Amen, so the title of the sermon tonight is pine trees and pagans pine trees and pagans and I'm preaching this
You know and you usually hear someone somewhere
Along the line about this this time of year because there is a teaching out there
That's pretty prevalent one that I've come across multiple times even in Baptist churches
that having a Christmas tree or you know a pine tree in your home is somehow a
pagan practice and where people get that is in Jeremiah chapter 10, if you look there in verse 1 it says
Hear ye the word of the Lord
Which the Lord speaketh unto you Oh house of Israel
Thus saith the Lord learn not the ways of the heathen and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven
For the heathen are dismayed at them for the customs of the people are vain
For one cut at the tree out of the forest the work of his though or the work of the hands of the work
Men with the axe they deck it with silver and with gold
They fasten it with nails and with hammers that it move not now normally when you'll run across people that teach this that
Pine trees or Christmas trees are pagan
that's as far as they read in this chapter and
You can kind of see especially if you've never really studied it out or you're newly saved
You've just never learned how maybe you could get that out of this
You could kind of see where they're going with that
but we have to understand is that that's a bad way to establish doctrine is to just isolate verses in the Bible and
Derive, you know some doctrine from it, you know in a couple other examples of this would be you know
1st Corinthians 15 you don't have to turn there. We could isolate verse 29 where it says else
What shall they do that are baptized for the dead if the dead rise not at all?
Why then are they baptized for the dead, you know, and these are questions that Paul is asking, right?
Of course, there's the context there but doesn't the Mormon Church do exactly that you say nobody gets baptized for the dead
Well, the Mormon Church does they will baptize you for your dead ancestors. Okay, and and there's that's a whole nother sermon
So I'm just using these verses to kind of point out that that's a bad way to
Establish doctrine to just isolate verses and take them out of context. You have to get the context. Okay
James 2 is another one. We're probably all familiar with you know, you do any soul winning
this is another one that you know, the the
Mormons and others love to turn to right but wilt out know a vain man that faith without works is dead
You know and they'll say see you got to have works to get safe
So you can see the danger of isolating verses and not preaching them within the context of the scripture
And what we see here in Jeremiah chapter 10
Is that what Jeremiah is referring to that the customs of the people that are vain is not just the cutting down of a pine
Tree, but it's actually the work of making a literal idol out of that pine tree and worshiping it as a god
Okay, that's the sin that's taking place here
So if you look there verse 5 it goes on it says they are upright as the palm tree but speak not right he's talking about
The tree that they cut down for they may not speeds born because they cannot go and say look it's a tree
It doesn't have feet. It can't walk be not afraid of them for hey, can I they cannot do evil?
They can't bring you any harm
You should there's no reason to be afraid of an idol because it's not gonna be able to do anything to you. It's dead
It's dumb. Neither. Also is it in them to do good
Then you know that that stock that you're worshiping isn't gonna bless you either because it's just a stupid tree
You know, I can't do anything
For as much as not there is none like unto thee or Lord
Oh Lord thou art great and thy name is great in might so he's saying the offense here is not the cutting down of a
Tree, it's the worshiping of it in lieu of worshiping the true and living God who actually can do you good and can do
You evil, okay
He says in verse 7 who would not fear the O king of nations for to do the for to thee doth it appertaining
For as much as among all the wise men of the nations and in all their kingdoms
There's none like unto thee but they are altogether brutish
What's who is brutish the stock right that they're cutting down and foolish the stock is a doctrine of vanities
So again, what is that? What is the what is the vanity here?
What are the customs of the people that are vain it said in verse 3?
It's the stock of the the stock is a doctrine of vanities
That's what the vanity is here this cutting down of a stock, you know
A stock just means basically a stump right if you have a stock of wood
You have a stock of a tree you have like a you know a stump of the tree
Now look at verse 9. Okay, because this is where you see what's really going on here in this passage
Silver is spread into plates
It's brought from Tarshish and gold from Eufaz the workmen of the work the work of the workmen and of the hands of
The founder blue and purple is their clothing now whose whose clothing is it? It's the stock
Okay, they are all the work of cunning men
So again, it's you know when you going back to Jeremiah
Verse 4 it says they deck it with silver and with gold. That's not referring to
Putting, you know ornaments on a tree or putting tinsel on it or a bell or some kind of a you know
A little ornament that you would put on there. That's silver gold. That's not what that's referring to
This is referring to you know
This whole passage you'll see is when they're carving an idol out of it making some kind of an image and then
Overlaying it with gold
That's why it says they deck it with silver and with gold verse 4
They fasten it with nails and with hammers that it moved not what are they fastening?
