in the City of David as the Son of David. This is the Return of the King. There again is the King reigning over the people of Israel. But now comes further questions about the reign of the King. Samuel questions God about allowing the people to have a King over them like the nations. "Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being kin...