1 00:00:04,750 --> 00:00:09,529 Greetings. This is Pastor David Bass at New Geneva Orthodox Presbyterian Church with a 2 00:00:09,529 --> 00:00:14,449 moment of truth, where we challenge you to think through an important issue of life and faith. 3 00:00:15,109 --> 00:00:22,969 And today, it's that time of year when I begin to share some more random reflections on Christmas. 4 00:00:22,969 --> 00:00:29,910 I'm going to put politics aside. I'm going to put religion and politics. I dare to mix the two, 5 00:00:29,910 --> 00:00:37,689 but we'll put those two topics aside, religion and politics. And when they meet, 6 00:00:37,810 --> 00:00:45,950 it's always explosive, isn't it? Well, let's take the time of year in hand and let me share with you 7 00:00:45,950 --> 00:00:53,030 some random reflections that I have at this time of year concerning Christmas. And before I do that, 8 00:00:53,030 --> 00:01:01,229 I would like to share with you as well what New Geneva has in store on Christmas Eve. We plan on 9 00:01:01,229 --> 00:01:07,730 having a Christmas Eve service, and it's going to begin at 5 p.m. And we invite you to it. It's 10 00:01:07,730 --> 00:01:17,349 going to be a solemn and joyous time. We're going to have carols and readings and candles. That sounds 11 00:01:17,349 --> 00:01:25,870 pretty good, doesn't it? It sounds good to me. Carols, readings and candles. And we'll give you 12 00:01:25,870 --> 00:01:33,709 moments to reflect and moments to think about this season and the giving of Christ to us 13 00:01:33,709 --> 00:01:43,250 and hopefully send you away on Christmas Eve with a blessing. So plan on joining us at 5 p.m. 14 00:01:43,250 --> 00:01:50,109 that would be December 24, Christmas Eve. It's a Sunday evening, and we look forward to meeting 15 00:01:50,109 --> 00:01:55,549 you. If you've never been to our church, never been to one of our services, then this might be a good 16 00:01:55,549 --> 00:02:01,750 time to meet some of our people, to meet me, and just get a feel for New Geneva Orthodox 17 00:02:01,750 --> 00:02:07,829 Presbyterian Church. Love to have you. Look forward to seeing you. But until then, let me just share with 18 00:02:07,829 --> 00:02:13,669 you some random thoughts, some random reflections on Christmas. This is one of those times of year 19 00:02:13,669 --> 00:02:23,669 when people are open is at no other time as to who Jesus of Nazareth was and what he did. And I hope 20 00:02:23,669 --> 00:02:29,710 this is true of you. Maybe you find yourself more open to hearing about Jesus and his life. And there's 21 00:02:29,710 --> 00:02:38,389 something about Christ's life and death that attracts people like no other. People may have never heard 22 00:02:38,389 --> 00:02:46,729 of sanctification or justification or any of the other words of theology, but they have heard of Jesus 23 00:02:46,729 --> 00:02:56,009 of Nazareth. And his life, his words never fail to attract and to disarm and to win people. So some 24 00:02:56,009 --> 00:03:03,189 random reflections about Jesus Christ at this time of year, this Christmas season, the Apostle Paul puts it 25 00:03:03,189 --> 00:03:09,169 this way. He says, but when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his son, born of woman, born under 26 00:03:09,169 --> 00:03:16,750 the law to redeem those who were under the law so that we might receive adoption as sons. Now at Christmas, God 27 00:03:16,750 --> 00:03:23,949 sent forth his son, Jesus. This vulnerable, needy baby was born of a simple Jewish maiden, Mary, born of 28 00:03:23,949 --> 00:03:29,569 woman. And this son of grace was also born under the law. That is, he was born under the old covenant 29 00:03:29,569 --> 00:03:36,789 of works that we could never perfectly obey. And he was born this way in order that he might redeem 30 00:03:36,789 --> 00:03:43,050 those who were under the law. That is, bring back to God, we who found ourselves contained and condemned 