They're fastening the silver and the gold to the wood so that it doesn't move. Okay, they're overlaying it with gold
Going back to verse 10, but the Lord is the true God
He is the living God and an everlasting king at his wrath shall the earth tremble and the nation shall not be able to
abide his indignation
Thus shall say unto them the gods that have not made heavens the heavens and earth even they shall perish from the earth
He's saying look your false gods are gonna perish these stocks these things that you're worshipping are going to perish
He hath made the earth by his power
He hath established the world by his wisdom and he has stretched out the heavens by his discretion when he utter at his voice
There's a multitude of waters in the heavens and it caused that the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth
He may get the lightnings with rain and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasure
So you can see again what Jeremiah is doing here, right?
He's making a real clear distinction between that which is false and that which is true
He's making a distinction between these idols and the true and living God
You can understand how this would upset God because God has the power to do all these things, right?
He can cause the vapors to ascend from the earth
He may get the lightnings and rains and bring it forth the wind out of his treasures
You know
These are the things that God does the true and living God and this is saying, you know
Idolatry obviously is something that is very offensive to the Lord. It'd be no different
I've used this analogy before, you know
if I came home from work one day and my children had made taken some play-doh and
shaped a little man and said that's my dad now and
That's who pays the bills and that's who puts food on the table and I and they just totally ignoring me
Hey kids, can I get a hug and they just act like I'm not even there
But they're you know, they're lavishing this this little play-doh doll with all kinds of affection, right?
That's that's the offense of idolatry
So the sin here is not necessarily just you know
The cutting down of a tree and bringing it into your house or or even decorating it's the worshiping of it
That is an offense to God. Okay
If you go on there verse 14
Every man is brutish in his knowledge
Every founder is confounded with abide the graven image for his molten image is falsehood and there is no breath in them
They are vanity and the work of errors. So they these these these idols that's what the vanity is. That's the air
Making a literal idol out of a piece of wood and covering it decking it with gold and silver
Bowing down and worshiping it. Okay
Verse 16 the portion of Jacob is not like them
For he is the former of all things and Israel is the rod of his inheritance. The Lord of hosts is his name
So, you know nowhere in here. Is it making it crystal clear that that you know a Christmas tree or
wreaths or
What's those red ones the I can never say it poinsettias. Is that right? Did I say it right Wow?
Poinsettias any of these things are pagan in practice now
Is there a is there some pagan practice that goes back many thousands of years where people would bring?
Plants into their temples and homes. Yes, there is but you know
Even as an unsaved kid growing up and an unsaved young person who grew up with Christmas trees in their house every single year
Not once as an unsaved person that I feel compelled to bow down and worship that tree
You know, that's not the problem people had to be instructed to do that because the problem is not the tree
It's the worshipping of it. Okay. Now if you would go over to Isaiah chapter 44
Because what's really the problem here is is the idolatry right is the problem that somebody brought a plant into a house
No
Because how I mean, you know, well, let's just look at Isaiah chapter 44 because that's the you know
that if you were gonna take that kind of approach to Jeremiah chapter 10 and
Say that you know, the problem here is is that they're bringing in a stock. They're bringing in a tree and decorating it
That's the problem
Then you have to apply that same logic to Isaiah chapter 44
Where you have another case of people that are doing things in order to what make idols
If you look there in verse 9, it says they make agreement graven image
excuse me, they that make a graven image are all are all of them vanity and
Their delectable things shall not profit and they are and they are excuse me, and they are their own witnesses
They see not nor know that they may be ashamed
Who hath formed a God or a molten or a goal or a molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?
Behold all his fellows shall be ashamed and the workmen they are men
Let them all be gathered together. Let them stand up yet. They shall fear then they shall be ashamed together now look here
Remember what we're doing
We're taking the same logic that the people have towards Jeremiah chapter 10 about oh, it's just the bringing in of a tree
It's the cutting down of a tree. It's the decorating of a tree
It's just this action of just you know, bringing in a plant basically in your house. It's a problem
Let's apply that same logic here
Okay
It says the Smith with his tongs both work at verse 12 in the coals and fashion it with the hammers and work it
With the strength of his arms. Yeah, he is hungry and his strength faileth
He drinketh the water and it's faint
So he's saying you have this guy that's working really hard as a Smith right beating out the gold
Melting down the silver making a shape out of it
So, you know if we're gonna apply that same logic does that mean being a blacksmith is pagan?
