In Matthew 13:24. Jesus gives a parable about a good man that sowed wheat in a field.
While the man slept, an enemy came and sowed weeds. The weeds and the wheat grew together, until the time of harvest.
 
I was thinking about the Christmas Season and how their is so much controversy on how we celebrate it. The ACLU and others are trying to put an end to Christmas. They are trying to drive the church into non existence. They are trying to take the name of God and Jesus out of the schools,  government, and our society.
 
Many Christians say we should not celebrate Christmas, because it is a pagan holiday.
It is not the day that Jesus was born.
 
After Pentecost, the disciples went around sewing the seeds of the Gospel. The Church began to grow. There were times, when the Church became weak, but God would send a revival and the Church would begin to grow again. The Gospel was being spread through out the whole world, as people fulfilled the great commission of Jesus.
 
The field is the world, and the wheat the church. The Church did not have any kind of celebrations concerning the birth, death and resurrection of the Lord, These came later. When the Church did begin to celebrate, these different  areas of the ministry of Jesus, the enemy came and sowed the seeds of pagan traditions with it.
 
When we celebrate Easter, The ministry of Jesus is intertwined with the pagan traditions as well. You see Crosses and bunny rabbits side by side in the stores. When we celebrate Christmas, you see Nativity scenes and Santa's standing side by side in peoples yards.
These are the wheat and the tares growing together.
 
For Christians to say that we should not celebrate Christmas because it is pagan in origin, is wrong. Any time that God, or Jesus's name in mentioned, this is good. If we can do things that bring attention  to God and bring Glory to His name. This is good.
 
Christmas and Easter are good times for the Christians to witness to others. To tell people the true meaning of these Holidays.
 
I read an article in the local paper about a Muslim family, who puts up a Christmas tree. They said that it is a happy time. They said that they are going to churches and reading the Bible to learn more about the Christian religion. All this, because of the celebration of Christmas.
 
Susan