"Who You Gonna Call?" God's Emergency Numbers

Ps 107:28 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. 29 He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. 30 Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven. 31 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! 32 Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

The Scriptures echo the point on virtually every page. When we call on Him in any and every emergency, He always hears and responds as He know is best. An anonymous author has suggested the following passages we may consult when we need to access the Lord’s abundant resources.

When in sorrow, call John 14.

When men fail you, call Psalm 27.

If you want to be fruitful, call John 15.

When you have sinned, call Psalm 51.

When you worry, call Matthew 6:19-34.

When you are in danger, call Psalm 91.

When God seems far away, call Psalm 139.

When your faith needs stirring, call Hebrews 11.

When you are lonely and fearful, call Psalm 23.

When you grow bitter and critical, call 1 Cor. 13.

For the secret to happiness, call Col. 3:12-17.

When you feel down and out, call Romans 8:31-39.

When you want peace and rest, call Matt. 11:25-30.

When the world seems bigger than God, call Psalm 90.

When you want Christian assurance, call Romans 8:1-30.

When you leave home for work or travel, call Psalm 121.

When your prayers grow narrow or selfish, call Psalm 67.

For a great invention/opportunity, call Isaiah 55.

When you want courage for a task, call Joshua 1.

To find out how to get along with fellow men, call Romans 12.

When you think of investments/returns, call Mark 10.

If you are depressed, call Psalm 27.

If your pocketbook is empty, call Psalm 37.

If you are losing confidence in people, call 1 Cor. 13.

If people seem unkind, call John 15.

If discouraged about your work, call Psalm 126.

If you find the world growing small, and yourself great, call Psalm 19.

If you are like me, there are some numbers here you need to call. When we feed our faith, our doubts will starve to death. God bless.

To comment and/or to receive notices of future blog posts,

please email cory247 [AT symbol] gmx [dot com]. God bless.

Cory Collins
http://corycollins.net/

The Will of God Will Never Take You

The will of God will never take you,

Where the grace of God cannot keep you.

Where the arms of God cannot support you,

Where the riches of God cannot supply your needs,

Where the power of God cannot endow you.

The will of God will never take you,

Where the Spirit of God cannot work through you,

Where the wisdom of God cannot teach you,

Where the army of God cannot protect you,

Where the hands of God cannot mold you.

The will of God will never take you,

Where the love of God cannot enfold you,

Where the mercies of God cannot sustain you,

Where the peace of God cannot calm your fears,

Where the authority of God cannot overrule for you.

The will of God will never take you,

Where the comfort of God cannot dry your tears,

Where the Word of God cannot feed you,

Where the wonders of God cannot be done for you,

Where the omnipresence of God cannot find you.

-- Author Unknown

Just a Little Wine: One Man’s Story, Part Two

The Serving and Sharing website has moved! Please look for this article (and all other articles) here: https://serving-and-sharing.blogspot.com/.

My Thanksgiving List: Why I Love God’s People

Php 1:3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.

God has surrounded Tanya and me with some very special people in His church family. In every congregation we have served, there have been individuals and couples who knew just how to minister to a minister … and his wife. Local ministry can be very lonely, and the challenges can be daunting. The devil is relentless. But again and again the Lord has provided just the people we needed to keep going strong.

We are thankful for people who trust us. They let us be part of their lives. They hand us their new babies to hold. They share their triumphs. They confide in us their struggles with marriage, children, health, employment, and faith. They make themselves open and vulnerable to us. They make us feel needed, appreciated, and loved.

We are thankful for people who understand us. They know that, in addition to being a preacher and his wife, we are a husband and wife, a father and a mother. We share the same concerns about our children that all parents do. We also have bills to pay and doctors’ appointments to keep. We sometimes drop the ball or fail to show up, but we mean well. These friends recognize our limitations and do not have us on a perfect pedestal. They know that we need friends, and they invite us to spend time and do things together. They cut us slack and give us the benefit of the doubt.

We are thankful for people who partner with us in ministry. What a joy it is to have elders, deacons, fellow ministers and administrative assistants offer sincere respect, solid support, and clear communication. They have our back and take up for us. They listen when we speak and offer faithful, constructive help. They share with us a strong work ethic and a passionate desire to serve the Lord. We never feel alone.

We owe so much to so many. And we owe it all to the Lord.

To comment and/or to receive notices of future blog posts, please email cory247 [AT symbol] gmx [dot com]. God bless.

Cory Collins

http://corycollins.net/

Just a Little Wine: One Man’s Story, Part One

The Serving and Sharing website has moved! Please look for this article (and all other articles) here: https://serving-and-sharing.blogspot.com/.