No, it doesn't but it's something that pagans did isn't it? It's something that heathens did
You know, here's the thing about this pagans did a lot of things, you know
There's probably a lot of pagans and heathens today that do a lot of same things that we do right now
I mean, I wonder how many heathens and pagans have indoor plumbing or drive a car, you know
Or do all the things that we do, you know, we can't isolate just this one thing and say well
it's associated with paganism in some way and
You know if so fact it will therefore if we have a Christmas tree, we're pagan and look
I'm not against people that don't have Christmas trees. That's fine
That's a personal decision, but I've seen people get militant with this
You know, I haven't seen this in this church. Praise God, but I I've known people that have like written letters to the pastor
Quit the church because he didn't agree with them. I mean a good church and they're just like, you know
We agree with everything. We're King James
They're right down the line
But they said but just this one thing about the Christmas tree and he didn't even have a Christmas tree
And it wasn't even like he had one in the church
you know, he just didn't agree with them and they quit church over things like this and
People make a real and we'll get into why here in a minute why people take such a strong stand about this sometimes
And but again, I'm not against people that are that I'm neutral in the matter
If you want one or don't want one, that's up to you
It's personal decision. The problem is is that a lot of times people that don't that that refuse it are
They a lot of times turn on people that don't and say well if you have a Christmas tree
You must be pagan, you know, you're wicked you're in sin
Okay, and really whether you're militant about or not. That is kind of what's insinuated, isn't it?
If I were just to say well, you know
I don't you told me about some just harmless activity that you do and I said, well, I don't do that because that's wicked
Didn't I just call you wicked?
Let me see how that works
So you got to make sure that's why it's important that we you know
We get our doctrines and the things that we believe from the Bible and not just portions of it
But from the whole counsel of the Word of God, okay
So he says there the Smith with his tongs both worketh in the coals and fashioning with hammers and worketh in the strength
Of his arms. He is hungry and his strength faileth
He drinketh the water and his faint the carpenter stretch it out his ruled. What's he talking about? Like a measuring tape, right?
Hey, you know what measuring tapes are pagan now because they use measuring tapes to make idols
So all you guys that work with measuring tapes, you got to get rid of those. You got to find some other way
You know, maybe maybe measuring tapes. All right, because he's talks about a rule. Maybe he's just referring to a ruler, right?
But that's the I know I'm being kind of silly here and I'm not trying to be a jerk about this
But that is the logic if you're gonna take that from Jeremiah 10, you have to apply it here
And say well, you know, it's it's idolatrous because you know, it's a tree and you decorated it
That's that's a pagan practice. No it the worshiping down and
Bowing down and worshiping a literal graven image. That's what's going on there. Okay, that's what the sin is
Otherwise all these other things, you know, we have to condemn go down to verse 16
He burneth part thereof in the fire with a part thereof. He eateth flesh
He roasted that, you know, he's talking about the the wood that he cut down, right?
He makes an idol out of one part of it
Then he burns another part of it in the fire to eat his food
He roasted that he roasted roast and is satisfied and you know, so roast is pagan now
Sorry, you know pot roast is my favorite meal. My wife makes sorry, honey. No more
He warmeth himself and say it. Aha. I am warm. I have seen fire anybody who has a wood furnace
Pagan, okay, and look I'm not and I know I'm being kind of silly about it. But again
This is where people go with this pretty soon. Everything's pagan
You know, you know everything becomes pretty certain colors are pagan certain shapes are pagan certain numbers are pagan
It's because we live in a fallen world
You know, we we're surrounded by people who do pagan things, but that doesn't mean everything that they do is suddenly off-limits to us
Because look there's a lot of things a lot of practical things that we would have to just
No longer do if we apply use this type of logic, okay
So that was just kind of an example of that
So again going back to Jeremiah 10, what is the problem there?
Is it the fact that they just cut down a tree and brought it inside and decorated if that's the problem?
No, it's the fact that they cut it down
They fashioned an idol out of it then overlaid it with gold and silver and bowed down and worshiped it now
Look would so at what point would a Christmas tree be?
Sinful for me if I actually started to worship it as a god then it would be sin
I would agree with you, but I could say that about any object, you know, my wife has you know
I got her a nice little ivy plant for Mother's Day, you know, I brought a plant in the house
Okay that there's nothing wrong with that, right?
But what if I started to worship that plant, you know, of course, that'd be sinful, you know
If you catch me at Christmas time, you know offering the Christmas tree a cup of eggnog
You know cutting the fruitcake for it and leaving it out and saying this is for the Christmas tree
The God of the Christmas tree you'd have something there
Okay, but that you know, nobody does that no one's worshipping these Christmas trees
Now that's not to say that there isn't a you know a
History of pagan practice when it comes to plants. All right, and I'm gonna read to you and I and I know it's late
But just stick with me here. Okay, I'm gonna read to you from this
Article, all right, and this is from the history channel calm
Not only are they a cable news network or if you want to call it news, right?