31 00:03:43,050 --> 00:03:48,990 under that law. Christ in his life and death on this earth, perfectly obeyed the law in every circumstance 32 00:03:48,990 --> 00:03:54,629 in which he found himself. And he thereby obeyed for us because he was our federal head. That is, 33 00:03:54,949 --> 00:04:00,710 he was the one who acted in our place, even as Adam did in the garden, the first Adam, the second 34 00:04:00,710 --> 00:04:08,669 Adam, Christ obeyed in our stead. All those who belong to him, excuse me, find themselves in perfect 35 00:04:08,669 --> 00:04:15,189 obedience because of his obedience. This is what Paul meant when he said to redeem those who were under 36 00:04:15,189 --> 00:04:19,930 the law. And this is one of those deep theological issues with which we deal when we think about 37 00:04:19,930 --> 00:04:25,029 Christmas. In addition to the simpler things like shepherds and wise men and angels, there are many 38 00:04:25,029 --> 00:04:30,829 simple as well as complex components of Christmas, many of which we may lack information. For example, 39 00:04:31,209 --> 00:04:37,670 where do we derive the title Christmas? That word Christmas is actually a contraction of two words, 40 00:04:37,990 --> 00:04:44,709 Christ's mass. The church has long celebrated the lives of the saints in 365 feasts, 41 00:04:44,709 --> 00:04:50,750 one for every day of the year. For example, St. Francis of Assisi is assigned October 4th, 42 00:04:50,750 --> 00:04:56,610 upon which a meal, a prayer, and a mass are said for whatever saint it might be. Likewise, 43 00:04:56,810 --> 00:05:02,149 the feast day for Mary, the mother of God, is celebrated on January 1st of every year in which 44 00:05:02,149 --> 00:05:08,829 a mass is said in the Roman Catholic Church, that is in her name. One might then ask, when is a mass 45 00:05:08,829 --> 00:05:16,250 said for the Savior, Jesus Christ? Ho, ho, the answer is quite simple. Upon Christmas Day, December 25th, 46 00:05:16,250 --> 00:05:22,889 this is his feast day when a mass is said for Christ, that is Christ's mass contracted to Christmas. 47 00:05:23,810 --> 00:05:30,449 Do you see how nothing comes to us in a vacuum? Christ's mass, December 25th, is a feast day upon 48 00:05:30,449 --> 00:05:35,750 which presents are exchanged, feasts are eaten, religious services are observed. So elevated has 49 00:05:35,750 --> 00:05:40,569 this feast day become that it is observed not only by the Roman Catholic Church, but by all Christians 50 00:05:40,569 --> 00:05:48,529 everywhere. Why do you think that December 25th was chosen for Christ's mass, huh? There are two 51 00:05:48,529 --> 00:05:53,050 competing theories, only one of which holds up to historical scrutiny. Let me share them with you. 52 00:05:53,509 --> 00:06:01,889 The number one explanation for December 25th, being Christmas Day, is that December 25th was chosen 53 00:06:01,889 --> 00:06:07,670 in order to correspond to the pagan celebration of Saturnalia, the pagan feast for the god Saturn. 54 00:06:08,629 --> 00:06:14,709 In the Roman panoply of gods, the majestic regal personage of Saturn occupied this place in the 55 00:06:14,709 --> 00:06:20,410 calendar of gods to be recognized and celebrated. It was one of winter's great breaks when firewood 56 00:06:20,410 --> 00:06:25,689 could be burned, animals slaughtered and consumed for protein, and daily labor ceased for at least 12 57 00:06:25,689 --> 00:06:32,670 hours or so on a holiday. In fact, we have a letter from Pope Gregory the Great to a missionary to Britain 58 00:06:32,670 --> 00:06:39,889 that pagan temples and festivals be converted into Christian churches and festivals in order to 59 00:06:39,889 --> 00:06:46,970 facilitate the transition of pagans to Christians. So December 25th, the day of Christ's mass, was one 60 00:06:46,970 --> 00:06:53,569 of those days. The second competing theory, the one I prefer, is that December 25th was chosen because it 61 00:06:53,569 --> 00:07:00,389 was figured to be precisely nine months after the church calculated Jesus' birth from his conception. 