1 00:00:04,690 --> 00:00:09,890 Greetings. This is Pastor David Bass at New Geneva Orthodox Presbyterian Church with a 2 00:00:09,890 --> 00:00:14,509 moment of truth where we challenge you to think through an important issue of life and faith. 3 00:00:14,509 --> 00:00:20,609 And today I would like to wish you a Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas to everybody out 4 00:00:20,609 --> 00:00:26,489 there who listens to this program. And I just appreciate you so much and appreciate your 5 00:00:26,489 --> 00:00:31,510 loyalty, your faithfulness. Just get so much good feedback from the community 6 00:00:31,510 --> 00:00:37,429 to this radio broadcast. And so it's very gratifying to me as a pastor. And I just want 7 00:00:37,429 --> 00:00:44,630 to wish you all a Merry Christmas. And for those of you who issue saying Merry Christmas, 8 00:00:44,630 --> 00:00:52,450 I would like to wish you a Happy Holidays because Happy Holiday, the word holiday, you may think is 9 00:00:52,450 --> 00:01:00,450 neutral. The word holiday, those who are opposed to Christmas use instead of Christ's Mass, Christmas, 10 00:01:00,450 --> 00:01:08,109 but actually that word holiday is a contraction for holy days. So we've got you either way. 11 00:01:08,230 --> 00:01:14,189 We've either got you with a Merry Christmas or a Happy Holy Days because the days around this time 12 00:01:14,189 --> 00:01:22,030 of year are indeed holy because they encompass other 12 days of Christmas, for example. But today I'd like 13 00:01:22,030 --> 00:01:27,849 to share with you some random thoughts on Christmas, some random reflections on Christmas. This is one of 14 00:01:27,849 --> 00:01:33,670 those times of year when people are open as at no other time to an explanation as to who and what 15 00:01:33,670 --> 00:01:40,230 Jesus was and what he did. Is this true with you? Do you find yourself more open to hearing about Jesus 16 00:01:40,230 --> 00:01:45,790 and his life? I hope so. There's something about this man's life and death that attracts people like 17 00:01:45,790 --> 00:01:51,370 no other. And the Apostle Paul put it very succinctly when he said, but when the fullness of time had come, 18 00:01:51,370 --> 00:02:00,250 God sent forth his son, born of woman, born under the law to redeem those who were under the law so that 19 00:02:00,250 --> 00:02:09,810 we might receive adoption as sons. And that's from Galatians chapter four. Now at Christmas, God sent 20 00:02:09,810 --> 00:02:18,449 forth his son, Jesus. This vulnerable, needy babe was born of a simple Jewish maiden, Mary, born of woman. 21 00:02:18,449 --> 00:02:25,330 This son of grace was also born under the law, that he was born under the old covenant of works 22 00:02:25,330 --> 00:02:32,229 that we could never perfectly complete. And he was born under this old covenant of works in order 23 00:02:32,229 --> 00:02:37,889 that he might redeem those who were under the law, that is, bring back to God we who found ourselves 24 00:02:37,889 --> 00:02:47,689 contained and condemned under that law. Christ, in his life and death on this earth, perfectly obeyed the 25 00:02:47,689 --> 00:02:52,870 law in every circumstance in which he found himself. And he thereby obeyed for us because he was our 26 00:02:52,870 --> 00:02:58,330 federal head, that is, the one who acted in our place. This is what Paul meant when he said to redeem 27 00:02:58,330 --> 00:03:04,250 those who were under the law. This is one of those deep theological issues with which we deal when we 28 00:03:04,250 --> 00:03:09,189 think about Christmas, in addition to the simpler things like shepherds and wise men and angels. 