They also have a website apparently
But you know there there were the ancient Egyptians
They worshiped a god called Ra who had the head of a hawk and wore the Sun as a blazing disc in his crown at
The solstice when Ra began to recover from his illness the Egyptians filled their home with green palm rushes
Okay, so this wasn't even fir trees. This is just a palm rush
Which symbolized for them the triumph of life over death?
But look, is that what we're doing when we bring in any type of a house plant?
Is that what we're doing we're bringing any kind of a Christian that way it symbolizes some false god for us
Of course not you could talk about the early Romans. They marked the solstice with a feast called
Saturnalia in honor of Saturn the god of agriculture
The Romans knew that the solstice means that this that soon farms and orchards would be green and fruitful to mark the occasion
They decorated their homes and temples with evergreen bows. So yeah pagans did do this type of thing
They would bring in the bows of trees not even a whole tree
They would just cut off lop off the bows and they would just pin them up on the walls or whatever and their homes in
their temples
Northern European in Northern Europe the mysterious druids the priests of ancient Celts also decorated their temples
With evergreen bows as a symbol of everlasting life the fierce Vikings and Scandinavia
Thought that evergreens were the special plant of the Sun God
Balder and I didn't make that name up. That was the name of the god balder
I don't know. Maybe he was a little shy on top. I don't know
But look does that mean that every evergreen tree is now pagan every palm tree is now pagan
Just because some pagans did it. I wonder what else the Egyptians did what else the Romans did
What else the Vikings did and their pagan practices that we pay no attention to and I'm going somewhere with it with this
So just stick with me. Okay, so when did Christmas trees become more of a just traditional Christmas type of thing
Well that happened with you know
the Germans the Germans are the ones that are credited with starting the Christmas tree tradition as
We now know it in the 16th century when devout Christians brought decorated trees into their homes
So they weren't lopping off bows like the pagans were you know?
But then again, even if they did if they just said hey
I want to hang up some bows of evergreen in my hallway or whatever
Just because it smells nice. There would be nothing wrong with that because they're not worshipping it
They're not using it to acknowledge some false god, okay
But they're the ones actually brought whole trees into their homes some built Christmas
Christmas pyramids of wood and decorated them with evergreens and candles if wood was scarce
It is widely held belief that Martin Luther the 16th century Protestant reformer first added lighting candles to a tree
Walking toward his home one winter evening composing a certain. Yeah, blah blah blah now this moved over to
In the 19th century America is when you know, the German immigrants were coming over. They had a lot of their
Settlements in places like Pennsylvania, you know the Germans emigrated America. They kind of made the Christmas tree a thing here
Okay, but again this didn't start because they were up there were some pagans back in Germany
They were devout Christians that just started doing this and brought this practice to America
Most 19th century Americans found Christmas trees and oddity. Okay, so there was a time when people now
I find the fake ones an oddity. All right now no offense to people have fake Christmas trees
You know, I just I grew up with the real one. My kids are gonna grow up with real ones
I think it's if you if you have one that's odd to me, you know
Because part of the Christmas tree thing is the smell right and the fact that they are proof. They actually help clean the air
So there was you know
Some people even said there is a real practical purpose and the in the practice of doing this
That you know in the air if the air in the winter becomes very stagnant
they would bring Christmas trees in or they bring these pine trees in to help actually filter air and
You all know if you've ever had one in your house that the pine tree smells good in it
So the first record of one being on display was in the 1830s by the German settlers of Pennsylvania
Although trees had been a tradition in many German homes much earlier
The Pennsylvania German settlements had community trees as early as 1747, but as late as the 1840s
But as late excuse me, but as late as the 1840s Christmas trees were seen as pagan symbols and not accepted by most Americans
Now where they got that is probably is from the Puritans
from people like Oliver Cromwell and others, okay
Now it goes on it says it is not surprising that like many other festive Christmas customs. The tree was adopted so late in America
To the New England Puritans Christmas was sacred. Okay. Well, you know Christmas is still sacred to me
You know that it's they don't have a monopoly on what's sacred or what isn't okay
The pilgrims second governor William Bradford wrote that he tried hard to stamp out pagan mockery of the observance
penalizing any
Fribilite the affluent influential Oliver Cromwell preached against the heathen traditions of catch this Christmas carols
Decorated trees and any joyful expression that desecrated the sacred event of Christmas
Any joyful expression not even hit look you thought you know, you we were hardcore not having Christmas trees
This guy wouldn't want you like sing Christmas carols
Or anything that expressed any kind of joy over the sacred event now isn't a sacred event
Absolutely, right go over to Luke chapter 1 Luke chapter 1. We're gonna read this here in a little while
Look, we're gonna read Luke 2 but go to Luke 1
Look, the birth of Christ is a joyful event. I mean who wouldn't agree with that
You know, it's as crucifixion. That's that's we mourn and lament, you know
But then we have the resurrection that we rejoice over
But he's saying look I know Christmas carols decorated trees in any joyful expression that desecrated that sacred event in
1659 the General Court of Massachusetts enacted a law making any observance of December 25th other than a church service a penal offense
So if you were did anything if we went out Christmas caroling back then we'd go to jail
for Christmas caroling
Right, so you can see where these things get carried away, don't they?