62 00:07:00,850 --> 00:07:07,189 Yes, church fathers like Tertullian reasoned that the Bible indicates that Jesus was conceived on the 63 00:07:07,189 --> 00:07:15,350 same day in which he was later to die, that is, the day he was crucified, March 25th or 14 Nisan in the 64 00:07:15,350 --> 00:07:21,589 Jewish calendar. And this places his birth then, if his conception was on March 25th, it places his birth 65 00:07:21,589 --> 00:07:26,750 on December 25th. The great theologian St. Augustine notes, and I quote him, 66 00:07:27,069 --> 00:07:33,610 for he, Jesus, is believed to have been conceived on the 25th of March, upon which day also he suffered. 67 00:07:34,209 --> 00:07:39,310 So the womb of the virgin in which he was conceived, where no one of mortals was begotten, 68 00:07:39,750 --> 00:07:46,110 corresponds to the new grave in which he was buried, wherein never was man laid, neither before him, 69 00:07:46,110 --> 00:07:52,689 nor since, but he was born, according to his tradition, upon December the 25th, unquote. 70 00:07:53,730 --> 00:08:04,410 So that is my preferred explanation then for why December 25th is the day of Christ's mass and his birth. 71 00:08:05,250 --> 00:08:10,470 Well, here's another random fact which appeals to me, which attracted me, 72 00:08:10,470 --> 00:08:17,629 which you might not be aware concerning Christmas. Did you know that rank pagan unbelievers were far 73 00:08:17,629 --> 00:08:23,670 more conscious of Jesus' birth than his own people? That's the thrust of the account of the visit of 74 00:08:23,670 --> 00:08:31,529 the Magi, the wise men from the East. In 586 BC, the Chaldeans, the pagan magicians of Babylon, 75 00:08:31,850 --> 00:08:38,269 who were in service to King Nebuchadnezzar, overran and conquered Judah, just as the prophets had 76 00:08:38,269 --> 00:08:41,490 predicted. 2 Kings 23, 27 says, 77 00:08:41,590 --> 00:08:46,350 And the Lord said, I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, 78 00:08:46,649 --> 00:08:51,909 and I will cast off this city that I have chosen, Jerusalem, and the house of which I said my name 79 00:08:51,909 --> 00:08:57,070 shall be there. And the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of 80 00:08:57,070 --> 00:09:03,909 Jericho, and all his army was scattered from him, unquote. So kings and chronicles record 81 00:09:03,909 --> 00:09:09,330 that they carried away everything of value that they found in Jerusalem, including the sacred 82 00:09:09,330 --> 00:09:14,990 scriptures that they found, that is, the Bible of the Jews. And the thing about these Chaldean 83 00:09:14,990 --> 00:09:21,610 pagan scholars, they read the material that they captured and stole. They did. They studied these 84 00:09:21,610 --> 00:09:28,409 things. And this happens with every great empire. Those bookish souls who love to pour over pages and 85 00:09:28,409 --> 00:09:33,809 documents and scrolls. They exist everywhere, including me. I'm one of those guys. But these 86 00:09:33,809 --> 00:09:39,210 scholars assiduously studied and understood what they read, too. And thus they studied the prophecies 87 00:09:39,210 --> 00:09:46,269 concerning a savior. For example, in Numbers 24, we read, I see him, but not now. I behold him, 88 00:09:46,629 --> 00:09:53,470 but not near. A star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel, unquote. A star 89 00:09:53,470 --> 00:10:00,529 shall come out of Jacob. When the Magi in Babylon saw a phenomenon in the sky, that is a star that 90 00:10:00,529 --> 00:10:05,889 normally did not shine in the western sky, they reasoned that this prophecy of the Jews was about 91 00:10:05,889 --> 00:10:12,690 to be fulfilled. A star was about to come out of Jacob. A king, that is a scepter, was about to rise 92 00:10:12,690 --> 00:10:18,250 