For centuries, bells have been rung to announce the arrival of the Christmas season. They symbolize the announcement of the birth of Jesus when angels in heaven praised God and declared, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Luke 2:14
Candles are a tradition of Christmas. Before electricity they were used to light Christmas trees, as well as light for the home after dark. Today, we use them as decorations. We scent them with Christmas smells, pine, peppermint and others to make our homes smell like Christmas.
The Christian meaning of the candle is that Jesus is the light of the world. We no longer walk in darkness of sin when we accept Jesus as our Savior.
John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Mistletoe symbolizes the love we are able to offer to others only because of Christ who “first loves us.” This year, tell your kids 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 we need to rely on in order to find abundant life.
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.
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.
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.
May God bless you today and the throughout the New Year.
Luke 2:11
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
The night is cold and dark. Mary and Joseph know that the birth of the BABY is going to be soon. Mary is in pain, probably a little afraid. No sterile hospital, nurses or midwives for her. A smelly, animal filled stable is the birthplace for the KING of kings.
Was Joseph the only one in attendance or did he run for help? Unanswered questions about the birth of our SAVIOR. But this we do know… Mary was a person chosen by God to bring His SON into the world and she had the same physical pain and emotional feelings that we have. The Bible says Mary pondered these things in her heart.
Then the miracle. JESUS is born and they laid HIM in a manger. Mary did not know that 2000 years later we would celebrate the birth of her CHILD. So on this Christmas Eve remember the true meaning of Christmas and honor Him with your gift to Him. Give Him your love, time and service not just on Christmas but everyday.
Luke 2:7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
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. The song of the hosts of angels is very similar to the words sung during a sacrifice service in the temple when there were three blasts of the temple trumpets. 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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