40 Days With Jesus: Celebrating His Presence (Jesus Calling®)

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Don’t you love to look at Christmas lights around your community? Ever notice that it’s in darkness that their beauty shines best? The same is true for you. You best reflect Jesus, the Light of the World, when you shine for Him in the world. Perhaps this is the month you should share with your neighbor the hope you have in Christ. Consider volunteering at your local women’s shelter or looking into any number of opportunities available through your church or in your community. Grasp every occasion this season offers to share the light of Christ with someone walking in darkness. Remember, faith is not about following rituals and traditions perfectly; it's about understanding their significance and allowing them to bring you closer to God. Whether it's Christmas, Hanukkah, or any other religious holiday, what truly matters is the love, faith, and devotion they inspire in us. This story is one of the most important of all stories for Christians and a really important part of the celebration of Christmas...

Yom Hagadol – “Great Day” – This phrase is often used to describe a birthday that is particularly significant or special.Play the video. It includes a short introduction to the Christian religion before telling the story of the birth of Jesus (the 'nativity'). The video ends with the words: '...Christians celebrate Jesus's birthday as one of their main holy days - Christmas Day.' John 10:33 tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here again the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders. See the notes on the phrase “Jewish people” in v. 19 and “Jewish leaders” in vv. 24, 31. Christmas can be stressful. With the added pressures of buying gifts, hosting parties, and attending events, Christmas can be a stressful time of year. The Bible does not contain any explicit instructions or prohibitions regarding celebrating birthdays, though there are a few references to birthdays in the Bible. Day of Jubilee (Leviticus 25:8-17): The Day of Jubilee is a Jewish holiday that marks the end of the sabbatical cycle. It is observed with a special meal and the reciting of prayers.

Others view Hanukkah as an exclusively Jewish holiday, and while they may respect and appreciate the festival, they do not see it as a part of their Christian observances. Some Christian denominations discourage celebrating non-Christian holidays altogether, while others leave the decision to individual discretion. Guru Nanak’s Birthday (November 23rd): Sikhs celebrate the birthday of their founder, Guru Nanak, on the tenth day of the Kartik month. This day is known as Guru Nanak Jayanti and is celebrated with prayer, devotional singing and feasts. Yom Simcha – “Day of Celebration” – This phrase is often used to describe a more festive birthday celebration.Ask children to think about why it is so important to Christians that this story is remembered every year and what they think the most important part of the story is. Among countries with a strong Christian tradition, a variety of Christmas celebrations have developed that incorporate regional and local cultures. TEACHER: This is remembered most significantly for Christians as it is a reminder that Jesus gave up his life and body to God for our sins. For some Christians, these words are even said in Mass as a reminder of the Last Supper. Because Jesus said to remember him, Christians take lessons from Jesus' actions by doing kind things for each other.

The Bible does not directly answer this question, but it does provide several passages that can help us to form an opinion. For example, James 4:13-14 states that “go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” This passage reminds us to live each day to the fullest and to not take our lives for granted. Bible Verses About Birthdays Following the Protestant Reformation, many of the new denominations, including the Anglican Church and Lutheran Church, continued to celebrate Christmas. [108] In 1629, the Anglican poet John Milton penned On the Morning of Christ's Nativity, a poem that has since been read by many during Christmastide. [109] [110] Donald Heinz, a professor at California State University, states that Martin Luther "inaugurated a period in which Germany would produce a unique culture of Christmas, much copied in North America." [111] Among the congregations of the Dutch Reformed Church, Christmas was celebrated as one of the principal evangelical feasts. [112] The temple which meant so much to the Jewish people was merely a temporary fixture until the coming of this true temple. To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die…”

The debate: Do Christians celebrate Hanukkah today?

Many popular customs associated with Christmas developed independently of the commemoration of Jesus' birth, with some claiming that certain elements are Christianized and have origins in pre-Christian festivals that were celebrated by pagan populations who were later converted to Christianity; other scholars reject these claims and affirm that Christmas customs largely developed in a Christian context. [87] [22] The prevailing atmosphere of Christmas has also continually evolved since the holiday's inception, ranging from a sometimes raucous, drunken, carnival-like state in the Middle Ages, [88] to a tamer family-oriented and children-centered theme introduced in a 19th-century transformation. [89] [90] The celebration of Christmas was banned on more than one occasion within certain groups, such as the Puritans and Jehovah's Witnesses (who do not celebrate birthdays in general), due to concerns that it was too unbiblical. [91] [92] [93] Christmas can be overwhelming. With so many activities and events to attend, people often feel overwhelmed and exhausted by the end of the holiday season.