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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