This is not for Jehovahs Witnesses as given the tenor of their comments on another thread, they believe that Christmas trees somehow have demons attached to them.
In the church I have attended, from time to time I gave an adult sunday school lesson on looking at the Christmas tree with Jesus in focus.
Pretty much what the JW's say about the origins of Christmas and the tree is true, but I know of no one who worships Saturnalia, Saturn, Bacchus or any other false god as a believer. So let me give a short synopsis of how the Christmas tree can be a wonderful symbol for the glory of our Savior Jesus.
1. We have to go and seek the tree, just like we must seek Jesus to find Him
2. When we find the tree, we must cut it down (if you cut yours), to bring it home, just like Jesus had to be cut down so we could make Him ours.
3. The tree must look like and arrow pointing up, Just like we must remember the celebration is about Him who died and rose and now lives in glory in heaven.
4. It is shaped like a triangle- which is a reminder that our God is three but one.
5. We place the tree in water, Just like we must place our new life in Christ in the water of the Word for it to stay nourished.
6. We place lights inside the branches. As Jesus is the vine and we the branches, we must let our light so shine to glorify the tree and not ourselves!
7. We decorate the tree with beautiful ornaments, just as we must decorate our lives with the works our God has foreordained we should walk in.
8. We place a star to remind us of His star and that wise men still seek after him. Or an angel to remind us of the heavenly choir that came down to announce those grand tidings!
9. We give gifts as a reminder that God so loved us, He gave the greatest gift of all!
So despite the pagan origins of a fir tree in the house, we can use it as a glorious telling of the love of God and bring our family into a deeper love of God and use the brightness of the tree to seek to brighten our lives with His glory!
In the church I have attended, from time to time I gave an adult sunday school lesson on looking at the Christmas tree with Jesus in focus.
Pretty much what the JW's say about the origins of Christmas and the tree is true, but I know of no one who worships Saturnalia, Saturn, Bacchus or any other false god as a believer. So let me give a short synopsis of how the Christmas tree can be a wonderful symbol for the glory of our Savior Jesus.
1. We have to go and seek the tree, just like we must seek Jesus to find Him
2. When we find the tree, we must cut it down (if you cut yours), to bring it home, just like Jesus had to be cut down so we could make Him ours.
3. The tree must look like and arrow pointing up, Just like we must remember the celebration is about Him who died and rose and now lives in glory in heaven.
4. It is shaped like a triangle- which is a reminder that our God is three but one.
5. We place the tree in water, Just like we must place our new life in Christ in the water of the Word for it to stay nourished.
6. We place lights inside the branches. As Jesus is the vine and we the branches, we must let our light so shine to glorify the tree and not ourselves!
7. We decorate the tree with beautiful ornaments, just as we must decorate our lives with the works our God has foreordained we should walk in.
8. We place a star to remind us of His star and that wise men still seek after him. Or an angel to remind us of the heavenly choir that came down to announce those grand tidings!
9. We give gifts as a reminder that God so loved us, He gave the greatest gift of all!
So despite the pagan origins of a fir tree in the house, we can use it as a glorious telling of the love of God and bring our family into a deeper love of God and use the brightness of the tree to seek to brighten our lives with His glory!