The stern solemnity they continued until the 19th century when the influence of German and Irish immigrants undermined the Puritan legacy
Now, here's the thing you say. Well, what's so wrong with that? Okay
Well, first of all, Oliver Cromwell was a Puritan and they observed Calvinistic theology. They probably weren't even saved. They believed in predestination
They didn't you know, they believed that people had to be preordained onto
You know eternal life and and when I was reading that it reminded me of Romans 10, right?
What Paul wrote of the Jews he said that they have a zeal of God but not according to knowledge
And why is that for they being ignorant of God's righteousness and going about to establish their own
Righteousness that have not submitted in themselves when the righteousness of God, you know
Why the Puritans were so just overly zealous in these areas because they didn't have any real righteousness of their own
And look, I'm not saying that
If you if you feel differently in the subject that you're unsaved or something
But I'm saying these guys these Puritans were just over-the-top. No Christmas carols. No padded seats
You got all got to sit on wood benches in here
And you know and all these other host of things that people get into where it's just like this over-the-top hyper spiritual
Attitude a lot of times you find out those people aren't even saved
Because that's what they're trying to do. They're trying to make up for something. They don't really have
Look everyone agrees that the birth of Christ is sacred
You know, excuse some of us if we want to be a little we want to smile about it and we actually want to have
a good time
You know and enjoy it and I'm not saying you have to have a Christmas tree to do that
But you know what? Well people that are just like Oliver Cromwell here that are coming down on it
it seems to me like they're trying to compensate for something else a
Lack of a saving faith a lack of a righteousness that is in God. Okay
Look at Luke chapter 1 verse 18 and Zacharias said to the angel
This is the father of John the Baptist whereby shall I know this for I'm an old man and my wife well stricken in years
He's being told that you know, she's gonna have
John the Baptist and the angel answered said unto him
I am Gabriel that standeth in the presence of God and I'm sent to speak unto thee and show these these what glad tidings
the glad tidings were that that John the Baptist was going to be the forerunner of Christ that he was going to announce the
Coming of the Messiah and he said the coming of the Messiah is what a glad tithing. It's good news. It's joyful
It's you know, of course, it's sacred
But you know what? It's also something that we can be joyful about that. We can be glad about go over to Luke chapter 2
Luke chapter 2
It says in verse 8 and there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field keeping their watch over keeping watch over their
Flock by night and lo the angel the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shown around about them
And they were sore afraid and the angel said unto them fear not for I behold I bring you good tidings of great joy
Right and saying this is something to rejoice about to be glad about
Which shall be to all people for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior that is Christ the Lord
Look at verse 13 and suddenly there was with the great angel with the angel a great multitude a multitude
Excuse me of the heavenly host
praising God and saying glory to God in the highest and on earth peace and goodwill toward men I
Mean that sounds like a Christmas Carol to me
You know, sorry Oliver Cromwell salary Puritans
It sounds like somebody actually got excited about the birth of Christ and it was one of God's own angels
In fact, it was his the whole host of heavenly angels
right
so look
This this idea that you know that Christmas trees are pagan, you know
It's just not biblical. Okay, and look we have to derive what we believe from the Bible
Okay, and look if people want to have preferences and want to do things their way
That's fine, you know, that's up to them
but there there is a line that gets crossed sometimes where people start putting their preferences and other people when they
Start to do what Jesus accused and rightfully. So the Pharisees of doing of teaching for doctrines the commandments of men
Right, they they usurp authority of God's Word and start to just teach their own preferences as God's Word. Okay
Now that none of that's convinced you let me just let's just look at a few more Old Testament passages here where God actually uses plants
in his worship
Okay, go to 1st Kings chapter 6 1st Kings chapter 6
Because again the problem with Christmas, you know
Or the problem with with the the people in Jeremiah chapter 10 is not the cutting down of a plant and bringing it in your house
Plants aren't sinful worshipping them as God's is okay
You know one for example, I'll just read to you real quick, you know, Leviticus 23 which goes over what the Feast of Tabernacles
You know, it goes over the Feast of Tabernacles there towards the end and how do they make those Tabernacles?
