¶ Reevaluating Christmas Traditions
Coming up on Renewed Mindsets . As the Christmas season approaches , many of us find joy in decorating trees , hanging mistletoe and celebrating the arrival of Santa Claus . These traditions have become deeply ingrained in our holiday celebrations .
They're often as viewed as harmless fun , but today we're going to take a closer look at these beloved customs and ask the crucial question what does God think about them ? Let's go , boys . Hey , welcome to Renewed Mindsets , where we study the basics of the faith through the lens of our middle-aged experiences .
Basics of the faith through the lens of our middle-aged experiences . I'm Rick . Welcome to the show where I help you , gen Xers and Millennials , navigate spiritually through a world that looks nothing like we expected back when cars were square and mullets were totally awesome . I am so glad you're here . Welcome everybody .
Welcome back to another episode of Renewed Mindsets . I'm Rick and today , as always , I'm joined by Lauren .
Hi everyone . We are so thrilled you're here because we have a really special episode for you . Today . We're diving deep into something a lot of people don't even think twice about , and that's Christmas traditions .
That's right Now . Some of these traditions might seem innocent , but when we look closely we'll see that they might not align with God's word .
And a fair warning . We might stir the pot a little bit today . Some of the things we're going to talk about might be a little uncomfortable , but it's all in the spirit of growing closer to Christ .
So grab a cup of coffee or hot chocolate , settle in and let's get started . Section one questioning the familiar . So let's start with one of the most iconic symbols of Christmas the decorated tree . It's in every shopping mall , in every living room , in every Hallmark movie . But have we ever stopped to ask why ?
Exactly , and most people think of the Christmas tree as harmless or a festive decoration , but its origins might surprise you a little bit . In fact , there's a passage in the Bible that seems to describe something very , very similar , and not in a good way .
Oh , you're probably thinking of Jeremiah 10 . Now that passage warns against cutting down a tree decorating with silver and gold and propping it up . It's a practice barred from pagan cultures , and God was very clear . His people were not to follow those customs .
And even though some argue that this passage is about idol worship specifically , it raises one very important question If we're borrowing traditions with pagan roots , even unintentionally , are we really honoring God ?
Are we . I hear it . I hear bubbles getting burst everywhere , and that's true , because one of God's most important commands is be holy , because I am holy . We find that in Leviticus 1144 . We find it in 1 Peter , 116 . Holiness means being set apart 116 . Holiness means being set apart , living by God's standards and not blending worldly practices with our faith .
Now , lauren's going to talk more about this later in depth .
It's definitely worth reflecting on that . How often do we spend more effort on picking the perfect ornaments or lighting the tree than we do reflecting on the miracle of Christ's birth ?
Oh , you just stomping all over it . So as we think about these traditions , let's ask ourselves are they helping us to live out God's call to holiness or are they pulling us further from it ? Section two Santa Claus and materialism .
All right . So another big topic is going to be Santa Claus . This one is especially tough because , let's be honest , we all grew up loving the idea of Santa and I know you did , rick but where does he fit into a Christ-centered ?
Christmas .
Who ever heard ?
of a skinny Santa . I'm so sorry . Santa claus has become almost synonymous with christmas , but when we dig a little deeper , we realize that this tradition carries some concerning spiritual implications yes , that's exactly right , and santa is often portrayed as omniscient .
He sees you when you're sleeping , he knows when you're awake . Does that sound familiar ?
Sounds a little creepy .
Yeah , I agree , and that mirrors attributes that belong to God alone . Yes , exactly .
God is the only one who is truly omniscient , and when we attribute those qualities to Santa , even in a playful way , we dilute the holiness of God and it can confuse children about who is truly sovereign .
Plus Santa promotes a works-based system , rewarding kids based on behavior . That's the opposite of God's grace , which is freely given .
Yeah , and another thing that I just thought of . You know , we all know that Santa's not real , right , but we teach our kids this and then they that Santa's not real , right , but we teach our kids this and then they get to a certain age and we tell them we were lying .
Yep , but we've also been telling them about Jesus , hopefully , and at the same time , what's to make those kids not just believe that the , that Jesus isn't real ? I mean exactly , you know the parents are the ones that lied to them . So I mean I know people are , parents are the ones that lied to them .