I am Thankful for My Church Family Because …

Tanya and I are blessed to get to serve the Lord with the Keller church of Christ in the greater Dallas – Fort Worth area. Recently many of our brothers and sisters explained why they are thankful for this very special congregation. With their permission, their comments are posted here. They are generally grouped according to some of the themes in 1 Corinthians 16.

If you belong to a congregation like this one, you certainly feel the same way. If not, come visit us here!

FELLOWSHIP

Peggy Crawford

I am so thankful for the Keller church family because of the love they show the Lord and for each other.  When you walk in the door even as a first time visitor you can feel the love.

Nathan Goodnight

Based off your request, I wanted to send you a note to tell you why Becky and I are thankful for the church at Keller: young families. It feels so good to have others around us in similar chapters in life, new kids, etc.  Definitely one of the MANY reasons we’re so glad God led us to Keller!

Linda Gore

Your prayers have given Ben a chance to overcome this disease, and your many cards have shown him that church members support one another.  You have all been such an encouragement to me that mere words cannot convey my gratitude.  We do serve an awesome God!

Gail Jaynes

I have thought about this since Wed. and am still not sure I can say it in a few words but I will try.  I am thankful for the Keller church family because it is my spiritual home.  I have been here since Greg, my youngest child was an infant.  We have been through good and bad times sickness and health and too many things to mention but the constant has been our church family.  Even though many friends have come and gone through the church the spirit of God’s love and family has remained strong and consistant.  This point was never more evident than when Greg came with the group from the Rams for Christ ministry.  The church opened up the building, and provided more than I could imagine in hospitality.  He was so proud and showed the group the entire building after they arrived and explained how the church had grown and expaned.  He described it as his church home where he grew up.  He told Codi (his girlfriend) about all of the people who would come to meet her and what they meant to him.  It was a tell about a family.  We have been through a lot, and the Keller Church has been there with us through it all.  I am forever grateful that God saw fit to put us here.  I hope we can be that part of a family that will give to others what has been given to us.

Pam Joslen

Because when I moved here I had lived in the same place for 50 years. Then my world was turned upside down-I lost my mother and went thru a painful divorce all in one year. My brother insisted I move here close to his family. I felt like I was all alone without a church home, no friends, a very different environment from my rural, small town home. After several months and some really “different” worship places I was led to Keller church of Christ. From the first Sunday until now nearly three years later I have been welcomed, embraced and loved back to life. I have never felt so close to The Lord as in the Keller church. I thank God every day for my Keller family.

Amanda and Johnny Killough 

I miss the members when we’re gone. We both feel like we belong, even though we’re still getting to know people, we truly look forward to coming.

Susan Lusignan

Darrell and I are truly thankful for Keller Church of Christ because it feels like we are part of a church family.  We have friends of all ages and I hope anyone would feel like they could call on Darrell or myself if they needed anything.  We are blessed to be part of such a great congregation.  I was raised in the Church and have never felt like this about a congregation before.

Richard Lyons

… because it is an exciting place filled with brothers and sisters who want to be involved in spreading the good news.

… because of the love for one another that can be felt every time we get together.

… because of the encouragement I receive from being with brothers and sisters of like mindedness.

… because no one ever has to feel alone.

Sue Martin

The Keller Church of Christ has my back!! 

Sam Pulliam

When I came to Keller after about three of the most difficult and painful years of my life, my son encouraged me to get back to church.  Funny how your children sometimes take on the role of the parent.

The first Sunday morning I entered the auditorium, hearts reached out to me with Christian love and I was made comfortable.  I knew I could love this place, and I do.  Even though I am still having serious difficulties in my personal life, I know the people here care.  There is tremendous value in this kind of love being so available to one who needs it.  I am thankful.

OUTREACH

Patty Harper

...they have taken me, a total stranger who came into their church to be baptized, into their hearts, minds and lives.  As I care for my elderly mother and recover from illness and injuries, my church family sends me heartfelt greetings and Scriptures each week to show me that though I haven’t been there, they haven’t forgotten me.  Their Christ-like attitude of genuine love and concern for me has brought me to my knees in humble gratitude.  Only God knows how much I appreciate them.

Sharon Welch 

… because of our church-wide commitment to follow Jesus by “seeking and saving the lost” and by fulfilling Luke 4:18-19. We are so blessed!

Anonymous

“I am thankful for the Keller church family because...

...of the opportunity to worship and serve with a congregation that clearly loves the Lord and each other and is so adamantly committed to remaining faithful to God’s word; committed to not only learning it - but living it and sharing it with the community in which God has placed us.

I am also grateful to worship and serve with so many brothers and sisters who have been Christians for many years, some for longer than I’ve been alive. Their faith and wisdom and example are to be cherished. I look forward to the day when I will have a head full of white hair after having walked with the Lord for so many years.

I am thankful that whenever someone asks me ‘Where do you go to church?’ I can proudly answer ‘I worship with the Keller church of Christ,’ and invite them to join us.”

