Paul’s Theology
Lesson 55

Christmas
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New	  Testament	  Accounts	  

Ma0hew	  

Luke	  

BUT	  NO	  CHRISTMAS	  
CELEBRATION!	  

New	  Testament	  Accounts	  
Ma0hew	  

New	  Testament	  Accounts	  
Ma0hew	  

“She	  was	  found	  to	  be	  with	  child	  from	  the	  
Holy	  Spirit”	  

New	  Testament	  Accounts	  
Ma0hew	  

“She	  will	  bear	  a	  son,	  and	  you	  shall	  call	  his	  name	  
Jesus,	  for	  he	  will	  save	  his	  people	  from	  their	  sins”	  

And	  they	  shall	  call	  him	  Immanuel	  
O	  Come,	  O	  come	  
Immanuel	  
And	  ransom	  
capKve	  Israel	  
That	  mourns	  in	  lonely	  
exile	  here	  
UnKl	  the	  Son	  of	  God	  
appear	  
Rejoice!	  Rejoice!	  
Immanuel	  shall	  come	  to	  
thee,	  O	  Israel.	  

New	  Testament	  Accounts	  
Ma0hew	  

Wise	  men	  from	  the	  East	  …	  
“We	  saw	  his	  star!”	  

We	  Three	  Kings	  
We	  three	  kings	  of	  
orient	  are	  
Bearing	  giSs	  we	  
traverse	  afar	  
Field	  and	  fountain	  
Moor	  and	  mountain	  
Following	  yonder	  star	  

New	  Testament	  Accounts	  
Ma0hew	  

Flight	  to	  Egypt	  and	  slaughter	  of	  the	  
innocents	  

New	  Testament	  Accounts	  

Luke	  

The	  background	  of	  John	  the	  BapKst	  

New	  Testament	  Accounts	  

Luke	  

The	  angel	  Gabriel	  visits	  Mary	  

New	  Testament	  Accounts	  

Luke	  

Mary	  and	  Elizabeth	  visit	  
	  The	  Magniﬁcat	  

The	  Magniﬁcat	  
And	  Holy,	  proclaims	  tihe	  is	  
My	  soul	   Holy,	  Holy	   s	  h
greatness	  of	  the	  Lord	  
name	  
And	  my	  spirit	  exalts	  in	  
God	  my	  Savior	  
For	  he	  has	  looked	  with	  
mercy	  on	  my	  lowliness	  
And	  my	  name	  will	  be	  
forever	  exalted	  
For	  the	  mighty	  God	  has	  
done	  great	  things	  
His	  mercy	  will	  reach	  from	  
age	  to	  age	  

New	  Testament	  Accounts	  

Luke	  

“In	  those	  days,	  a	  decree	  went	  out	  from	  
Caesar	  Augustus…	  There	  was	  no	  room	  
at	  the	  inn”	  

Away	  in	  a	  Manger	  
Away	  in	  a	  manger	  no	  crib	  
for	  a	  bed	  
The	  li0le	  Lord	  Jesus	  laid	  
down	  his	  sweet	  head	  
The	  stars	  in	  the	  sky	  
looked	  down	  where	  he	  
lay	  
The	  li0le	  Lord	  Jesus	  
asleep	  on	  the	  hay	  

New	  Testament	  Accounts	  

Luke	  

“For	  unto	  you	  is	  born	  this	  day	  in	  the	  
city	  of	  David	  a	  Savior	  who	  is	  Christ	  the	  
Lord”	  

Angels	  We	  Have	  Heard	  on	  High	  
Angels	  we	  have	  heard	  on	  
high	  
Sweetly	  singing	  o’er	  the	  
plains	  
And	  the	  mountains	  in	  
reply	  
Echoing	  their	  joyous	  
strains	  
Gloria	  in	  excelsis	  Deo	  
[Glory	  to	  God	  in	  the	  Highest]	  

New	  Testament	  Accounts	  

Luke	  

“They	  brought	  him	  up	  to	  Jerusalem	  to	  
present	  him	  to	  the	  Lord”	  

No	  early	  Church	  celebraKon	  

Why	  December	  25?	  
The	  “History	  of	  Religions”	  hypothesis	  

Why	  December	  25?	  
The	  “CalculaKon”	  hypothesis	  

Now	  add	  9	  months	  

March	  25	  

For	  a	  while,	  January	  6	  
December	  
25	  

January	  
6	  

For	  a	  while,	  January	  6	  
December	  
25	  

12	  days	  

January	  
6	  

1100’s	  
Christ’s	  Mass	  

Christmas	  

1223	  

St.	  Francis	  of	  Assisi	  

The	  Puritan’s	  ReacKon	  

“We	  wish	  you	  a	  
merry	  Christmas”	  

Enter	  civil	  unrest	  in	  New	  York	  
1809	  
Feast	  of	  St.	  Nicolas	  

Enter	  civil	  unrest	  in	  New	  York	  
1810	  
Feast	  of	  St.	  Nicolas	  
“Sinter	  Claas”	  in	  Dutch!	  
1821	  
Washington	  Irving	  
1822	  
Clark	  Clement	  Moore	  

Montgomery	  Wards?	  

1939	  Robert	  May	  
1949	  Gene	  Autry	  

Points	  for	  Home	  
“Unto	  you	  is	  born	  this	  day	  in	  the	  
city	  of	  David	  a	  Savior,	  who	  is	  
Christ	  the	  Lord”	  
Lk	  2:11	  
Glory	  to	  God	  in	  the	  highest!	  

Points	  for	  Home	  
He	  was	  given	  “the	  name	  Jesus,	  
because	  he	  will	  save	  his	  people	  
from	  their	  sins”	  
Mt	  1:21	  

Points	  for	  Home	  
“Glory	  to	  God	  in	  the	  highest,	  and	  
on	  earth	  peace	  among	  those	  with	  
whom	  	  he	  is	  pleased”	  
Lk	  2:14	  
Merry	  Christmas!	  