out of Israel. And what should they do? Well, they packed up and they beat feet to Israel, didn't they? 93 00:10:18,250 --> 00:10:24,269 They were the first to greet and pay homage to this king who would rule the whole world. Royalty 94 00:10:24,269 --> 00:10:30,389 they were, the first royalty. This is the background when you read in Matthew, now after Jesus was born 95 00:10:30,389 --> 00:10:36,210 in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem 96 00:10:36,210 --> 00:10:43,309 saying, where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come 97 00:10:43,309 --> 00:10:50,090 to worship him, unquote. They were more informed than the sleepy-headed scribes and Pharisees of 98 00:10:50,090 --> 00:10:58,269 Israel who ostensibly studied the text, ostensibly knew it inside and out. This is one of the points 99 00:10:58,269 --> 00:11:03,610 that Matthew intends to make, that is even Gentiles were more receptive to the Messiah than his own 100 00:11:03,610 --> 00:11:14,389 people. Well, another favorite random reflection of mine on Christmas is the 12 days of Christmas, 101 00:11:14,389 --> 00:11:20,490 dear listener. What a rich heritage we have in this blessed tradition of the 12 days of Christmas. 102 00:11:21,110 --> 00:11:27,230 What comes to mind for you when you hear the 12 days of Christmas? The song, probably, as it does for 103 00:11:27,230 --> 00:11:31,429 most people, the song that begins on the first day of Christmas. My true love gave to me, right? 104 00:11:31,429 --> 00:11:38,269 This is all we in the West usually get concerning the 12 days of Christmas. We experience Advent, 105 00:11:38,809 --> 00:11:45,710 where we anticipate Christ's birth 28 days prior to Christ's Mass, but then it abruptly ends. We 106 00:11:45,710 --> 00:11:51,669 celebrate a secular New Year's Day a week later, and then it's back to the daily grind. Well, not so in 107 00:11:51,669 --> 00:11:59,750 the Eastern Orthodox churches. Unlike we in the West, the East makes a sacred celebration of Christ 108 00:11:59,750 --> 00:12:07,529 from his birth on December 25 to Epiphany, 12 days later on January 6th, ostensibly the day when the 109 00:12:07,529 --> 00:12:14,230 Magi appeared to worship this newborn king. Well, that's when Christmas ends in the East, 12 days 110 00:12:14,230 --> 00:12:20,929 later. In between, there are 12 feast days when a whole spectrum of spiritual moments, that's 111 00:12:20,929 --> 00:12:27,769 important. These are not just rote repetitious days in a church calendar. No, they are spiritual 112 00:12:27,769 --> 00:12:34,090 moments, and they are celebrated in the Eastern Orthodox Church. How much is revealed about Christ 113 00:12:34,090 --> 00:12:40,850 in these 12 feast days? For example, December 26th, the day after Christmas, is the Feast of 114 00:12:40,850 --> 00:12:46,549 St. Stephen, which is a traditional day for giving from the abundance of Christmas to the poor, 115 00:12:46,549 --> 00:12:53,549 right? If you know the hymn, Good King Wenceslas, you know the entire point of the hymn is that the king 116 00:12:53,549 --> 00:13:00,809 on the feast day of Stephen spies, a poor man come in sight gathering winter fuel, and he orders his 117 00:13:00,809 --> 00:13:07,649 page, bring me flesh and bring me wine, bring me pine logs hither, thou and I will see him dine when 118 00:13:07,649 --> 00:13:14,350 we bear him hither. It was a feast day for St. Stephen the 26th, the first deacon of the church in 119 00:13:14,350 --> 00:13:20,850 Acts, Stephen was, and deacons traditionally make provision for the poor out of the treasury of the 120 00:13:20,850 --> 00:13:27,909 church. And so this day is set aside to lavish a king's abundance on those less fortunate. Oh, do 121 00:13:27,909 --> 00:13:32,909 this, dear Christian. Go to the soup kitchen, maybe bring steaks. Go to the city of refuge, replenish 122 00:13:32,909 --> 00:13:38,690 their store of turkeys and beef. See that those less fortunate than you enjoy a king's banquet. That's 123 00:13:38,690 --> 00:13:44,909 the point of St. Stephen's Day, even as good King Wenceslas provided for that poor man and his family. 