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Anonymous

As recent visitors/new members, we have been pulled in to this church family by your kindness, love, concerted concern. The elders care about continuous spiritual improvement. Members are individually concerned about their spiritual growth and contribution to the Lord’s work. There is a clear feeling that “we can” versus why we can’t.  Christians are moving together in the same direction for His glory!

CONVICTION

Paul Ethridge

I am thankful for the Keller church family because they stand for truth as it is stated in scripture.  Every member I know is grounded in faith and unafraid to face adversity when it arises.  I am proud that pure truth is taught in each classroom from KCS to Sunday, Wednesday and from the pulpit.  My brothers and sisters are anxious to speak up in class; excited to share experiences and humble enough to ask for help through the prayer groups.

Many exciting things are in work at the Keller church and I’m thankful so many brethren are willing to step in and work to enhance the spreading of the Good News. 

Thank you Keller church family!

L. B. Holmes

I am thankful for the Keller church family because...l know I will have an easier time on Judgment Day due to the Bible lessons I’ve been privileged to hear and the very special brothers and sisters He has given me to fellowship.

Jesus loves you and so do I.

Sharry Lanier

I am thankful for the church at Keller because I can depend on what is taught here, to be God’s teaching and not that of mankind.  I don’t have to get up each morning and wonder what new thing will be presented in the name of Biblical teaching.  I am thankful for a God-directed path for my feet.

Ole Olsen

I could write a book regarding the Keller body of Christ, and what it means to me personally. Especially as the blowing winds of change are currently  howling within our brotherhood, it is so wonderful to worship with an eldership and minister that continue to uphold the doctrine of Jesus Christ. No compromises from the Word of God! No bending the Word of God, in order to accommodate the current culture as to grow the membership. Only sound teaching from the pulpit of the (1) one church, the essentially of baptism, the weekly observance of the Lords Supper, the dangers of alcohol, the importance of both elders and deacons serving within the body of believers, the scriptural role of women within the worship assembly, not blurring the lines of New Testament Christianity with the other religions of the world, providing lessons regarding the non-authority of instrumental music, teaching the dangers of alcohol, and the possibility of becoming a stumbling block to others.... I could go on forever!

Church division, and dealing with relocating to a faithful congregation, is in some way as traumatic as losing a love one in death. I can attest! After personally being required to leave family and friends [church division is life changing] because of an eldership and  minister that slowly began to condone and teach doctrines of men, the Keller assembly was like coming home again. Coming back to the pure Word of God, and the teachings of Christ and His church!

Once jotted down a quote from a brother in Christ that makes good sense: “It doesn’t make sense to be a member of something religiously, that does not demand scriptural authority for everything we do religiously.”

Cory... Thank you, for being a Friend in Christ, and preaching His Word!

MOTIVATION (LOVE)

Donna Cole Runnels 

… because I am accepted, warts and all.

Donald and Kathy Scaff

When this family of Christian brothers and sisters are gathered together, the cares of this world are why we are here. To seek out those that are lost in sin, to teach, and reach out to all with spiritual guidance. When I am here, I can feel the spirit of God’s presence upon me.

Deanna Stephenson

I am thankful for the Keller church family because it is a Spirit-filled group of believers who have the common goal of wanting to serve God and one another. Shortly after I began to attend Keller (before placing membership), it seemed that so many people not only knew my name but the names of my children. As a single parent, attending services with three kids under five years of age is not an easy “task”, but I have always felt welcome regardless of how distracting we might be. We receive much help from our own family and our extended Keller family whether here at church during service or any time outside of that. I am thankful for the prayers that I know have been lifted up on our behalf and thankful for the friendships that we have been richly blessed with. I am thankful for our preacher who teaches the truth in love, who knows ALL the members (and most visitors) names and knows how to live the word. So thankful as well for his encouraging, sweet family. I am thankful daily that we have such a place to call “home”.

This is WAY more than a sentence so please feel free not to use. ;-) I’ve always been far too outspoken. :-) 

Logan Stringer 

Of the loving people that are always there to help whatever the case be. I am thankful for them because of their desire to be like Christ and to never back down from their beliefs just because its hard. (You can change the grammar or wording however you like)

Paula Taft 

… because of the active YOUTH GROUP! (from Michael)

Kathleen Whitson 

....they have always been there in time of need.  On Christmas Day in 1988 at Baylor Dallas, John’s hospital room was filled with members of the Keller Church family.....Christmas Day they drove all the way to Dallas to ensure we were not alone. Through the years John has had numerous hospitalizations and surgeries, including the last in 2010 from a brain bleed, most of them in Dallas.  Always members brought us communion on Sundays, cleaned our house, took care of our lawn, provided food when we returned home and above all else prayed. John’s doctors refer to him as a walking miracle, but he always says his recoveries are the answered prayers of our Christian family in Keller. 