29 00:03:09,949 --> 00:03:14,750 And there are many simple as well as complex components of Christmas, many of which we may 30 00:03:14,750 --> 00:03:23,370 lack information. For example, where do we derive the name for this day? Christmas. The word Christmas 31 00:03:23,370 --> 00:03:31,490 is actually a contraction of two words, Christ's Mass. The church has long celebrated the lives of the 32 00:03:31,490 --> 00:03:38,169 saints in 365 feasts, one for every day of the year. For example, St. Francis of Assisi assigned 33 00:03:38,169 --> 00:03:44,449 October 4, upon which a meal and prayer and mass are said for said saint. Likewise, the feast day for 34 00:03:44,449 --> 00:03:51,490 Mary, Mother of God, is celebrated on January 1 of every year, in which a mass is said in the Roman 35 00:03:51,490 --> 00:03:58,569 Catholic Church in her name. One might then ask, when is a mass said for the Savior, Jesus Christ? 36 00:03:58,969 --> 00:04:07,129 Oh, the answer is quite simple. Upon Christmas Day, December 25, this is his feast day when a mass is 37 00:04:07,129 --> 00:04:13,610 said for him that is Christ's Mass, contracted to Christmas. Do you see how we get this word Christmas? 38 00:04:13,610 --> 00:04:20,750 Nothing comes to us in a vacuum, does it? Christ's Mass, December 25, is a feast day upon which 39 00:04:20,750 --> 00:04:26,670 presents are exchanged, feasts are eaten, and religious services are observed. And so elevated 40 00:04:26,670 --> 00:04:32,069 has this feast day become that it is observed not only by the Roman Catholic Church, but by all 41 00:04:32,069 --> 00:04:39,470 Christians everywhere. And you also see why we get our word holiday as a contraction as well. 42 00:04:39,470 --> 00:04:46,410 Christmas is a contraction. Holiday is a contraction as well, as I mentioned before, for holy days. So you 43 00:04:46,410 --> 00:04:54,389 can tell your secular friends who hate Christmas that they are really saying and saluting Christmas by 44 00:04:54,389 --> 00:04:59,610 calling it holiday, because it is a contraction for holy days. So we got them either way, 45 00:05:00,089 --> 00:05:10,730 brothers and sisters. Well, also, what do you think that December 25 was chosen for Christ's Mass? 46 00:05:10,730 --> 00:05:16,670 Why do you think that that's the case? There are two competing theories, too. My random thoughts on 47 00:05:16,670 --> 00:05:22,810 Christmas here, these are one of those random thoughts. Why was December 25 chosen as the 48 00:05:22,810 --> 00:05:27,750 particular date for Christ's Mass? And there's only one which really holds up to historical scrutiny, 49 00:05:27,750 --> 00:05:34,529 but let's examine both of them. Number one, December 25 was chosen in order to correspond to the pagan 50 00:05:34,529 --> 00:05:41,649 celebration of Saturnalia, which is the pagan feast for the god Saturn. Now in the Roman panoply of gods, 51 00:05:41,689 --> 00:05:47,870 the majestic regal personage of Saturn occupied this place in the calendar of gods to be recognized and 52 00:05:47,870 --> 00:05:54,490 celebrated. It was one of winter's great breaks when amongst pagans, firewood could be burned, animals 53 00:05:54,490 --> 00:06:01,050 slaughtered and consumed for protein, and daily labor ceased for at least 12 hours or so in a holiday, 54 00:06:01,050 --> 00:06:07,129 a holy day. In fact, we have a letter from Pope Gregory the Great to a missionary to Britain that 55 00:06:07,129 --> 00:06:13,449 pagan temples and festivals were to be converted into Christian churches and festivals in order to 56 00:06:13,449 --> 00:06:20,670 facilitate the transition of pagans to Christians. So December 25, the day of Christ's Mass, was one of 57 00:06:20,670 --> 00:06:28,389 those days. But the second competing theory, and the one which I prefer, is that December 25 was chosen 58 00:06:28,389 --> 00:06:35,930 because it was figured to be precisely nine months after the church calculated Jesus' birth from his 59 00:06:35,930 --> 00:06:45,329 conception. Yes, this is the better option. Figuring from Christ's conception, we arrive at December 25. 