124 00:13:44,909 --> 00:13:51,370 Well, December 27th then is a feast day too, a feast day for St. John, the only one of the 12 125 00:13:51,370 --> 00:13:57,529 disciples who did not die as a martyr. A mass is set for him, the disciple who wrote of the incarnation 126 00:13:57,529 --> 00:14:05,110 of Jesus, the word became flesh and dwelt among us. December 28th is the feast day of the holy 127 00:14:05,110 --> 00:14:10,909 innocence when a mass is set for the children murdered by Herod, that monster who tried to 128 00:14:10,909 --> 00:14:18,370 sweep up the newborn baby Jesus and the dragnet of Holocaust. Yes. Now, these infants were not 129 00:14:18,370 --> 00:14:25,490 martyrs like Stephen who died consciously and heroically in a vision of the glorified Christ. 130 00:14:25,750 --> 00:14:32,590 No, these innocents were not heroes like the apostles who died consciously witnessing to the 131 00:14:32,590 --> 00:14:39,450 risen Christ. No, rather the church asserts that they died for Christ nevertheless, because they died 132 00:14:39,450 --> 00:14:46,970 unjustly before they had a chance to know or to will. So in celebrating the holy innocence, we also 133 00:14:46,970 --> 00:14:53,950 remember the victims of abortion, for example, children of abortion or children who have died in 134 00:14:53,950 --> 00:15:02,909 war or children who die of parental abuse, all these innocents, if you will. So each feast day in the 12 135 00:15:02,909 --> 00:15:09,210 days of Christmas has its own aspect of Christmas that highlights a singular feature for Christians 136 00:15:09,210 --> 00:15:14,809 to remember. This is why it's so valuable. Not just gifts given by my true love, like a maids of milk and 137 00:15:14,809 --> 00:15:21,470 golden rings or partridges in a pear tree. No, even Epiphany celebrates not only the day on which the wise men 138 00:15:21,470 --> 00:15:28,889 arrived to worship the newborn king, but also the day on which the gospel is begun to be proclaimed. Christ 139 00:15:28,889 --> 00:15:36,629 manifestation to the nations symbolized in these pagan Gentile kings who now have their savior revealed to them. 140 00:15:36,629 --> 00:15:45,049 Oh, yes. So the 12 days of Christmas is so much more than a Christmas carol about exotic gifts given 141 00:15:45,049 --> 00:15:52,070 me by my true love. It is more about the good gifts of God to his people through his son, Jesus the 142 00:15:52,070 --> 00:15:59,389 Christ. One of my favorite random thoughts about Christmas. Another random reflection on Christmas that 143 00:15:59,389 --> 00:16:07,230 I like and surprises many people too, is that the genealogy in Matthew is an integral part of the 144 00:16:07,230 --> 00:16:13,809 Christmas story. Yes, it's a part of the Advent story. What? You may say, come on, no boring list of 145 00:16:13,809 --> 00:16:19,610 names, pastor, can be part of the wondrous story of Christ's nativity. Well, name me one Christmas carol 146 00:16:19,610 --> 00:16:26,570 about it, right? There's no Christmas carols about the genealogy that I know of, but nevertheless, 147 00:16:26,570 --> 00:16:32,230 it's an integral part of the Christmas story. I've seen plenty of dramatizations about the holy family 148 00:16:32,230 --> 00:16:37,090 who found no room at the inn, retired to the manger, shepherds who tended their flocks by night, 149 00:16:37,210 --> 00:16:42,250 visited by singing angels, and even Herod killing the infants at Bethlehem. But I've never seen 150 00:16:42,250 --> 00:16:49,470 Cecil B. DeMille or Steven Spielberg dramatize Jesus. Genealogy, have you? It's an oxymoron. Genealogy 151 00:16:49,470 --> 00:16:55,690 cannot by definition be dramatic, can it? But any self-respecting Jew of the first century, 152 00:16:56,210 --> 00:17:03,269 he'd shake his head in disbelief at this kind of attitude, and he'd ask you why you could, on the 153 00:17:03,269 --> 00:17:07,750 one hand, say you relied on the Bible for truth, while on the other hand, dismissing genealogies. 