Our Christmas traditions commemorate our Savior's birth.

12/24/2023 AM worship svc.

Pastor Anthony Fields

"Holy Spirit In The Christmas Story"

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Time stamps:

1q4:14—Santa Claus/St. Nicholas

22:54–Christmas symbolism of stars, candles, red and green colors, Bells, candy Canes, Wreaths, Mistletoe, rainbow, Christmas tree

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Think on This: "WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?"

▪︎ Stars

The Christmas star symbolizes the star of Bethlehem, which according to the Biblical story, guided the three kings, or wise men, to the baby Jesus.

▪︎ Candles

A candle, a miror of starlight, is also a symbol representing the star of
Bethlehem. Before electric Christmaş tree lights were invented, families
would use candles to light up the tree.

▪︎ Red and Green Colors

The color red is used at Christmas to represent the blood of Jesus when he died on the cross.

The color green signifies everlasting light and life.

▪︎ Bells

Bells are rung durng Christmas to proclaim the arrival of the season and who announced the birth of Jesus.

▪︎ Candy Canes

This treat represents the shape of a shepherd's crook. Jesus, often referred to as the Good Shepherd, was born on Christmas.

▪︎ Wreaths

The wreath is a circular, never-ending
symbol of eternal love and rebirth. Holly also stands for immortality and cedar for strength.

▪︎. Mistletoe

The plant has long been a symbol of love.

▪︎. Christmas Tree?

Christmas tree represents Jesus Christ's birth and resurrection. The evergreen branches and bushes are regarded as a sign of eternal life and the needles are thought to represent Christ's crown of thorns on the crucifixion.

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"The Holy Spirit in Christmas"
FIRST: The Holy Spirit guided the events to orchestrate Christ's birth.

When the wise men from the East first arrived in Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up. Herod did not like the chatter around town about a new King. He hated any threat to his power and plan to kill the Child at first chance.

Herod met with the wise men and said, "Look, when you find out where this new King is, come back and tell me so I can go worship Him also." Of course, he had no intention of worshiping Jesus. He wanted to kill Jesus.

The wise men proceeded on to Bethlehem. They saw the child Jesus and gave him gifts. The scripture then says this in Matthew 2:12, "Then being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way." The next thing that happens in the narrative is God divinely warns Joseph in dreams on 3 separate occasions. First, he's directed to flee with his family into Egypt because Herod seeks to kill Jesus.

Next, God directs Joseph in another dream by the Holy Spirit to return to Israel because those that sought the young child's life are dead. Then, in Matthew 2:22, it says of Joseph, "But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea, instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee."

Yet another dream from the Holy Spirit to orchestrate events and achieve God's rescue plan to save the world—and those are just the ones I've mentioned. The guidance of the Holy Spirit made the Christmas story possible.

SECOND: The Holy Spirit empowered the miraculous events of Christmas.

In Luke 1:31–33, the angel Gabriel delivers God's message to Mary. He says, "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the highest; and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. And he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end."

Then in verse 34 Mary says to the angel, "How can this be since I do not know a man?" Mary was a virgin. She wanted to know how something like that could possibly happen!

Look at the angel's answer in verse 35, "And the angel answered and said to her, the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the highest will overshadow you, therefore, also, that the Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son. Of God."

The Holy Spirit came upon Mary in power. The Word Power is the Greek word dunamus -It literally means miracle working power.

The angel goes on to say in verse 37, "for with God, nothing will be impossible." The Amplified Bible Classic edition says, "no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment."

If God says it, the Holy Spirit can bring it to pass. No matter how impossible it may seem. When God's Word and the presence of the Holy Spirit come together, miraculous things happen."

Видео Our Christmas traditions commemorate our Savior's birth. канала Lighthouse Village Church of God