60 00:06:46,470 --> 00:06:52,910 Church fathers like Tertullian reasoned that the Bible indicates that Jesus was conceived on the same 61 00:06:52,910 --> 00:07:00,709 day on which he was later to die. That is, the day he was crucified on March 25 or 14 Nisan in the Jewish 62 00:07:00,709 --> 00:07:08,009 calendar. And this places his birth nine months later on December 25. And the great theologian St. 63 00:07:08,069 --> 00:07:14,509 Augustine notes, and I quote him, for he, that is Jesus, is believed to have been conceived on the 25th of 64 00:07:14,509 --> 00:07:21,629 March, upon which day also he suffered. So the womb of the virgin in which he was conceived, where no one of 65 00:07:21,629 --> 00:07:27,990 mortals was begotten corresponds to the new grave in which he was buried, wherein he was never man 66 00:07:27,990 --> 00:07:35,149 laid, neither before him nor since. But he was born, according to tradition, upon December the 25th, 67 00:07:35,149 --> 00:07:43,189 unquote, from St. Augustine. Well, if that's not interesting for you, and it sure is for me, 68 00:07:43,529 --> 00:07:49,649 here's another random fact of which you might not be aware concerning Christmas. Maybe you are. 69 00:07:49,649 --> 00:07:57,810 Did you know that rank pagan unbelievers were far more conscious of Jesus' birth than his own people? 70 00:07:58,089 --> 00:08:05,889 Now, the Bible tells us this. Pagan unbelievers were far more conscious of Jesus' birth than his 71 00:08:05,889 --> 00:08:12,350 own people. That's the thrust of the account of the visit of the Magi or the wise men from the East. 72 00:08:12,350 --> 00:08:20,790 In 586 BC, the Chaldeans, the pagan magicians of Babylon, who were in service to King Nebuchadnezzar 73 00:08:20,790 --> 00:08:28,430 of Babylon, the pagan magicians, the Chaldeans, overran and conquered Judah, just as her prophets 74 00:08:28,430 --> 00:08:35,809 had predicted when they said, and the Lord said, from 2 Kings 23, I will remove Judah also out of 75 00:08:35,809 --> 00:08:40,370 my sight, as I have removed Israel, and I will cast off the city that I have chosen, Jerusalem, 76 00:08:41,090 --> 00:08:45,929 and the house of which I said, my name shall be there. And the army of the Chaldeans pursued the 77 00:08:45,929 --> 00:08:51,389 king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho, and all his army was scattered from him, unquote. 78 00:08:52,129 --> 00:08:58,750 Kings and Chronicles record that Israel was carried away. Everything of value Babylonians took, 79 00:08:58,750 --> 00:09:05,690 everything they found in Jerusalem, including the sacred scriptures, that is, the Bible of the Jews. 80 00:09:06,129 --> 00:09:13,730 And the thing about these Chaldean pagan scholars is that they actually read the material that they 81 00:09:13,730 --> 00:09:21,149 captured and stole. This happens with every great empire, dear listener. Those bookish souls who love 82 00:09:21,149 --> 00:09:26,830 to pour over pages and documents and scrolls exist everywhere, and I confess, I'm one of them. 83 00:09:26,830 --> 00:09:33,370 But these scholars assiduously studied and understood what they read, too. Thus, they studied the prophecies 84 00:09:33,370 --> 00:09:41,070 concerning a Savior, one of which is from Numbers 24. I see him, but not now. I behold him, but not 85 00:09:41,070 --> 00:09:47,970 near. A star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel, unquote. Oh, when the 86 00:09:47,970 --> 00:09:54,710 Magi in Babylon saw a phenomenon in the sky that is a star that normally did not shine in the western sky, 87 00:09:54,710 --> 00:10:00,950 they reasoned that this prophecy of the Jews was about to be fulfilled. A star shall come out of 88 00:10:00,950 --> 00:10:07,450 Jacob. A star was to come. A king or a scepter was about to rise out of Israel. What should we do? 89 00:10:07,830 --> 00:10:14,429 Well, pack up and beat feet to Israel, and that's what they did. They were the first to greet and pay 90 00:10:14,429 --> 00:10:21,090 homage to this king