LEADERSHIP SUPPORT

Debbie Pledger Ethridge 

for the continued support we are given! It’s been 20 years and your love has increased! Also thankful for the Eldership who have not strayed off the path and kept us on the biblical road to heaven!

Jim & Elena Parrow

“Elena and I are thankful for the Keller church family because – We have the honor of being led by an exceptional team of Elders who demonstrate their love for the Lord, and His Divine word, binding where the scriptures bind and not doing so where the scriptures are silent, insuring that our preachers and teachers do not add to or take from God’s word. There is nothing more important, in my opinion, than having scripturally qualified Shepherds to watch over and lead the flock while Glorifying God, loving each member, and fulfilling the Great Commission locally and around the world. It is such a comfort to search the scriptures and find confirmation that our worship and works align in every way with the teachings of Jesus and all the inspired writers. We are also blessed to have so many outstanding examples of our Lord and Savior to see, hug, and talk with, every time we assemble.  It is no secret that many Congregations have chosen to follow “Current Trends” in lieu of adhering to God’s word. The Doctrines of men have supplanted the Word of God in far too many churches, around the world, in efforts to please men in lieu of Pleasing Almighty God. We are so thankful that this is not something we need to fear here at Keller. The Faithful, Leadership, Deacons, Ministers, Preachers, Bible School Teachers and our brothers and sisters in Christ simply will not allow that to happen. Praise God for each and every one of you.

Eric Richardson

... we are a solid church intent on following the scriptures.

... we are a magnet to other families seeking a solid church family.

... we have a stable solid eldership.

... we are active in a myriad of ways.

... we have a vibrant, active, growing, caring youth group who’s not afraid to invite their friends.

VARIOUS AND COMBINATION

Melissa Reynolds

… because of their dedication to the truth.  The willingness to stand up for what’s right.

… because of the love shown to all, everyone has a genuine concern for all

… because of the support/encouragement shown to our children (the future church).  I cannot explain what it means to me to watch my children grow spiritually and to see the opportunities they are given to learn to become leaders in the Church and the support given to them as they continue to grow/lead.

… because of the relationships I’ve developed here.  When thoughts of possibly moving to other locations come up (job relocation, retirement, etc) I always come back to the thought that I cannot imagine living anywhere else because I cannot imagine leaving my Keller family.

Cindy Richardson

I have so much to share that I don’t know where to start!

I am thankful because ...

Cory and Tanya and family are wonderful mentors in the Lord and have an out reaching spirit that is infectious in making me want to be that way also!

I am thankful for Linda Payne and the way she stretches me to do the Lords work in going to the Ladies Prison. It has been a journey of overcoming fear and also seeing that when people have nothing left but 4 walls that they have to turn to what really matters, The Lord.

I am thankful for such compassionate supportive brothers and sisters that go above and beyond to comfort in times of struggle and grieving.

I am thankful for all the new families that have come to Keller to work in The Lord and I pray I will be welcoming to them

I am so very thankful for our Elders. Strong, strong men of God that have a tough job in these days to remain true to the word of God in spite of all surroundings.

I am thankful for Wednesday morning ladies class. For the women older than me who are patient loving and kind in their comments allowing me to be open to learning from them.

I am thankful for great attitudes and smiles on faces to encourage all that walk thru the door.

I am thankful for Clarice Langat that allowed me to shadow her as a teacher and then to team teach the 4th grade with her. This built our relationship and also gave me confidence to then team up with Kim Horton and Ella.

I am thankful for Vickie Bonham who because of her real personality and encouragement has grown me as a Wednesday Ladies Bible Class teacher.

I am thankful for all the warriors that are fighting through sickness and maintaining their strength in The Lord. It is beautiful to see them fight with the strength and commitment and not allowing Satan to get a foothold though every day is a new struggle. They are such an encouragement.

I am thankful for committed families that are here with their kids for Sunday morning classes and Wednesday classes. That they know commitment to learning is key to the souls of their children and the future church.

I am thankful for the teachers who put in long hours to make sure the classes are sound and interesting as well. Any Bible class at Keller is never a waste of time. Thank you for that.

I am thankful for the parents of our teenagers. Without strong solid parents we wouldn’t have such a great group of teens

I am thankful for Spencer and family. His upbeat attitude, organization and hard work are refreshing.

From Cory: I am thankful to God to be part of such a blessed and grateful church family!

Christ and Christmas: Fact, Fiction, Faith, and Feeling

It’s often called “the most wonderful time of the year,” and with good reason. I love the holiday season. It's all special to me: the giving and receiving, the time with family and friends, and of course the food! I am thankful whenever and wherever any truth about Jesus Christ is recognized. He was born of a virgin in Bethlehem, as a matter of historical fact, and He is King of kings, Lord of lords!