So I mean I know people are out there rolling their eyes right now saying , well , they're just extremists . But we can't forget that Santa's origins are mixed in with mythology and even elements of folklore , that they conflict with biblical teaching . God warns us in Deuteronomy 18 , 10 through 12 to avoid anything that's connected to sorcery or divination .
Exactly and honestly Santa his origins , the person that he comes from . St Nicholas isn't exactly good . Well , he's evil .
Right ? Well , we don't worry about the saints anyway , right ?
And , if we're honest , santa often steals the spotlight . Families invest literally so much time preparing for Santa , but how much time do they spend honoring Christ ?
That's a good one . It's worth stepping back and asking is Santa helping us focus on Jesus ? Is Santa helping us and our children focus on Jesus or is ?
he a distraction . That's good , and when we remove Santa , we make more room for Christ , and that's the real magic of Christmas , something real and eternal , something that's going to last forever .
Yeah .
Section three other questionable traditions Okay , now let's talk about some other traditions , like mistletoe .
Mistletoe . Mistletoe has pagan origins . It was used in fertility rituals . So what do we use it for ? We hang it in our house and if two people are caught beneath it they kiss . I mean , that's pretty much a fertility ritual . Bringing that into our homes can mix worldly practices with our faith .
Yeah , I never really understood the whole mistletoe concept myself .
anyway , Because nobody wanted to kiss you .
I guess . So sorry , we can't put that in there , yeah .
I can .
No .
It's Christmas . It's a time for joyous laughter .
I know that's so sad .
I'm going to get roasted yeah , but you're at home with your brother and your parents . Who the heck you're gonna kiss ?
I'm gonna get roasted bad nobody listens go and let's not forget excessive feasting , oh yeah , feasting , oh yeah , feasting . Gratitude can easily turn into gluttony if we're not careful .
Thanks , lauren , you're welcome . Thank you , lauren , for calling me fat . I figured you needed to hear that Celebrations should honor God . Let's ask them or let's ask ourselves is this helping me grow in holiness ? Section four redeeming Christmas . So if we're stepping away from some traditions , how can we keep Christ at the center ?
Be intentional . A manger scene is a beautiful way to keep the focus on Jesus and , honestly , that's what me and my family do . We put up this gorgeous manger light straping . We'll put hay inside the manger . It's just as beautiful .
Yeah , and you don't have a tree to take down .
Exactly no , mess .
Well , we need to start traditions that include giving Now that will reflect God's generosity and bless others , especially those in need .
And worshiping is definitely key . Sing carols that celebrate Christ and read Luke 2 together as a family , or , in fact , just go ahead and read the entirety of Luke while you're at it .
Our churches . Start small , invest in traditions that honor God . Christmas doesn't have to look like the world's version of Christmas to be meaningful .
Right , and let's make this season about worship , gratitude and renewal . That's a Christmas worth celebrating , for sure .
It is , and as we get closer to Christmas I think we're a week away now , if you're listening to this on the day that it drops . Oh yeah , it's coming up . I thank you so much for listening and I hope that this conversation today inspires you to reflect on your Christmas traditions and ask do these honor God ?
And I also want you all to remember that it's not about perfection , it's about putting Christ first .
Yes , thank you for joining us . We love you . See ya , bye . And now a joyous Christmas tale . A woman takes her 16-year-old daughter to the doctor . The doctor says okay , mrs Jones , what's the problem ? The mother says it's my daughter , darla . She keeps getting these cravings , she's putting on weight and is sick most every morning .
The doctor gives Darla a good examination and then turns to the mother and says well , I don't know how to tell you this , but your Darla is pregnant About four months , would be my guess . The mother says well , I don't know how to tell you this , but your Darla is pregnant About four months , would be my guess . The mother says pregnant , she can't be .
She's never even been left alone with a man , have you Darla ? And Darla says no , mother , I've never even kissed a man . The doctor walked over to the window and just stares out of it . About five minutes pass and the mother finally says is there something wrong out there , doctor ? The doctor replies no , not really .
It's just that the last time anything like this happened , a star appeared in the east and three wise men came over a hill . And I'll be John Brown if I'm going to miss it this time .
¶ Living a Holy Life in Christ
All right . So let's talk about understanding holiness in our lives . So many of you have chosen to accept Christ as your Lord and Savior , but what comes next Like what comes after that ? Is that the end of the journey or is there more to it ? Can we just continue living as we did before now , safe from hell ?