who would rule the world. That's the background. When you read in Matthew chapter 2, 91 00:10:21,090 --> 00:10:28,269 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from 92 00:10:28,269 --> 00:10:35,110 the east came to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star 93 00:10:35,110 --> 00:10:43,190 when it rose and have come to worship him, unquote. They were more informed than the sleepy-headed 94 00:10:43,190 --> 00:10:48,590 scribes and Pharisees of Israel, who ostensibly studied the text and knew it inside and out. 95 00:10:48,590 --> 00:10:54,509 This is one of the points that Matthew intends to make. Even Gentiles were more receptive to the 96 00:10:54,509 --> 00:11:02,470 Messiah than his own people. Well, brothers and sisters, another favorite random reflection of 97 00:11:02,470 --> 00:11:09,850 mine, a random reflection on Christmas, is also considering the 12 days of Christmas. What a rich 98 00:11:09,850 --> 00:11:16,809 heritage we have in this blessed tradition, the 12 days of Christmas. What comes to mind for you 99 00:11:16,809 --> 00:11:24,429 when you hear the 12 days of Christmas being sung. And the song begins on the first day of Christmas, 100 00:11:24,590 --> 00:11:30,789 much your love gave to me, right? This is all we in the West usually get concerning the 12 days of 101 00:11:30,789 --> 00:11:38,009 Christmas. We experience Advent, where we anticipate Christ's birth 28 days prior to Christmas Mass, 102 00:11:38,009 --> 00:11:43,590 but then it abruptly ends. We celebrate a secular New Year's Day a week later, and then it's back to 103 00:11:43,590 --> 00:11:52,110 the daily grind. Well, not so in the Eastern Orthodox churches. No, no, no, no. Unlike we in the West, 104 00:11:52,850 --> 00:12:01,529 the East makes a sacred celebration of Christ from his birth on December 25 to the Epiphany 12 days later 105 00:12:01,529 --> 00:12:10,850 on January 6. Epiphany, which is the Greek word for appearance, it's ostensibly the day when the Magi 106 00:12:10,850 --> 00:12:18,750 appeared in order to worship this newborn king. That's when Christmas ends in the East, at least, 107 00:12:18,809 --> 00:12:24,830 on January 6. In between, there are 12 feast days when a whole spectrum of spiritual moments are celebrated. 108 00:12:24,830 --> 00:12:32,009 How much is revealed about Christ in these 12 feast days, this excellent tradition? Well, for example, 109 00:12:32,190 --> 00:12:40,009 on December 26 is the Feast of St. Stephen, which is a traditional day for giving from the abundance 110 00:12:40,009 --> 00:12:46,490 of Christmas and giving to the poor, the Feast of St. Stephen. Now, if you know the hymn, 111 00:12:46,649 --> 00:12:53,309 Good King Wenceslas, you know the entire point of the hymn is that the king, on the Feast of St. Stephen, 112 00:12:53,309 --> 00:13:02,649 spies a poor man come in sight gathering winter fuel, right? And Good King Wenceslas orders his page, 113 00:13:02,990 --> 00:13:09,190 bring me flesh and bring me wine, bring me pine logs, hither thou and I will see him dine when we bear 114 00:13:09,190 --> 00:13:15,549 him hither, unquote. It was a feast day for St. Stephen, the first deacon of the church in Acts. 115 00:13:15,629 --> 00:13:21,389 And deacons traditionally make provision for the poor out of the treasury of the church. And so this day 116 00:13:21,389 --> 00:13:28,830 is set aside to lavish a king's abundance on those less fortunate. So do this, dear Christian, go to the 117 00:13:28,830 --> 00:13:33,730 soup kitchen, bring steaks, go to the city of refuge and replenish the store of turkey and beef. See that 118 00:13:33,730 --> 00:13:40,409 those less fortunate than you enjoy a king's banquet, even as Good King Wenceslas provided for that poor 119 00:13:40,409 --> 00:13:49,389 man and his family. Well, December 27th as another example is a feast day for St. John, the only one of 120 00:13:49,389 --> 00:13:55,690 the 12 disciples who did not die a martyr's death, but a natural death. A mass is said for him on 121 00:13:55,690 --> 00:14:01,850 December 27th, the disciple who wrote of the incarnation of Jesus, the word became flesh and 122 00:14:01,850 --> 00:14:07,470 dwelt among us. December 28th is a feast day of the holy innocence when a mass is said for the children 123 00:14:07,470 --> 00:14:14,250 murdered by Herod, the monster who tried to sweep up the newborn baby Jesus in his dragnet of Holocaust. 