Yesterday I got an e-mail about the Ten Commandments. The reader wondered how I felt about the Sabbath being observed on Sunday instead of Saturday, (which according to historians is the more proper day because it is the first day of the week according to ancient calendars).
I responded that I didn’t think God cared which day we observed and that the important thing about this commandment is that we set aside one day per week to worship God and rest in His peace. (By the way, as with all of God’s commands, I think this one was issued because it is in our own best interest to observe it. We need our worship and fellowship with God, and we need a day of rest in order to perform at our best.)
I feel the same about many things. When we traveled to Israel we visited a myriad of alleged holy sites. We visited the supposed site where Jesus was born, also the purported site that He cooked fish for the disciples, where He was crucified, held in jail, crossed the Sea of Galilee, prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, healed the leper, and made the blind see, and even where He was Baptized.
My wife and I both were Baptized again in the Jordan River in the exact same spot that Jesus was Baptized…Well…. maybe the exact same spot, and maybe not. After 2000 years in a country where the primary inhabitants, the Jews, rejected Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God and were taken into slavery and scattered all over the globe for 2000 years themselves as punishment for their disbelief, these “exact” Christian holy site locations have not been preserved so well, and no one can say with certainty much of anything except these events occurred in the general area.
That’s okay with me, it was cool to be Baptized in the Jordan River in the same general vicinity that Jesus was Baptized. (I do mean cool too, because that river is freezing cold.) I also felt the presence of God at all of the sites and it was exceedingly meaningful just to be in the vicinity of where He actually set foot, if not on the exact spot.
I suppose what irks me is when people begin to try and take Christ out of the picture altogether. A friend wrote me the other day and was absolutely livid. He was opening Christmas cards for his business and only received two that said, “Merry Christmas”, (the Card that I sent him and one from another person). All of the rest said the more politically correct, “Happy Holidays”.
Of course this is the year that President Obama declared the White House Christmas tree a “Holiday Tree” and I suppose it’s only a matter of time before he mandates that any reference to Christ is altogether removed from the holiday that commemorates the birth of Christ.
Many atheists and others trace the early roots of Christmas back to pagan celebrations or whatever, but as with the Sabbath, the main point is that we, as Christians, have designated a day to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. To me it isn’t really all that important that this may not even be the exact same day He was born; to me what is important is that we recognize and set aside this holy day in recognition of our Savior being born. I don’t think God minds our incorporating Santa and exchanging gifts into our celebration to keep the kiddies happy, but Jesus should be the main point of the celebration and sadly He is not.
The same goes for Easter. It shouldn’t be about some ridiculous floppy eared bunny rabbit laying multi-colored eggs. For crying out loud, Easter is the most holy of all days; it celebrates the Resurrection of Christ and His horrific death and triumph over death on our behalves. Without this holy day we would still be eternally separated from God for eternity.
It’s too bad that more people and companies don’t have any backbone when it comes to standing up for Christ. They dare not offend an atheist, a Muslim, Jew, Hindu, or Buddhist by saying Merry Christmas for fear of losing their business and those precious greenbacks, or lest someone think they aren’t “inclusive”. For Pete’s sake this is a celebration for the birth of Christ. We can’t say Merry Christmas for fear of offending someone? This is our holiday!!!
When I sold my last business they immediately took down the Ten Commandments that had been posted on our walls since the inception of the company. Their attorneys frowned really big when they did their walkthrough and saw those blessed signs and insisted they be removed.
I asked if I could have them when they took them down and they are now posted at Honey Lake and they will be removed over my dead body here at Honey Lake Resort and Spa. If they offend someone including President Obama and his minions, then they can just go jump in Honey Lake and go swim with the alligators to their heart’s content. They should feel right at home.
I don’t need money that badly and would rather go bankrupt and starve to death than acquiesce to their antichrist behavior.
As for me I’m sticking with Jesus the one who got me where I am, and I’m happy to do it. I don’t do it for show to anyone, but because I love Jesus with all of my heart and I respect Him.
I hope you will have the courage to stand up for Jesus. Do you really believe by ignoring His precious name that you will earn just a few dollars more? Do you believe you will receive more blessings by ignoring Him?
No way Jose….
Matt. 10:33
But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.