He said you shall and you shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees
branches of palm trees and the boughs of thick trees and the willows of the brook and you shall rejoice before the Lord your
God, it's at seven days. Remember when Jesus came into a
Jerusalem the triumphal entry what they do they cast palm trees before his feet, right?
So is it the palm tree itself? That's somehow pagan or wicked? Is it the is the plant? No, the plant is inherently isn't has is neutral
There is no inherent wickedness in plants. Okay or trees or anything or animals
It's when people worship them as gods when they form gods out of them and say this is my god
Now the same the same tree the same stump
And to cook your meal and keep you warm and now you're turning around and worship thing the other part and because you made an idol
out of it, okay
And again they were to make me shall dwell in the booth seven days the Israel's shall be born
All that our Israelites born shall dwell in booths
So again, they were to take those bows take those trees and things and they were to make literal booths or
You know little shacks out of them and they were to dwell in them seven days
It was the Feast of Tabernacles was basically the first camp meeting
Right, and they had a lot of food and singing and they're all hanging out. You're there in first Kings chapter 6
Look at verse 29. Look, there's nothing wrong with plants. There's nothing wrong with trees
God uses these things in his worship of himself
Okay
It's when you start to use them to worship false gods that you get into a place
You know, there's nothing wrong with plants. There's nothing wrong with trees. God uses these things in his worship of himself
False gods that you get into problems
says in first Kings chapter 6 verse 29 and he carved all the walls of the house roundabout with carved figures of cherubims and palm trees
And open flowers within and without and the floor of the house
He overlaid with gold within without and for the entering of the Oracle
He made doors of olive tree the lentil and the side posts were the fifth part of the wall
the two doors also were of olive tree and he carved upon the carving of cherry bums and palm trees and open flowers
overlaid them with gold and spread gold upon the cherry bims and upon the palm trees and
So on and so forth go down go to Isaiah chapter 60 Isaiah chapter 60
Look God uses these things. He has them carved in to the to the the wood in in the temple
That's what Solomon did and you know God when when Solomon was done with all that and he dedicated the temple
The Bible says that the glory of God showed up and that the and filled the whole house with smoke
And they couldn't even stand before the presence of God if God had a problem with any of those things
He would have gotten that taken care of
You know because that was basically him putting his stamp of approval on everything that Solomon had done in that temple and
We see there that he's caught, you know, he's carving these things and he's using these wood this wood
Look at Isaiah chapter 60 verse 13. This is
You know speaking of you know, this is very prophetic concerning Israel and everything, but just look at verse 13
He says the glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee. He's talking about Zion the city of God
Jerusalem the glory of Lebanon shall come under thee the fir tree and the pine tree and the box elder to
Beautify the place of my sanctuary. So why is why is God gonna bring these things on design?
Why is he gonna bring these things on to Jerusalem?
Why is he gonna bring the fir tree and the pine tree, right and the box together?
You know the box elder to beautify the place of my sanctuary
He's saying look
I'm gonna bring these trees into my house to beautify the place to make it look nice to make it smell nice
Because he's worthy of it and I will make the place of my feet
Glorious God actually uses these trees and his own worship in his own house
So, you know, there's nothing wrong with us
Doing the same of bringing these trees in our house to beautify the place to make it life nice
You know as long as we're not worshiping the tree, right as long as we're not, you know
Giving it the turkey leftovers or whatever, you know and putting out a plate for it like that
Cuz you know that's funny, but that's what they do with these idols, isn't it?
They offer drink offerings
They offer meat offerings under go up to a 34th Avenue and Campbell Bell go into rainbow donuts
And they'll have their little Buddha statue and they'll have their cup of coffee
You know, it's been that's evaporated halfway down. You can see the cap coffee stain
I guess their God isn't worth a fresh cup every day, you know and their little style
Put the little styrofoam coffee cup out. They'll put their little, you know, sprinkled donut out
It's not even custard filled. You know what I mean? That's how good their God is
Okay, so that's the type of things that they do go up to you know
A chant or he's a chant pen that the Thai place right down the road from the church in Tempe
They'll have had tad there'll be a plate of tadpie just sitting right out there, you know next to their little statue
Right. I mean that's what they do
But I doubt anybody in this room is gonna do that with their Christmas tree this year
That they're gonna offer it the bait the glazed ham and mashed potatoes. It's not gonna happen. I'm gonna get that
You know now do people leave things out for for certain false deities yeah for Santa Claus
Whoops, I just ruined Santa Claus for you
They leave out the plate of cookies in the milk, right? But you know what? We don't celebrate Santa Claus
You know, I because I I'm the one who's paying for all those gifts
Why would I give my the credit to some non-existent fat man?