124 00:14:15,769 --> 00:14:20,629 No, these kids were not martyrs like St. Stephen, who died heroically in a vision of the glorified 125 00:14:20,629 --> 00:14:25,610 Christ. No, they were not heroes like the apostles who died consciously witnessing to the risen Christ. 126 00:14:25,710 --> 00:14:33,129 No, rather the church asserts, and I think they do so rightly, that these innocents died for Christ 127 00:14:33,129 --> 00:14:40,190 nevertheless because they died unjustly before they had a chance to know or to will. In celebrating the 128 00:14:40,190 --> 00:14:47,629 holy innocence, we remember the victims of other crimes as well, children of abortion, children of war, 129 00:14:47,629 --> 00:14:56,750 or children who die of parental abuse. So each feast day has its own aspect of Christmas that 130 00:14:56,750 --> 00:15:02,809 highlights a singular feature for Christians to remember, not just gifts given by my true love like 131 00:15:02,809 --> 00:15:08,190 maids of milking or golden rings or partridges in a pear tree. Even Epiphany celebrates not only the 132 00:15:08,190 --> 00:15:14,750 day on which the wise men arrive to worship the newborn king, but also the day on which the gospel 133 00:15:14,750 --> 00:15:21,230 has begun to be proclaimed. Christ's manifestation to the nation, symbolized in these pagan Gentile kings 134 00:15:21,230 --> 00:15:29,190 who now have the Savior revealed to them. Well, another modern random reflection on Christmas 135 00:15:29,190 --> 00:15:36,629 that I find surprises many people is that the genealogy in Matthew is also an integral part of 136 00:15:36,629 --> 00:15:42,190 the Christmas story too, dear listener. What? You may say, come on, pastor, no boring list of names 137 00:15:42,190 --> 00:15:48,289 can be a part of the wondrous story of Christ's nativity. No, Matthew thinks differently. Name me 138 00:15:48,289 --> 00:15:55,929 one Christmas carol about the genealogy, for example. I've seen plenty of dramatizations 139 00:15:55,929 --> 00:16:01,029 about the holy family, found no room at the end, they returned to the manger, shepherds who tended 140 00:16:01,029 --> 00:16:06,049 their flock by night, visited by singing angels, and even Herod killing the infants of Bethlehem. 141 00:16:06,049 --> 00:16:14,149 But I've never seen Cecil B. DeMille or Steven Spielberg dramatize Jesus' genealogy. Now that's 142 00:16:14,149 --> 00:16:21,269 an oxymoron. A genealogy cannot by definition be dramatic, can it? But any self-respecting Jew of the 143 00:16:21,269 --> 00:16:26,330 first century would shake his head in disbelief at this kind of attitude. And they'd ask you 144 00:16:26,330 --> 00:16:31,570 why you could, on the one hand, say you relied on the Bible for truth, while on the other hand, 145 00:16:31,610 --> 00:16:38,909 dismissing genealogies. Genealogies were utterly necessary to the life of a young baby, and this for 146 00:16:38,909 --> 00:16:45,350 several reasons. I'll give you two. Number one, a child's genealogy established his chosen status. 