As this time approaches each year, I feel the need to respond to questions that people have asked me about Christ and Christmas. There are so many different and confusing feelings, perspectives, and preferences. Sincere, precious people have been taught or led to believe conflicting things.

As people who try to stay as close to the Word as possible, we need to determine what the Bible does and does not teach. If we do not, then we may unintentionally perpetuate some misconceptions. This blog post seems to me a helpful way to address these matters.

I once met a man who told me that he was named after one of the "three wise men." It happened at Groot Drakenstein Correctional Centre, in the Western Cape of South Africa. This former prison is famous for the fact that Nelson Mandela spent the last three of his 27 years of his incarceration there. At a youth retreat where I spoke in 2010, after the prison had been transformed into a type of lodge for group gatherings, I met the caretaker. He told me confidently, “You know my name because it is in the Bible. My name is Melchior. I go by ‘Mel.’ I am named after one of the three wise men who came to see Jesus.”

The name “Melchior” and the number "three" are not in the Bible.

A friend of ours, when she was new to the church, told me, “I love the Bible story of the Little Drummer Boy who played his drums by the manger the night Jesus was born.”

That little drummer boy is not in the Bible, but just in a song.

A sister in Christ was surprised awhile back to see a note in her new study Bible that indicated correctly that the Magi (often called “Wise Men”) did not bring their gifts to Jesus on His actual birthday. They never came to the manger. Yet most “nativity scenes” place the Magi beside the manger on the same night He was born.

These Magi ("wise men") were not there on the night Jesus was born. These popular “nativity scenes” contradict what the Bible says.

Once a sister asked me, "Why doesn't 'our church' have a candlelight Christmas Eve service?" Others have asked, “I saw a Facebook post that said, ‘Happy Birthday, Jesus! – December 25.’ Is that Christ’s birthday? Are we wrong not to have a birthday party for Him?”

The Bible does not indicate the date of Jesus' birth. The early church did not celebrate it as a church event or have a birthday party, either on December 25 or on any other date.

I am always interested in knowing what the Bible actually teaches. What are the facts? And how did the various man-made traditions about this or that get started and become so widely accepted? Is it important for us to get the facts, as best we can, and to separate fact from fiction? Can we do so, while respecting individual feelings and opinions? I believe so. Are we nitpicking when we want to know every detail that we can? I think not.

When I discuss matters such as these I do not question anyone’s sincerity or honesty. There has to be value in seeking just to determine the objective truth. Opinions and feelings are, well, just that: opinions and feelings. I have mine; you have yours. If there are facts that correct my opinions, I want to know about them. I’d like to assume that other people feel the same way.

When it comes to Christ and Christmas, the discussion can be especially touchy. People have so many different emotions, backgrounds, and beliefs. Those who stick to facts can be seen as cold, or even as majoring in minors. We certainly don’t want to dampen anyone’s enthusiasm for the Lord or shout “Bah! Humbug!” to anyone who loves this special season. However, since we are investigating facts about Christ, we hope that our search regarding His birth has special value.

What are some of the facts?

● Fact: We do not know the number of the wise men, whether three or otherwise.

We only know that they brought three kinds of gifts – gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

● Fact: We do not know the names of the wise men.

It was much later that people assigned them the names Caspar or Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthazar. See below for a discussion of their origin.

● Fact: The Bible does not call these men “kings,” as in, “We Three Kings of Orient Are.”

The “Magi” (from which word we get “magic”) were a caste of Persian priests who observed the stars. They were not merely “wise men” in the sense of counselors or advisers. So where and how did these other ideas originate?

According to one source, “The Western tradition of the names of the Magi derive from an early-6th-Century Greek manuscript, translated into the Latin Excerpta Latina Barbari. The description seems to be of a mosaic of the magi, possibly those at Ravenna. A pseudo-Bedan text, Collectanea or Excerpta et Collectanea, apparently continues the tradition of three kings. The text is said to be from the 8th or 9th century, of Irish origin, and first found in a printed edition of works ascribed (probably incorrectly) to St. Bede the Venerable at Basel in 1563. 

http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Text/concerning_the_magi_and_their_na.htm

● Fact: The Magi did not visit Jesus on the night He was born.

Regardless of countless “nativity scenes” that place the Magi at the scene of Christ’s birth, it was not so. The sister in Christ mentioned above made this discovery while reading about Matt 2:11, which notes that the Magi met Jesus when He was a “child” living in a “house.” According to Matt 2:16, Jesus may have been as old as age two when these men arrived.

● Fact: The Feast of Epiphany, celebrated by many on January 6th each year to commemorate the Magi's visit, was unknown to the early church.