You know the real fat man deserves credit for that. Okay, I deserve credit for those gifts not this make-believe person
right
So again, you know our beliefs they have to be derived from scripture not just doing the opposite of whatever pagans and unbelievers do
okay, and
Here's the thing traditions. They're what you make of them
You know people have different traditions in their homes people do different things, you know
And and as long as they're not violating scripture clear scripture, you know, there's nothing wrong with traditions
Like I have a strong tradition. Well, it's it's weakening over the years that I don't play any Christmas music
No Christmas music is to be played in my presence
other than between the day after Thanksgiving
January 1st turn it off. I don't want to hear it until the day after Thanksgiving now this year. I
Weakened a little bit and I listened. I turned it on on Thanksgiving Day. All right, so I'm getting I'm gonna
I'm giving a little leeway right? But look is that can I go around and say hey, that's what you need to do
In your house, that's how you have to run your home
Yeah, that's what I want to do people can listen to Christmas music all year long all year long if they want it's weird
You know, it ruins Christmas music. It just becomes like any other song at that point in my opinion
That's what makes Christmas music special is because well look Oliver Cromwell would put you in jail for
Listening Christmas music or singing carols. We're having a Christmas tree or having any kind of joyful expression outside of a church service
Right, but again our traditions are what you make of them
I mean think about you know, another and here's another example of this the candy cane, right?
Some people does anyone know the symbology behind the candy cane? I'm sure there's a few hands that do right
Did you know that it's symbolic of Christ?
You think what's well, what is it? It's a shepherd's crook, right? He's our Shepherd. It's red and white
You got the blood of Christ the purity that he gives to us, you know, the white, you know
White white is associated with being pure, you know, it makes us white through his blood through his stripes. We are healed, right?
It's striped with red you turn it upside down. It makes a J right Jesus. How about this one?
It's it's rock candy. He's our rock, right?
But look a lot of people out there are munching on candy canes and they have no idea
They just think it tastes sweet and they do right. They're not thinking about the Lord and that's fine
You know, but look that's a tradition that you could do that. Is that in the Bible? Is that you must have candy canes?
No, but that's just one that we we do because we like it
Well, like we could have whatever we can make all kinds of traditions as long as they don't violate scripture
You know and it doesn't matter if somebody else did the same thing thousand years ago to worship a false god
You know because that's not why I did it, you know, I'm when I grew up with Christmas trees
I didn't think I wonder I wonder if pagans did this. I
Wonder if the Egyptians were into this one if the Romans did this one of the Scandinavian said I just thought man
It's Christmas again
And it was just a fond memory that I have I love having a Christmas tree and a real one
All right
I mean I finally got vaulted ceilings after all those years in a two bedroom apartment and then a year in another house with
A very low ceiling I got vaulted ceilings
Man, I'm getting the biggest Christmas tree I can in there. I'm gonna have a hard time fitting through the door. Hopefully, right?
But here's the thing. We can't condemn people over their traditions now
Look, we we can't be condemned for having a Christmas tree, you know, I don't believe that's biblical but in the same token
We can't condemn other people for not having one. Okay, if that because it's all a matter of preferences
if you would go over to
First Corinthians chapter 8 first Corinthians chapter 8 it's kind of like an unto, you know this issue with idolatry
Because remember back then in Paul's day
Idolatry was a very big thing, especially among the Gentile nations in Corinth and other places and
He's writing to the church there because you know
Some people would be offended by the fact that they'd see a Christian eating meat that was sacrificed unto idols
So Paul is kind of writing to clear this up and he says in verse 1 now is touching things offered unto idols
We know that all have knowledge
That we all have knowledge. He's saying look we we know the truth about these idols that they're not gods
That they're false that there's nothing there, right?
But notice what he says knowledge puff with puff it up but charity edify it, right?
