CENTRAL BULLETIN December 25, 2016

Central Grace Church

3596 Franklin Street . Rocky Mount, Virginia

December 25^th , 2016

10:00 am -----------------------------------------------------------------------Good Tidings of Great Joy! – Luke 2

Wednesday: 7:30 pm-----------True Grace, Part 6 – The Grace of Compassion – 1 Peter 3:1-14

*** Our sincere sympathy goes out to our dear sister Irene Davis, upon the sudden death of her mother. Kathleen Lockhart was 81. Visitation and funeral arrangements were not yet made at the printing of this bulletin.

Birthdays: January 11^th – Lauren Parks, 31^st – Robin Chandler

Cleaning: This Week – Berrys & Bobbits, Next Week – Teresa, Bonnie, Aimee

Nursery: Aimee , Alt: Wendy

‘Christmas’

I found the following information on the origins of this ‘holiday’ (holy day):

‘Religious historians attribute Dec. 25th being designated as Christmas to Pope Julius I, sometime in the 4th century A.D. It was set to coincide with the Roman Winter Festivals. "Christmas" as "Christ's Mass," the celebration of Christ's birthday, originated when the Roman Catholic ‘Church’ decided to consecrate pagan traditions. ‘The Church’ wanted to convert the pagans of Europe to ‘Christianity’, and as a way of doing so, they established a ‘Christian’ religious meaning to the important and popular celebration of the winter solstice. They chose the birth of Christ because it echoed pagan attributes of the holiday, which celebrated, amongst other things, the rebirth of the Sun ("rebirth of Sun"/"birth of Son"). The truth is, that, before then, Christians didn't really celebrate Christ's birth; it was his death and resurrection that were supremely important, and his birth was a minor point without a fixed celebration. It is certain from scripture, that Christ was not born on December 25^th, but in the spring (May - June).’

All that being established, nevertheless, I agree with Spurgeon when he said : “I am glad that at least one day out of the year folks actually think upon the One named Jesus Who came 2000 years ago.” I too, am glad that at least one day a year, those who are usually mean as a snake, become nice and cheerful. And those who rarely do anything for anyone else, but only think of themselves, finally do something nice for a change. And the gathering of families together around a table, the giving of gifts, and a general attitude of good will , are a welcome respite, even if for one brief time in the year. Spurgeon also once said (in paraphrase) that a preacher would be wise to deal with that subject that most are thinking about at the time, such as the birth of the Christ into this world. For that reason we often preach on the subject at this time of year.

In spite of all that is wrong with this holiday, we do make much of the glorious and marvelous wonder that is the incarnation of our Lord; how God became a man, born of woman, a babe in a manger. We do worship our Lord for such mercy, love and grace in being made in the likeness of sinful flesh. We are filled with wonder at the whole story of our Lord’s birth. And the songs and hymns we sing about Him at this time fill us with peace, joy and happiness. So, all the paganism aside, this is a good time of year.

I Must Preach The Gospel

"For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of; for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!" (1 Cor. 9:16).
The most humbling and challenging thing I face, the great concern of my heart is that my generation experience a return to the preaching of the gospel of God's glory. We are plagued today with a gospel of works, a religion of form and ceremony, a zeal for God but not according to knowledge. (Rom. 10:2).
I pray for a return to the message God was pleased to use in other days to awaken sinners to their need for mercy; that message that reveals the redemptive glory of God in Christ; that message that humbles the proud Pharisee and gives hope to the chief of sinners.
If God is pleased to restore that message men will once again sense the awesome Holy presence of the Living God. Gone will be the voice of the proud sinner who inwardly debates whether he will accept Jesus or reject Him. Gone will be the haughty spirit that refuses to bow to the Lordship of Christ. Gone will be the bragging of the religionist who boasts of his righteousness and what he has done for God.
Once again we may hear men cry, "Depth of mercy, can there be mercy still reserved for me, can my God His wrath forbear and me the chief of sinners spare?" It may be that we will hear someone ask, "And can it be that I should gain and interest in the Savior's blood?"
I know not what course others may take, but I am determined to put forth every effort to preach that gospel every time I step into the pulpit. "For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of; for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!" (1 Cor. 9:16). -- Henry T. Mahan (1982)