CAN YOU IMAGINE…

Can you imagine Peter and John planning birthday activities for Jesus, so later Paul could write that Christ said as often as we do this we show remembrance of Him until He comes again?

Written by Christopher Mentzer

I’m sure you remember this story. Shortly after his Sermon on the Mount, our savior went through and healed many people (see Matt. 8). Meanwhile Peter and John with James got together and decided to throw Jesus a surprise birthday party as thanks for all the wisdom he has imparted to them. And you know that years later when the apostle Paul wrote a letter to the Corinthian brethren, he encouraged that congregation to continue to celebrate The Lord’s birthday on a yearly basis “…in remembrance of him.” (1 Cor. 11) And they were to do so “…until he comes again.”

As absurd as this sounds, men have devised such a scripture for themselves. The celebration of Jesus’ birthday on December 25^th has been around for the last several centuries and although there is no book, chapter or verse to support such a celebration most people continue to do so because they “feel it is the right thing to do”. Or they say, “It doesn’t have to be in the Bible…” In fact a Catholic priest was quoted saying, “The fact that something does not appear in the Bible is not proof that it is false.”

This would explain why people believe the forbidden fruit was an apple, there were three wise men who visited the baby Jesus and that the devil used to be an angel named Lucifer. All of this information was given to us by the invention of men. Here’s what the apostle Paul said about the wisdom of men, “4. And my speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5. that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” (1 Cor. 2: 4-5)

To follow the wisdom of men on this point would allow us to follow men’s wisdom for everything else. It is simply the appeal to things of the flesh; they’d rather fill the belly than the spirit (Phil. 3: 19; Rom. 14: 17)

It is very important to speak where the Bible speaks and to be silent where the Bible is silent. The apostle Peter wrote, “if any man speaketh, `speaking' as it were oracles of God; is any man ministereth, `ministering' as of the strength which God supplieth: that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, whose is the glory and the dominion for ever and ever.” (1 Pet. 4: 11) The only way to “speak as the oracles of God” is by following the Word of God.

If it doesn’t have to be in the Bible to be true then why did Jesus tell the apostles, “…observe all things whatsoever I commanded you…” (Matt. 28: 20)? Where are the examples of this celebration in the New Testament?

We must adhere to what the Bible tells us. As Jesus said in John 4: 23-24, “23. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth: for such doth the Father seek to be his worshippers. 24. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” If you truly consider yourself a disciple, you will continue in His word (John 8: 31).

Based on an article by Larry Ray Hafley