147 00:16:45,350 --> 00:16:51,929 Are you a Jew or a Gentile? Even today, a Jew is not a Jew unless he can establish his lineage via 148 00:16:51,929 --> 00:16:58,490 his parents. And secondly, the promised Messiah would descend from Abraham and David. This had to 149 00:16:58,490 --> 00:17:05,609 be demonstrated by genealogy. The covenants which God cut with Abraham and David both promised that the 150 00:17:05,609 --> 00:17:12,630 Savior of mankind would descend from their lives. To Abraham, he said, in you all the families of the 151 00:17:12,630 --> 00:17:17,670 earth will be blessed. And to David, he promised, when your days are fulfilled and you lie down with 152 00:17:17,670 --> 00:17:23,410 your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you who shall come from your body, and I will 153 00:17:23,410 --> 00:17:29,089 establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his 154 00:17:29,089 --> 00:17:36,789 kingdom forever. To David, that promise was made. And so, when the Messiah appeared, he would have to 155 00:17:36,789 --> 00:17:43,589 establish his lineage right out of the gate to even gain a hearing amongst Jews. No Jew worth a salt 156 00:17:43,589 --> 00:17:47,890 would expect anything less, especially those responsible for authenticating these things. Dear 157 00:17:47,890 --> 00:17:53,230 listener, it's difficult for us Gentiles on this side of Christmas to comprehend the primacy of Christ's 158 00:17:53,230 --> 00:18:01,190 genealogy to first century Jews, but it was there. Consequently, can you understand the importance of 159 00:18:01,190 --> 00:18:08,710 Jesus' birth narrative beginning with these words? The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of 160 00:18:08,710 --> 00:18:17,549 David, the son of Abraham. Oh, few people realize that the nativity actually begins with a genealogy. 161 00:18:18,329 --> 00:18:23,569 Turn to Matthew chapter 1. You'll find that the birth narrative of Jesus begins not with the angels or 162 00:18:23,569 --> 00:18:28,029 shepherds or Joseph or Mary, but with a dry, boring, and trivial, to us anyway, genealogy. 163 00:18:28,029 --> 00:18:36,049 But it would not have been boring and trivial for its first audience, that is, Jews who expected 164 00:18:36,049 --> 00:18:42,950 Messiah's credentials to be authenticated before anything else was said about him. The genealogy in 165 00:18:42,950 --> 00:18:49,829 Matthew does precisely this. It's entirely fitting to begin the birth narratives with it. And then 166 00:18:49,829 --> 00:18:56,309 thirdly, Christ's genealogy gathers up all of fallen humanity in it, too. Oh, that's one of the 167 00:18:56,309 --> 00:19:03,710 beauties of Christ's genealogy is that it gathers up all of fallen humanity in it, us as well, Gentiles, 168 00:19:03,829 --> 00:19:09,529 all of us. There are actually some very poignant moments of drama in the genealogy. If you know your 169 00:19:09,529 --> 00:19:16,349 Old Testament, how many of you know, for example, that Jesus is a descendant of incest and prostitution, 170 00:19:16,349 --> 00:19:23,730 and that by way of Judah and Tamar. Go over that story in Genesis. Jesus stands in the line of Perez, 171 00:19:23,869 --> 00:19:30,390 son of Tamar, who connived and cajoled her father-in-law, Judah, to bear her a son by posing 172 00:19:30,390 --> 00:19:37,369 as a prostitute. Jesus is also descended from Rahab, the harlot of Jericho, and what is more, 173 00:19:37,730 --> 00:19:42,269 Solomon, the son of David's adulterous relationship with Bathsheba. Shocking. 174 00:19:42,269 --> 00:19:49,970 If you read the genealogy of our Savior carefully, you notice that there's a lot of saving to do. 175 00:19:51,069 --> 00:19:55,490 So the next time you pick up Matthew and begin to read, don't skip over the genealogy 176 00:19:55,490 --> 00:20:02,309 with which he begins his narrative. It's an integral part of the story of salvation by grace. 177 00:20:03,529 --> 00:20:08,009 And then finally, we would be remiss to neglect the history of Santa Claus, 178 00:20:08,009 --> 00:20:16,809 who is really a pale image. The modern Santa Claus is a pale, pale image of the real Saint Nicholas. 179 00:20:18,089 --> 00:20:22,309 What a contrast between the legend and reality, if you know anything about it. 180 00:20:23,069 --> 00:20:29,190 The true story of Santa Claus begins with Nicholas, who was born during the 3rd century in the village of Patara. 