December 23, 2001	Volume 11, Number 51

The Christmas Holiday

Christmas time is usually a period of music and laughter. The warmest, strongest, and most heartfelt associations are renewed and revived. There is stirred within most of us a solemn and sacred feeling and along with our feasting the spirit is raised to a state of hallowed and elevated enjoyment.

What Is Christmas?

Christmas to most of the world is a celebration of the supposed birthday of Christ. In reality it has no religious significance and came into existence because of the activities of a man named Nicholas. It is such a beautiful festival that churches have laid hold of it and tried to make it a religious day. But there is no scriptural authority for it. I was grown before I knew there was any special religious significance attached to it. To us, where I lived on a ranch in northwest Texas, it Was a community festival, at which time people blew horns, shot firecrackers, and exchanged gifts.

Christmas to many people is scarlet ribbon, sounds of music, and a green tree. Christmas to others is an oasis in a sandy desert of the commonplace. Christmas is a celebration born of instinct within the heart. Christmas is a celebration and whatever the traditions are that cluster around the day, they have significance only if they translate the intentions of the heart. Our intention should be to express faith, hope, and love. Regardless of the form the celebration takes, without these three, faith - hope - and love, the gift is bare and the celebration is but glittering tinsel and without meaning.

What shall we give for Christmas?

That which we suggest cannot be bought, sold, or battered, but can only be given away. The gifts we suggest are the wellsprings of celebration whether religious or secular. The gifts we suggest are without price and cannot be imitated. The gifts that we suggest are unique but not always easy to come by, but they are unlimited in supply and accessible to everyone. For the coming holiday, we suggest the following gifts.

We suggest first of all that we give faith. Let us encourage people to believe mightily. Faith laughs at impossibilities. Abraham's faith was adventurous when he went out. Those who are afraid of the deep will not catch many fish. Let us give courage to others to launch out. We need pioneers in faith as well as in exploring the great outer space. God told the children of Israel: "Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread upon shall be yours."

Let us give hope. No one is insensible to the music of the word hope. What bosom has not kindled under its utterance? Poetry has sung of it and music warbled it. Oratory has lavished it on its bewitching strings. The great lessons of Acts 3, where Peter met the lame man at the gate is a message of hope. Hope will light the altar-fires in the dark and be a living coal in many desolate hearts. Hope will gladden the sick chambers with visions of returning health and will be a sunbeam in the captive's cell. Hope will cause a soldier to sleep peacefully, give him comfort by his bivouac-fire and pictures of his sunny home and his joyous return.

Let us give love. Love is the medicine needed by all the morally evil. Love brought into the world the cure for sin. Love must be expressed and its very nature keeps it from forcing itself unbidden and unwelcome upon another. The stronger, the higher, the finer love is, the more it depends upon reciprocation. Love is the great Seraph and faith and hope are but the wings with which it flies.

What could we do this Christmas?

adapted from G. K. Wallace (deceased)

Beginning in January...

We will receive our first shipment of House to House / Heart to Heart in January. It will be mailed every other month into our community.

If you have a friend, neighbor or co-worker that lives in Charlotte or Sarasota Counties that you would like to have placed on the mailing list—please give us their name and address. (There are sign up sheets for the mailing list on the table in the foyer.)

A Seminar That You Will Not Want To Miss ...

You are cordially invited to attend a seminar dealing with these and other important issues. The speaker is Dr. Bert Thompson, former professor, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A & M University. He is Executive Director and co-founder of Apologetics Press. He is also the editor of Reason and Revelation, a monthly journal on Christian evidences, published by Apologetics Press since 1981. All sessions are free. In addition, handout materials accompanying each lecture will be made available free-of-charge to those in attendance. Most sessions are followed by questions and answers.

SCHEDULE Friday, January 25, 2002 at the Venice High School Auditorium 7:00 p.m. “The Creation / Evolution Controversy” Saturday, January 26, 2002 at the Venice High School Auditorium 1:00-2:30 p.m. “Creation or Evolution … Which? Part I” 2:30-3:00 p.m. Question and Answer Session 3:00-3:30 p.m. Break 3:30 p.m. “Creation or Evolution … Which? Part II” Sunday, January, 27, 2002 at the Church of Christ of Venice Building 10:00 a.m. “Scientific Evidences for the Inspiration of the Bible” 11:00 a.m. “The Effect of Evolution on the Home, Church and Nation” Note: Friday and Saturday Seminar sessions will be held at the Venice High School Auditorium.

Annual Bible Reading Program