154 00:17:08,049 --> 00:17:14,130 They were utterly necessary to the life of a young baby, and they were necessary for several reasons. 155 00:17:14,130 --> 00:17:21,230 Number one, a child's genealogy established his chosen status. Are you a Jew or a Gentile? Even 156 00:17:21,230 --> 00:17:28,109 today, a Jew is not a Jew unless he can establish his lineage via his parents. And secondly, the 157 00:17:28,109 --> 00:17:34,289 genealogy was valuable because the promised Messiah would descend from Abraham and David. 158 00:17:34,809 --> 00:17:40,069 Oh yes, the promised Messiah would descend from Abraham and David, and he'd have to prove it. 159 00:17:40,069 --> 00:17:46,910 The covenants which God cut with Abraham and David both promised that the Savior of mankind would 160 00:17:46,910 --> 00:17:52,710 descend from their line. To Abraham, he said, in you, all the families of the earth will be blessed. 161 00:17:53,049 --> 00:17:57,490 And to David, he promised, when your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, 162 00:17:57,789 --> 00:18:03,190 I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his 163 00:18:03,190 --> 00:18:08,670 kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever, 164 00:18:09,130 --> 00:18:15,769 unquote. Therefore, when the Messiah appeared, he would have to establish his lineage right out of 165 00:18:15,769 --> 00:18:20,609 the gate. No Jew worth his salt would expect anything less, especially those responsible 166 00:18:20,609 --> 00:18:26,710 for authenticating these things. So, dear listener, it is difficult for us Gentiles on this side of 167 00:18:26,710 --> 00:18:32,809 Christmas to comprehend the primacy of Christ's genealogy to first century Jews, but it was there. 168 00:18:33,829 --> 00:18:39,450 Consequently, can you understand the importance of Jesus' birth narrative, his birth narrative, 169 00:18:39,710 --> 00:18:44,910 Advent, beginning with these words, the book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, 170 00:18:45,210 --> 00:18:53,009 the son of Abraham, unquote. Matthew 1.1. Few people realize that the nativity actually begins 171 00:18:53,009 --> 00:18:59,369 with a genealogy. Turn to Matthew 1. You will find that the birth narrative of Jesus begins not with 172 00:18:59,369 --> 00:19:04,470 angels or shepherds or Joseph and Mary, but with a dry, boring, and trivial to us anyway, perhaps, 173 00:19:04,829 --> 00:19:12,230 genealogy. But it would not have been thus for its first audience that it's Jews who expected the 174 00:19:12,230 --> 00:19:18,970 Messiah's credentials to be authenticated before anything else was said about him. The genealogy in 175 00:19:18,970 --> 00:19:25,490 Matthew does precisely this. It is entirely fitting to begin the birth narratives with a genealogy. 176 00:19:26,190 --> 00:19:32,869 And thirdly, Christ's genealogy gathers up all of fallen humanity, too, as you read through it. 177 00:19:33,430 --> 00:19:39,750 Christ's genealogy gathers up all of fallen humanity. There are actually some very poignant 178 00:19:39,750 --> 00:19:45,750 moments of drama in the genealogy, if you know your Old Testament. How many of you know that Jesus is a 179 00:19:45,750 --> 00:19:51,869 descendant of incest and prostitution by way of Judah and Tamar? Go over the story in Genesis. 