181 00:20:29,190 --> 00:20:35,509 At the time, the area was Greek and is now on the southern coast of Turkey. 182 00:20:36,950 --> 00:20:40,130 His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, 183 00:20:40,569 --> 00:20:44,390 his parents died in an epidemic when Nicholas was still a young boy. 184 00:20:45,029 --> 00:20:49,109 But obeying Jesus' words to sell what you own and give the money to the poor, 185 00:20:49,589 --> 00:20:54,269 Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, the suffering. 186 00:20:54,269 --> 00:21:00,869 He dedicated his life to serving God, and he was made bishop of Myra while he was still a young man. 187 00:21:01,490 --> 00:21:05,990 And Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to those in need, 188 00:21:06,210 --> 00:21:10,369 his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships as well. 189 00:21:11,170 --> 00:21:17,089 Well, under the Roman emperor Diocletian, who ruthlessly persecuted Christians, 190 00:21:17,789 --> 00:21:20,990 Bishop Nicholas suffered for his faith, and he was exiled and imprisoned to him. 191 00:21:20,990 --> 00:21:23,710 And after his release, Nicholas attended the Council of Nicaea, 192 00:21:24,329 --> 00:21:29,170 that famous council deciding indeed the deity of Christ in A.D. 325. 193 00:21:29,789 --> 00:21:36,069 And he died December 6, 343, in Myra, and he was buried in his cathedral church. 194 00:21:36,609 --> 00:21:40,230 One story of St. Nicholas tells of a poor man with three daughters. 195 00:21:40,970 --> 00:21:45,569 Now, in those days, a young woman's father had to offer prospective husbands something of value, a dowry. 196 00:21:45,569 --> 00:21:51,170 And the larger the dowry, the better the chance that a young woman would find a good husband. 197 00:21:51,769 --> 00:21:54,369 Without a dowry, a woman was unlikely to marry. 198 00:21:54,990 --> 00:21:59,529 And so this poor man's daughters, without dowries, were therefore destined to be sold into slavery. 199 00:22:00,509 --> 00:22:05,950 Mysteriously, though, on three different occasions, a bag of gold appeared in their home, 200 00:22:06,109 --> 00:22:07,950 providing the needed dowries. 201 00:22:07,950 --> 00:22:15,910 The bags of gold tossed through an open window are said to have landed in stockings or shoes left before the fire to dry. 202 00:22:16,029 --> 00:22:22,089 And this leads, of course, to the custom of children hanging stockings or putting out shoes, 203 00:22:22,630 --> 00:22:25,109 eagerly awaiting gifts from St. Nicholas. 204 00:22:25,710 --> 00:22:30,869 And sometimes the story is told with gold balls instead of bags of gold. 205 00:22:31,430 --> 00:22:36,450 That's why three gold balls, sometimes represented as oranges, are one of the symbols for St. Nicholas. 206 00:22:36,450 --> 00:22:40,269 And also, St. Nicholas is a gift giver. 207 00:22:40,450 --> 00:22:48,829 So, dear listener, banish the notion of cartoon character Santa Claus that's come to take the place of the real St. Nicholas. 208 00:22:49,789 --> 00:22:52,210 He'd weep if he saw today what's been made of him. 209 00:22:52,329 --> 00:22:57,990 St. Nicholas is not a clown character dressed in a red suit with a fluffy white beard and black boots. 210 00:22:58,109 --> 00:23:00,509 No, Bishop Nicholas indeed loved children deeply. 211 00:23:00,509 --> 00:23:06,230 He cared for them in an age when infant mortality hovered around 20%. 212 00:23:06,230 --> 00:23:13,190 And then, disease and poverty also characterized childhood all over Europe and Asia. 213 00:23:13,869 --> 00:23:19,670 So, St. Nicholas did anonymously leave food and clothing and gifts for children and their families. 214 00:23:20,309 --> 00:23:24,509 He didn't slide down chimneys and leave a room full of toys for kids. 215 00:23:24,509 --> 00:23:30,529 The good bishop ministered to children in a disciplined fashion all year round. 