This feast, along with Christmas as a celebration of the birth of Christ, began much later than the first century. According to the Greek Orthodox Diocese of America, “The celebrations of Epiphany and Christmas, the writing of divine liturgies, the formulation of faith in the Creed, and so many other incidents are permanent foundations which took place during the 4th century and which developed as flowers springing from roots which had existed beforehand.”  

http://www.goarch.org/ourfaith/ourfaith8383/ 

● Fact: Numerous other “holy days,” not mentioned or authorized in the New Testament, have been invented and placed on the so-called “liturgical calendar.”

People who are quite familiar with “Christmas” and “Easter” may not be aware that these are just two examples. For a fuller list see:  

http://www.lectionarypage.net/CalndrsIndexes/Calendar2013.html. 

Please take a close look at that list. It’s fascinating. Should Christians today observe - as official church events - these dates? Some are designated for “The Transfiguration,” “Ash Wednesday,” “Lent,” “Presentation of Jesus in the Temple,” "Maundy Thursday," “The Annunciation," etc.

Most evangelical believers reject virtually all these events because they lack biblical authority. They do not observe Ash Wednesday, for example, or the season of Lent which begins on that day. Yet many choose to observe just Christmas and Easter, which originated from the same traditional source as these others.

● Fact: We do not know the date, the month, the season, or even the year of Christ’s birth.

One source notes: “Lacking any scriptural pointers to Jesus’s birthday, early Christian teachers suggested dates all over the calendar. Clement ... picked November 18. Hippolytus ... figured Christ must have been born on a Wednesday ... An anonymous document[,] believed to have been written in North Africa around A.D. 243, placed Jesus’s birth on March 28” (Joseph L. Sheler, U.S. News & World Report, “In Search of Christmas,” Dec. 23, 1996, p. 58).

● Fact: We do know how, when, and why the developing Roman Catholic Church began celebrating Christ’s birth and why their leaders chose December 25.

 “But by the early fourth century, Church leaders decided they needed a Christian alternative to rival popular solstice celebrations. They chose December 25th as the date of Christ’s birth and held the first recorded Feast of the Nativity in Rome in A.D. 336. Whether they did so intentionally or not, Church leaders directly challenged a fellow up-start religion by placing the nativity on December 25th. The Cult of Mithras celebrated the birth of their infant god of light on the very same day.

“Church leaders may have also had theological reasons for choosing the date of Dec. 25th. The Christian historian Sextus Julius Africanus had identified the 25th as Christ’s nativity more than a hundred years earlier. Chronographers reckoned that the world was created on the spring equinox and four days later, on March 25th, light was created. Since the existence of Jesus signaled a beginning of a new era, or new creation, the Biblical chronographers assumed Jesus’ conception would have also fallen on March 25th, placing his birth in December, nine months later.”

http://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/holidays/christmas4.htm:

Did you catch that? They even set a date for Jesus’ conception – March 25.

● Fact: Protestant leaders such as John Calvin opposed Christmas as an annual official holy day celebrating the birth of Christ.

The Presbyterian Heritage Center notes, “Presbyterians have not always celebrated Christmas. Separating themselves from the Roman Catholic Church practices, Protestant Reformation leaders were generally critical of the existing ‘feast and saint days’ of the Catholic Church.

“The celebration of Christmas became a point of contention among many Protestants. Reformation leader Martin Luther permitted the celebration of certain feast days, including Christmas. Other reformers, including John Calvin and John Knox, preferred to worship only where specifically commanded in the Bible.”

http://www.phcmontreat.org/Exhibit-Christmas.html

● Fact: Attendance at church assemblies is higher for annual Christmas services than for the “regular” every-Lord’s-Day services throughout the year.

On the one hand, some will say, “Isn’t that great! At least these many people come to church once a year. Perhaps something will be said or done at that time that will cause or encourage them to become disciples of Christ!” Others will say, “We should give the same emphasis to every Lord’s Day, and not perpetuate the notion that December 25 is somehow more holy or special than each Lord's Day throughout the year.”

● Fact: We are taught “as of first importance” that Christ died for our sins, that He was buried, that He rose again, and that He appeared. 1 Cor 15:1-8

Of course His birth is significant and worthy of note! We should never minimize any of the events connected with the coming and life of Christ. There are the prophecies, the virgin birth, the miracles, the Sermon on the Mount, the parables, the Transfiguration, and so much more. We should talk about, sing about, and think about these events often. “Joy to the World” is a powerful hymn any time of the year. Luke 2 is an inspiring passage to study in May as well as December. The fact remains, however, that the first-century church was never taught to have an official observance of any of these other events.

● Fact: There is only one memorial celebration that Jesus specifically instituted.

1 Co 11:23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Many people share the concern that there is more emphasis given to a non-biblical observance – Christmas – than there is given to the one biblical memorial that Jesus did authorize. If we put His specified instructions first we will gather at the Lord's table on the first day of every week. 