180 00:19:52,089 --> 00:19:58,490 Jesus stands in the line of Perez, son of Tamar, who connived and controlled her father-in-law, Judah, 181 00:19:58,970 --> 00:20:08,130 to bear her a son by posing as a prostitute. Jesus is also descended to Rahab, the harlot of Jericho, 182 00:20:08,130 --> 00:20:14,549 and what is more, Solomon, the son of David's adulterous relationship with Bathsheba. If you 183 00:20:14,549 --> 00:20:21,869 read the genealogy of our Savior carefully, you notice that there is a lot of saving to do by the 184 00:20:21,869 --> 00:20:27,650 Savior. So the next time you pick up Matthew and you begin to read, do not skip over the genealogy 185 00:20:27,650 --> 00:20:33,849 with which he begins his narrative. It's an integral part of the story of salvation by grace. 186 00:20:33,849 --> 00:20:40,950 And finally, I think we'd be remiss to neglect the history of Santa Claus, who is really a pale 187 00:20:40,950 --> 00:20:48,109 image of the real Saint Claus or Saint Nicholas is who we're talking about when we talk about 188 00:20:48,109 --> 00:20:55,250 Santa Claus. We're talking about Saint Nicholas. What a contrast between the legend in the West 189 00:20:55,250 --> 00:21:03,109 and the reality of Saint Nicholas. The true story of Saint Nicholas begins with Nicholas, who was born 190 00:21:03,109 --> 00:21:10,490 during the third century in the village of Patala. At the time, the area was Greek and is now on the 191 00:21:10,490 --> 00:21:15,549 southern coast of Turkey. His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an 192 00:21:15,549 --> 00:21:21,789 epidemic while Nicholas was still young. And obeying Jesus' words to sell what you own and give the money 193 00:21:21,789 --> 00:21:28,710 to the poor, Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, the suffering. He dedicated 194 00:21:28,710 --> 00:21:35,750 his life to serving God and was eventually made bishop of Myra while still a very young man. Bishop 195 00:21:35,750 --> 00:21:41,029 Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to those in need, his love for children 196 00:21:41,029 --> 00:21:48,430 and his concern for sailors and ships. Under the Roman emperor Diocletian, who ruthlessly persecuted 197 00:21:48,430 --> 00:21:54,109 Christians, Bishop Nicholas suffered for his faith. He was exiled and he was imprisoned. And after his 198 00:21:54,109 --> 00:22:02,930 release, Nicholas attended the Council of Nicaea in AD 325. Yes, Santa Claus was at the very first church 199 00:22:02,930 --> 00:22:11,369 council, the Council of Nicaea in AD 325. He died on December 6, AD 343 in Myra, and he was buried in 200 00:22:11,369 --> 00:22:18,329 his cathedral church. Well, one story of Saint Nicholas tells of a poor man with three daughters. Now, in those 201 00:22:18,329 --> 00:22:23,549 days, a young woman's father had to offer prospective husbands something of value, that is a dowry. 202 00:22:23,549 --> 00:22:29,150 The larger the dowry, the better the chance that a young woman would find a good husband. Without a 203 00:22:29,150 --> 00:22:36,430 dowry, a woman was unlikely to marry. This poor man's daughters without dowries were therefore destined to 204 00:22:36,430 --> 00:22:43,170 be sold into slavery. But mysteriously, on three different occasions, a bag of gold appeared in 205 00:22:43,170 --> 00:22:49,430 their home, providing the needed dowries. The bags of gold tossed through an open window are said to have 206 00:22:49,430 --> 00:22:57,710 landed in stockings or in shoes left before the fire to dry. That's where the tradition leads to the 207 00:22:57,710 --> 00:23:03,069 custom of children hanging stockings, right? Or putting out shoes, eagerly awaiting gifts from Saint 208 00:23:03,069 --> 00:23:10,470 Nicholas. Sometimes the story is told with gold balls instead of gold, excuse me, instead of bags of gold. 209 00:23:10,470 --> 00:23:18,930 That is why three gold balls, sometimes represented as oranges, are one of the symbols for Saint 210 00:23:18,930 --> 00:23:25,170 Nicholas. This is where the oranges come in. And so Saint Nicholas is a gift giver. So, dear listener, 211 00:23:25,410 --> 00:23:30,809 banish the notion of cartoon character Santa Claus that's come to take the place of the real Saint 212 00:23:30,809 --> 00:23:36,549 