Let's explore what the Bible says 1 Peter 1 , 13 through 16 . Prepare your minds for action . Be self-controlled . Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed . As obedient children , do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance . But just as he who called you is holy , so be holy in all you do .
For it is written be holy because I am holy . What is holiness ? When we think of holiness , some might imagine like a monk in a monastery or an elderly person constantly reading the Bible . But holiness is simply about being changed and set apart for God . 2 Corinthians 5.17 . Therefore , if anyone is in Christ , they are a new creation .
The old has gone , the new is here . Being in Christ makes us new , which means our lives should change after salvation . There must be a noticeable difference between our lives and the world's ways . Living a holy life . A holy life is one fully committed to God . God's holiness calls us to be holy too . There is no in between .
There is no half doing something . You're all in or you're all out . In John 5 , 5 , jesus healed a crippled man and later told him sin no more , lest a worse thing come unto thee . In John 8.11 , jesus forgave a woman caught in adultery and told her neither do I condemn thee , go and sin no more .
Both were restored to God and instructed to live differently after Applying holiness in our lives . Holiness isn't about being perfect , but it's about being serious in our commitment to God . It's following his commands and living a life pleasing to him . We should gather for worship and support each other , but that's just the start .
We need to take Christ with us everywhere , into our work , family , friendships , decisions and even small problems . A life given over to God might seem radical , but it leads to peace , joy and assurance . It aligns us with God's plan for us as well . We must reflect God's love to the world , showing differences in our behavior , goals and desires .
Our lives should visibly demonstrate our faith without needing lengthy explanations . Matthew 5.16, . Let your light shine before others that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven . How to live a holy life ? To live a holy life , we need to obey God completely and be filled with the Holy Spirit .
Living in sin grieves the Holy Spirit Accepting Christ as a choice , and so is living a holy life . This choice must be made daily . Remember we belong to Christ . Living a holy life is about constantly striving to align ourselves with God's will and reflecting His love to the world . Communicating with God .
Second , we need to communicate with our Lord in prayer , and not just once or twice a week , every single day , every moment you get , talk to him . He wants to be talked to like he's a friend . We should praise him , thank him , ask for his help and , most importantly , listen to him .
Even Jesus found it necessary to pray , sometimes all night long , if he needed it . How much more do we Immersing in God's word ? Third , we need to be immersed in God's word because it holds the answers . It is literally food for the spirit . It gives us direction , wisdom and understanding .
It's the most direct way God speaks to us , showing us the eternal principles of how to live a holy life in Christ Jesus , understanding holiness . Holiness isn't just a list of do's and don'ts . It's about conforming to the character of God and being obedient to his will . It's the natural result of salvation through Jesus Christ .
Holiness reflects the character and behavior of a new creature in him . It's the power of the Holy Spirit working in a life submitted to Almighty God . Holiness is what makes His church the city on a hill that cannot be hidden . Are we that church ?
Well , that's all for this week's show . You know the name of this show speaks my hope for you . It's taken from the words of Romans , chapter 12 , verse 2 . Do not be conformed to this world , but be transformed by the renewal of your mind that by testing , you may discern what is the will of God , what is good and acceptable and perfect .
If you enjoyed what you heard , do me a favor , please , and tell someone you know about it . Send them a link and a text you know . You may even need to download it to their phone and show them what a podcast is . If it was valuable to you , it will be to them . Visit renewedmindsetscom to hear past episodes . Read the blog and check out the new merch .
To hear past episodes , read the blog and check out the new merch . And , as always , while you're there , send me a voicemail by clicking the button at the bottom right corner of the main page . Tell me what you think about this show . I just might play it on a future episode . Until next week , I'm Rick . I love you .
¶ Podcast Music Licensing and Christmas Mishap
See ya . The intro and outro music for the Renewed Mindsets podcast is Are you Ready ? By Floodgate From the album Are you Ready ? By Floodgate From the album Are you Ready ? Copyright 2002 , offbeat Ministries Incorporated Floodgate can be found on Apple Music and iTunes Music used with permission .
Copyright 2002 , offbeat Ministries Incorporated Floodgate can be found on Apple Music and iTunes Music used with permission . But you went over the side of the cliff . Didn't I ever tell you about bumbles , bumbles , bounce .