It can be noted that, without the birth (and other events), the death could not have occurred. Or that any emphasis on Christ in December, even if it misstates the date of His birth, is better than a purely secular commercial season. We can all be thankful – I certainly am – for the mention of Christ in December.

But the facts remain. It’s the blood that saves. It’s the cross that we commemorate. It’s simply the bread and the cup. No lights. No hype. No glitz. No fanfare.

So, whatever else we do, let’s meet at the table this Lord’s Day. His table. Every Lord’s Day. Because that’s just what He asked us to do.

The Sabbath or the Lord's Day?

Several friends have been talking recently with devout religious folks who believe that the seventh-day Sabbath is the day of Christian worship. Without questioning anyone's sincerity, this post attempts to address various points offered by various "Seventh-Day" proponents. These points are highlighted in gray below.

“God does not change.”

It is true that God's character is forever the same. However, God has in fact changed the practices in which we are to engage. Jesus declared all foods clean (Mark 7:19). Gentiles can become “children of Abraham” without being circumcised (Acts 10; Gal 2-3). Though Mosaic Law called for stoning adulterers (Dt 22:22), Jesus set an adulteress free and told her to sin no more (Jn 8:1-11). Gentile Christians were not required to observe the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, though these were "forever" items under the Law (Ex 12:14-17).

Principles do not change; practices do. Grace, faith, obedience, worship, sexual purity, etc. are as important as they have ever been. But the administration of these principles has changed.

“Acts 13, 15, 16, 17 and 18 refer to Christian observances of the Sabbath.”

Paul and Barnabas went to the synagogues to proclaim the gospel. None of these Sabbath gatherings was an assembly of Christians, but of Jews and God-fearing Gentiles.

The early church met on the first day of the week to break bread.

Ac 20:7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight.

It was during the first-day assembly that Christians gave.

1 Co 16:2 On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.

“The New Testament does not say that the Sabbath has been changed.”

Yes it does, actually. The New Testament declares that the Sabbath was part of the shadow of the reality that is found in Christ.

Col 2:16 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.

The New Testament fulfillment of the Sabbath is described in Hebrews 4. As God entered His rest after His six days of work in creation, Christians will enter our “Sabbath rest” in heaven after we finish our “six days” here on earth. The earthly Sabbath was a shadow or facsimile of the true Sabbath rest in heaven.

Heb 4:8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. 9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. 11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.

So the New Testament teaches that heaven is the fulfillment of the Sabbath. That’s why the church in the New Testament was never commanded to meet for worship on the Sabbath.

“The Catholic Church (not the apostles) changed the day in the fourth century.”

Actually, the significance of the first day of the week is evident in the first century.

In fact, the term “Lord’s Day” (see Rev 1:10) renders the Greek word kyriake. This is the word that the Greeks use still today for the first day of the week. The fact that, in the first century (in Revelation), the word “Lord’s Day” was already used, indicates that the first day of the week was the first-century day of worship for the church.

If the Catholics changed it in the fourth century, how could we find the following statements from the second century?

DIDACHE (AD 90-110): Having earlier confessed your sins so that your sacrifice may be pure, come together each Lord’s day, break bread, and give thanks. (14:1)

IGNATIUS (d. AD 110): If therefore those who lived according to the old practices came to the new hope, no longer observing the Sabbath but living according to the Lord’s day, in which also our life arose through him and his death (which some deny), through which mystery we received faith, and on account of which we suffer in order that we may be found disciples of Jesus Christ our only teacher, how shall we be able to live apart from him for whom even the prophets were looking as their teacher since they were his disciples in the spirit? (Magnesians 9)

PLINY (c. AD 112): [The Christians] affirmed, however, the whole of their guilt, or their error, was, that they were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang in alternate verses a hymn to Christ, as to a god, and bound themselves by a solemn oath, not to any wicked deeds, hut never to commit any fraud, theft or adultery, never to falsify their word, nor deny a trust when they should be called upon to deliver it up; after which it was their custom to separate, and then reassemble to partake of food—but food of an ordinary and innocent kind … (Letters Book X.xcvi, addressed to the Emperor Trajan)

BARNABAS (AD 130): Moreover God says to the Jews, “Your new moons and Sabbaths I cannot endure.” You see how he says, “The present Sabbaths are not acceptable to me, but the Sabbath which I have made in which , when I have rested from all things, I will make the beginning of the eighth day which is the beginning of another world.” Wherefore, we Christians keep the eighth day for joy, on which also Jesus arose from the dead and when he appeared ascended into heaven. (15:8f.)