Nicholas. He'd weep if today, if he saw what's been made of him. Saint Nicholas, not a clown character 213 00:23:36,549 --> 00:23:41,410 dressed in a red suit and a fluffy white beard, black boots. No, Bishop Nicholas, indeed, loved 214 00:23:41,410 --> 00:23:47,049 children, deeply cared for them. In an age when infant mortality hovered around 20 percent, disease, 215 00:23:47,450 --> 00:23:54,690 poverty characterized childhood all over Europe and Asia. So, Saint Nicholas did anonymously leave food 216 00:23:54,690 --> 00:24:00,029 and clothing and gifts for children and their families. He did it all year. He didn't slide down 217 00:24:00,029 --> 00:24:04,730 chimneys, leave a room full of toys for kids. The good bishop ministered to children in a disciplined 218 00:24:04,730 --> 00:24:10,710 fashion all year round. He did not work year round at the North Pole with an army of elves in order to 219 00:24:10,710 --> 00:24:15,769 disgorge an avalanche of toys in one night on Christmas Eve and an orgy of consumerism. No, 220 00:24:16,329 --> 00:24:22,769 Saint Nicholas followed the example of Jesus Christ, and he did all in Christ's name. He was not the 221 00:24:22,769 --> 00:24:29,390 secular, godless, cardboard cutout that our society makes him out to be. So, remember this, inculcate this, 222 00:24:29,390 --> 00:24:36,210 teach this example to your children. Follow the lead of the good Bishop Nicholas, not Santy Claus. 223 00:24:37,789 --> 00:24:44,269 Finally, my last random reflection on Christmas. Why is the season anticipating Christmas called 224 00:24:44,269 --> 00:24:50,410 Advent? Well, Advent means coming or arrival. It looks forward to the first arrival of Jesus Christ 225 00:24:50,410 --> 00:24:55,869 into the world that he made. But savvy Christians also know that Christmas anticipated his second 226 00:24:55,869 --> 00:25:01,829 Advent, when he returns to redeem his own, to renew a fallen creation, and to judge the wicked. 227 00:25:02,829 --> 00:25:10,029 So, know this, at every Christmas, Christ's first Advent is only half the story. Use this Christmas 228 00:25:10,029 --> 00:25:16,789 season also to anticipate his second Advent. Put your faith in him now for the work of salvation that 229 00:25:16,789 --> 00:25:23,289 he accomplished at his first Advent and the completion of that work at his second Advent when he comes to 230 00:25:23,289 --> 00:25:31,250 claim us. Well, this has been Pastor David Bass at New Geneva Orthodox Presbyterian Church. And we at 231 00:25:31,250 --> 00:25:39,569 New Geneva would like to invite you to our Christmas Eve service, which is coming on Sunday, December 24th, 232 00:25:39,569 --> 00:25:46,710 and it's going to be at 5 p.m., our Christmas Eve service, 5 p.m. in our sanctuary. And we invite you 233 00:25:46,710 --> 00:25:53,049 to join us. Perhaps you've been listening to us for a while, and you have been thinking about visiting us. 234 00:25:53,049 --> 00:25:58,950 This would be a good time to do that for our Christmas Eve service, where we'll have carols and readings 235 00:25:58,950 --> 00:26:05,089 and candles. It's going to be a solemn, joyous time. I look forward to it. I look forward to sharing 236 00:26:05,089 --> 00:26:11,289 it with our congregation and with you as you come to visit us. So, come and join us for our Christmas 237 00:26:11,289 --> 00:26:21,809 Eve service, 5 o'clock, Christmas Eve, December 24th. That's a Sunday. And also, join us in our worship 238 00:26:21,809 --> 00:26:28,470 services, too. We invite you to our worship services, and they occur on Sunday at 10 a.m. We are located at 239 00:26:28,470 --> 00:26:36,390 101 4th Street on the corner of 4th and Boulevard. Join us, 101 4th Street, right on the corner of 4th and 240 00:26:36,390 --> 00:26:48,329 Boulevard. And you can call us for more information at 523-0196. That's area code 208-523-0196. God bless 241 00:26:48,329 --> 00:26:49,549 you, and Merry Christmas.