He's saying look don't let this knowledge go to your head. That doesn't mean you get to just go around
Blasting other people and and you still need to you know
Walk charitably and you still need to walk with you know, a good conscience towards your brother in Christ
Okay, that's what he's getting at here
He says in verse 2 and if any man think that he know with anything
He know if not nothing yet as he ought to know
But if any man loved God the same is known of him
Verse 4 as concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered and sacrificed unto idols
We know that an idol is nothing in the world and that there is none other God
but one for though they there be that are called gods whether in heaven or in earth as
There be many gods and many Lords
But to us there is but one God the father of whom are all things and we in him and one Lord Jesus Christ
And we buy him
Verse 7 how be it there is not in every man that knowledge
What knowledge that an idol is nothing that there is only one true and living God
There isn't that knowledge in every man
So this is why he's saying look we have that knowledge that there's only one true living God
Don't get puffed up about it because not every man has that knowledge and don't think that you're special
You only know that what you ought to know, right? You had the gospel preached to you, you know
You know nothing except that you ought to know it's nothing to get lifted up about I know the truth about idolatry
You know, I know the truth about Christmas trees. Okay, you don't get puffed up about these things
He said how be it there is not in every man that knowledge for some with conscience of the idol
Unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol
I see there's some people that still eat it thinking that that idol is something that there is something to this
But verse 8 but he excuse me the end there
He says unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol unto an idol and their conscience being weak is defiled
But meat commended us not to God for neither if we eat are we the better neither if we eat not are we the worse
So he's saying look it doesn't matter eat the meat don't eat the meat
It's not gonna make any difference because we know that an idol is nothing
But take heed look at verse 9
Okay
So what I'm gonna take heed that's by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weak
He's saying look don't don't be puffed up and think that it's not gonna have an effect on other people
We know we're at liberal liberty eat these things
But it could offend a brother with a weak conscience to seeing you know, another brother or somebody knows that you're a Christian, you know
Eating something that was sacrificed unto an idol. Okay, if they think well, you know, that's that's that I that meat
Was offered unto a false god. What are you a Christian doing eating it? Right that would offend their weak conscience. He's saying there
We don't want to be a stumbling block to them that are weak
first ten for if any man seeth thee which has knowledge said it meet in the idols temple
shall not the conscience of him that is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols and
Through thy knowledge shall thy weak brother perish for whom Christ died
But when you so sin against the brethren and wound their weak conscience conscience you sin against Christ
Look, so when it comes to this, you know, Paul's obviously talking very specifically about
Meets that are offered on idols
but you know we can get the principle out of here that if
Our some of the things that our traditions our preferences might cause somebody else to offend
It'd be better just to let them go and not offend them
Okay, which is why you know, I don't I don't have a problem with Christmas trees, but I'll never have one in the church
You know and I thought real long and hard about having one this year
I thought you know, I'm gonna get a nice big Christmas tree and set it up
but then I thought you know what somebody might walk through that door that
Thinks that that's a pagan thing or is offended by that. You know what? I wouldn't I'd rather not offend them with that
You know and just have them come to church and enjoy their time here and not walk out with their their their conscience being bothered
You know and because especially because when if you were to offend these people, you know, you would do so you would sin against Christ
Okay, and I don't want to do that, you know
So he says there in verse 13 where if meat maketh my brother to offend I will eat no flesh while the world standeth
Lest I make my brother to offend. Okay. So would there be anything sinful and me having a Christmas tree here? No
But what what if it offended another person? What if it had made somebody mad?
What if they had they didn't have the understanding that that we have about this subject. They're a visitor
They just showed up, you know, they they might never come back, you know
They might think boy those people down there a bunch of pagans or whatever, right? They'd be wrong
But that's not that's and that's not my fault
But you know what? I it's not worth it to me. Okay
That's why I will never have one here. So
You know, I'd wanted to just touch on that subject tonight be just because it's something that comes up
You know and basically any church I've ever been in it's something that comes up from time to time
Especially if you ever get online, I mean there's there's a lot of stuff you can go online
A lot of people will just go off on this subject
But you know what you can go ahead and have a preference but you cannot make your preference, you know a commandment for others
Anyway, and you can we can all do things the way we want in our own homes
But we have to understand something that when it comes to saying this is sinful and this is not that has to come from Scripture
We can't we just make that up. We have to be have
Verses to back that up clear scripture to back up if something truly is wicked and something is not okay
And you know, there's just there's just not a leg to stand on with this one
Jeremiah 10 is very clear that it's not the the tree. That's the problem. It's the worshiping it as a God
Okay, which is not something you do with a Christmas tree. And if you are, you know what?
Yeah, you need to quit getting a Christmas tree
You know what and you need to come see me because we need to have a talk
All right, but nobody's in here do is doing that, right?
So, you know, I just wanted to touch on that and hopefully that clears that up and and you know
Gives us some some ammunition, you know if we ever run across that let's go ahead and pray