Mistletoe symbolizes the love we are able to offer to others only because of Christ who “first loves us.”
This year, tell family and friends about the true meaning of mistletoe.
Be sure to let them know that the corresponding kiss is a symbol of peace, romance and the love of a Heavenly Father who sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross, was buried and rose again on the third day, as the payment for all our sins.
God’s love for us is the true meaning of Christmas.
1 John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.
In Indiana, a candy maker wanted to make a candy that could be a reminder of Jesus Christ, so he made the Christmas candy cane.
He started off with a stick of pure white hard candy. The white color symbolized the virgin birth and the sinless nature of Jesus, and the hard candy symbolized the solid rock which was the foundation of the church, and firmness of the promises of God.
The candy maker made the candy in the form of a J, which represented the name of Jesus and the staff of the Good Shepherds.
He then stained it with three stripes which showed the scourging Jesus received, and symbolized the blood shed by Christ on the cross.
When you break the cane, it reminds us that Jesus’ body was broken for us.
John 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
The wreath has significant meaning for the season. It’s circular shape represents eternity, for it has no beginning and no end.
For a Christian, it represents an unending circle of life. The evergreen, most frequently used in making wreathes, symbolizes growth and everlasting life.
And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one. John 10:28-30
One of the beautiful symbols of Christmas is the pointsettia plant that we like to decorate with for the holiday. In Florida and other warm climates the plants grow and bloom in December.
The shape reminds us of the star that led the wise men to Bethlehem to worship Jesus.
The red color the precious blood of Jesus, shed for us, the only we can have our sins forgiven. White plants, a symbol of Jesus’ purity.
The poinsettia, a wonderful reminder of the true meaning of Christmas.
1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
In all the hustle and bustle of this busy season, sometimes the person we forget is Jesus.
We think about family and friends. Shopping, presents, parties and feasts. The most important person gets pushed to the background.
It is important to keep Christ in Christmas. Do not neglect Bible reading and prayer. We can get so caught up in festivities that our enemy can slip in and take away our joy and fellowship with Jesus.
25 days until Christmas. To some that is exciting. Children waiting, anxiously waiting. Will it ever come.
Moms and Dads are thinking, so soon and so much to do.
Older folks may not welcome the day so much. Maybe they are alone or away from loved ones.
Whatever your expectations about Christmas, it will come.
Looking back to the birth of. Jesus. He was expected for years. People looked forward to His coming. When He did enter the world it was not as a king as they expected, but as a little baby in a lowly manger.
He was born to die. He grew up, died on a cross and rose again. Then after appearing to many He ascended into Heaven.
He will return. This time as King. Are you looking and waiting? Just like Christmas past, Jesus is coming again!
The Christmas story did not end with the birth of Jesus. That was just the beginning. The Bible records little about baby Jesus. We know He was taken to the temple to be dedicated to the Lord when Mary’s time of purification was over as the law of Moses commanded. A sacrifice of a pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons.
While at the temple Mary and Joseph met two people. Today we will talk about Simeon.
He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying,
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. Luke 2:29-32
The account of the wise men who came to worship Jesus is found in Matthew 2:1-12. Tradition says they were three kings who came from the east but the country they came from is not mentioned. They were thought to be 3 because of the number of gifts and kings because of the value of the gold, frankincense and myrrh.
They followed a star which appeared in the heavens until they came to Jerusalem and inquired of Herod where the King was born. Herod wanted to know more about this baby and asked the wise men to bring news of His whereabouts when they found Him. They continued to follow the star, presented their gifts and worshiped Jesus.
Jesus was not in the manger at the time the wise men found him, as is often pictured in Christmas cards and manger scenes, but was now a young child as the Bible states. Probably about 2 years old or a little younger and was in a house with Mary his mother. Then being warned in a dream the wise men went a different way back to their country and did not report to Herod.
There is a saying,”Wise men still seek Him”. Are you seeking Jesus? What He wants is our desire to follow Him as the wise men followed the star and to worship Him and give the gift of ourselves to Him. Are you wise?
Matthew 2:1-2 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him
At the time Jesus was born, sheep farmers were seen as low or little value by other people. The sheep that they bred would have probably been used as sacrifice animals in the temple in near-by Jerusalem. They were quietly getting on with their own business when suddenly Angels appeared to them. It is not surprising they were afraid!
The angels words to them told them of Jesus and his amazing birth and how they could recognise him in a very crowded town. This is only the second time in the whole Bible that a group of angels rather than one angel had appeared to people, so this proved that they had a very important message to give to them. We don’t know the names of the angels or how many there were of them, but in the Bible it says that there are millions of angels – so it would have been an amazing experience!
Being curious as to what the angels meant, they went down into Bethlehem, maybe leaving a shepherd or two behind to keep guard on the sheep.
When they had found and told Mary and Joseph what had happened to them, it says that ‘The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.’ The people they told probably weren’t just the people they saw on the way back to hills, but friends and relatives in Bethlehem and Jerusalem and the people they met in the temple when they took their sheep to be sold.
Luke 2:15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
Center for Evangelists 
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