JUSTIN (AD 150): We are always together with one another. And for all the things with which we are supplied we bless the Maker of all through his Son Jesus Christ and through his Holy Spirit. And on the day called Sunday there is a gathering together in the same place of all who live in a city or a rural district. …We all make our assembly in common on the day of the Sun, since it is the first day, on which God changed the darkness and matter and made the world, and Jesus Christ our Savior arose from the dead on the same day. For they crucified him on the day before Saturn’s day, and on the day after (which is the day of the Sun) he appeared to his apostles and taught his disciples these things. (Apology I, 67:1-3, 7)

JUSTIN (AD 150): There is no other thing for which you blame us, my friends, is there than this’ That we do not live according to the Law, nor are we circumcised in the flesh as your forefathers, nor do we observe the Sabbath as you do. (Dialogue with Trypho 10:1. In verse 3 the Jew Trypho acknowledges that Christians “do not keep the Sabbath.”)

The commandment of circumcision, requiring them always to circumcise the children on the eighth day, was a type of the true circumcision by which we are circumcised from error and evil through the resurrection from the dead on the first day of the week of Jesus Christ our Lord. For the first day of the week, although it is the first of all days, yet according to the number of the days in a cycle is called the eighth (while still remaining the first). (Dialogue 41:4)

JUSTIN (AD 150):

And on the day called Sunday there is a gathering together in the same place of all who live in a city or a rural district. The memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits. Then when the reader ceases, the president in a discourse admonishes and urges the imitation of these good things. Next we all rise together and send up prayers. And, as I said before, when we cease from our prayer, bread is presented and wine and water. The president in the same manner sends up prayers and thanksgivings according to his ability, and the people sing out their assent saying the “Amen.” A distribution and participation of the elements for which thanks have been given is made to each person, and to those who are not present it is sent by the deacons.

Those who have means and are willing, each according to his own choice, gives what he wills, and what is collected is deposited with the president. He provides for the orphans and widows, those who are in want on account of sickness or some other cause, those who are in bonds and strangers who are sojourning, and in a word he becomes the protector of all who are in need. (Apology I, 67)

The Catholics also take credit for producing the Bible! We should not be surprised to see that they claim to have originated other beliefs and practices. As noted earlier, observance of the Lord’s Day is noted frequently by second-century writers. Therefore, the Catholics could not have actually made this change in the fourth century, regardless of their claims.

For further information:

Research the “vision” of Ellen G. White, the Seventh-Day Adventist “prophet,” in which she reportedly saw the central significance of the Sabbath command. Note the following from this website: http://www.bible.ca/7-White-halo.htm.

Ellen G. White wrote under "inspiration" the following:

·                     In "Life Sketches of Ellen G. White," as published by the Adventists, we have this language relating Mrs. White's "vision" of the Sabbath day. "Elder Bates was resting upon Saturday, the seventh day of the week, and he urged it upon our attention as the true Sabbath. I did not feel its importance, and thought that he erred in dwelling upon the fourth commandment more than upon the other nine. But the Lord gave me a view of the heavenly sanctuary. The temple of God was opened in heaven, and I was shown the ark of God covered with the mercy seat. Two angels stood one at either end of the ark with their wings spread over the mercy seat and their faces turned toward it. This, my accompanying angel informed me, represented all the heavenly hosts looking with reverential awe toward the law of God; which had been written by the finger of God. Jesus raised the cover of the ark, and I beheld the tables of stone on which the Ten Commandments were written. I was amazed as I saw the fourth commandment in the very center of the ten precepts with a soft halo of light encircling it. Said the angel, 'It is the only one of the ten which defines the living God who created the heavens and the earth and all things that are there­in."' (Pages 95 and 96.)

·                     Ellen G. White recorded under "inspiration", "In the ark was the golden pot of manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of stone, which folded together like a book. Jesus opened them, and I saw the Ten Commandments written on them with the finger of God. On one table were Four and on the other six. The four on the first table shone brighter than the other six. But the fourth, the Sabbath commandment, shone above them all; for the Sabbath was set apart to be kept in honor of God's holy name. The holy Sabbath looked glorious ­ a halo of glory was all around it. I SAW THAT THE SABBATH COMMANDMENT WAS NOT NAILED TO THE CROSS. If it was, the other nine commandments were; and we are at liberty to break them all as well as to break the fourth. I saw that God had not changed the Sabbath, for he never changes. But the pope had changed it from the seventh day to the first day of the week; for he was to change times and laws." ("Early Writings of Ellen G. White," page 33.) Again on page 65 of the same book Mrs. White says, "The pope has changed the day of rest from the seventh to the first day."

Research further the early references to the first day of the week as the day of Christian worship. http://www.bible.ca/H-sunday.htm

It was the resurrection of Jesus, not the Catholic Church, that changed the day of worship. Many of His appearances took place on the first day of the week, the church began on the first day of the week, and the disciples gathered to break bread on the first day of the week. No wonder it, and not the Sabbath, is "the Lord's Day."