216 00:23:31,369 --> 00:23:39,309 He didn't work year round at the North Pole with an army of elves in order to disgorge an avalanche of toys in one night. 217 00:23:39,390 --> 00:23:41,829 That is, Christmas Eve in an orgy of consumerism. 218 00:23:43,049 --> 00:23:48,390 St. Nicholas followed the example of Jesus Christ, and he did all in Christ's name. 219 00:23:48,390 --> 00:23:55,690 St. Nicholas was not the secular, godless cardboard cutout that our society makes him out to be. 220 00:23:56,549 --> 00:24:00,490 So, remember this, inculcate this, teach this example to your children. 221 00:24:01,390 --> 00:24:06,809 Follow the lead of the good Bishop Nicholas, not Santa Claus. 222 00:24:08,089 --> 00:24:11,289 And then, finally, my last random reflection on Christmas. 223 00:24:11,450 --> 00:24:14,829 Why is the season anticipating Christmas called Advent? 224 00:24:14,829 --> 00:24:22,849 Advent. Advent. Advent means coming or arrival, and it looks forward to the first arrival of Jesus Christ into the world that he made. 225 00:24:23,450 --> 00:24:30,970 But savvy Christians also know that Christmas anticipates his second Advent when he returns to redeem his own, 226 00:24:31,490 --> 00:24:35,789 to renew a fallen creation, and to judge the wicked. 227 00:24:36,690 --> 00:24:40,490 Now, the Lutheran Church has long recognized this facet of Christmas, 228 00:24:40,490 --> 00:24:43,230 and I want to give you one of the prayers. 229 00:24:43,230 --> 00:24:47,349 On the third Sunday in Advent, the Lutheran Church says and prays, 230 00:24:47,789 --> 00:24:53,890 Almighty God, you once called John the Baptist to give witness to the coming of your Son and prepare his way. 231 00:24:54,509 --> 00:25:00,690 Grant us, your people, the wisdom to see your purpose today and the openness to hear your will 232 00:25:00,690 --> 00:25:05,609 that we may witness to Christ's coming, and so prepare his way. 233 00:25:05,609 --> 00:25:13,710 Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. 234 00:25:14,390 --> 00:25:15,269 I love that prayer. 235 00:25:15,990 --> 00:25:21,069 Know this, that at every Christmas, Christ's first Advent is only half the story. 236 00:25:21,890 --> 00:25:25,990 Use this Christmas season to anticipate his second Advent, dear listener. 237 00:25:25,990 --> 00:25:32,730 Put your faith in him now for all of the work of salvation that he accomplished at his first Advent 238 00:25:32,730 --> 00:25:35,869 and the completion of that work at his second Advent. 239 00:25:36,690 --> 00:25:37,630 As Paul says, 240 00:25:37,769 --> 00:25:43,609 For the Lord will descend from the heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, 241 00:25:44,150 --> 00:25:47,789 and with the sound of the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 242 00:25:48,230 --> 00:25:53,049 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds 243 00:25:53,049 --> 00:25:57,710 to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 244 00:25:59,589 --> 00:25:59,990 Unquote. 245 00:26:00,750 --> 00:26:01,730 Come, Lord Jesus. 246 00:26:02,089 --> 00:26:02,670 Oh, yes. 247 00:26:02,789 --> 00:26:03,950 Come, Lord Jesus, we pray. 248 00:26:04,849 --> 00:26:09,109 This has been Pastor David Bass at New Geneva Orthodox Presbyterian Church. 249 00:26:09,710 --> 00:26:16,470 New Geneva meets for holy worship on Sunday at 10 a.m. at 101 4th Street on the corner of 4th and Boulevard. 250 00:26:16,470 --> 00:26:22,950 See what we're about, and you'll receive a warm welcome once again. 251 00:26:23,289 --> 00:26:31,349 Come and join us on Sundays at 10 a.m. at 101 4th Street on the corner of 4th and Boulevard in Idaho Falls. 252 00:26:31,670 --> 00:26:39,150 And you can call me for further information at area code 208-523-0196. 253 00:26:39,150 --> 00:26:48,950 For information, once again, that's area code 208-523-0196, and Merry Christmas.