By D.Brandt Berg
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We don’t know whether Christmas was really the night when Jesus was born or not, but we know He was born some night, and this is the night we celebrate it. One night’s as good as another.
All that matters is that He was born, He lived and He died for you and me, and He rose again, so we could do the same. So if people want to pick December 25 to celebrate His birthday, that’s fine with me.
I used to forbid my little family to celebrate Christmas because I heard some preachers say that Christmas trees are an old hangover from Druid worship—that it was a pagan rite and it wasn’t even Jesus’ birthday, and all those things. So for about three or four years I wouldn’t let my poor little kids have a Christmas tree. What a fanatic! Then one day they snuck one in on me and they put it up with a few little decorations; it was only a few feet high.
We lived in this little trailer, and the inside was about twice as long as this table and not much wider, but it was our little house. I told somebody the other day and they could hardly believe that we lived in trailers, tents, and motorhomes for 20 years. So I know what it’s like to be poor.
I told you that story about the rich American who was visiting the poor missionary down in Mexico in his little poor hut.
Some people who donate a lot to missions want to go down and take a tour and have the missionaries entertain them and sleep them and feed them, when they can hardly afford it.
This rich donor came to spend the night to see how his little mission was getting along. After he got settled for the night, the missionary said to him, “If there’s anything you need, just let us know, and we’ll tell you how to get along without it.”
Anyway, I saw that little tree with only about three balls on it—we were so poor we could hardly afford it—and one little string of tinsel, and I think they bought one little string of lights, poor kids. I marched in after teaching school all day, a hard day at school, and saw that tree, and my wife came rushing up,
“It’s just a little tree! And they gave us the balls—all I bought was the lights. It’s only for the children!” I said, “Well, there’s not much I can do about it now; you’ve already got it.” But oh, how it grew!
I do think it is good that the world is almost compelled to celebrate Christmas. Christmas lights are a testimony. If you put up Christmas lights outside where everybody can see them, then you’re reminding everybody that it’s Christmas, and maybe they’ll think about Jesus!
I think it’s good that the whole world is almost compelled to remember Christ’s birthday. That’s the one time that even the atheists and the unbelievers and the skeptics acknowledge something that’s about faith and religion and Christ and the Bible, even if they don’t celebrate it as such.
I am thankful that the world remembers Christ’s birthday. I just wish that they would remember that that is what it is. But at least the world recognizes the day and everybody celebrates it. It’s one of the happiest days of the year.
O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem.
Come and adore Him, born the King of angels.
O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.
Is your heart full of thanksgiving? Isn’t it wonderful to have love? When you haveGod, you have love, because God is love. Isn’t it wonderful to know Jesus? Isn’t it wonderful to be saved? Isn’t it wonderful to have God in your heart? Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!
Originally published December 1976. Adapted and republished December 2013. Read by Simon Peterson. Music taken from the Rhythm of Christmas album.
Used by permission.
Download Audio
We don’t know whether Christmas was really the night when Jesus was born or not, but we know He was born some night, and this is the night we celebrate it. One night’s as good as another.
All that matters is that He was born, He lived and He died for you and me, and He rose again, so we could do the same. So if people want to pick December 25 to celebrate His birthday, that’s fine with me.
I used to forbid my little family to celebrate Christmas because I heard some preachers say that Christmas trees are an old hangover from Druid worship—that it was a pagan rite and it wasn’t even Jesus’ birthday, and all those things. So for about three or four years I wouldn’t let my poor little kids have a Christmas tree. What a fanatic! Then one day they snuck one in on me and they put it up with a few little decorations; it was only a few feet high.
We lived in this little trailer, and the inside was about twice as long as this table and not much wider, but it was our little house. I told somebody the other day and they could hardly believe that we lived in trailers, tents, and motorhomes for 20 years. So I know what it’s like to be poor.
I told you that story about the rich American who was visiting the poor missionary down in Mexico in his little poor hut.
Some people who donate a lot to missions want to go down and take a tour and have the missionaries entertain them and sleep them and feed them, when they can hardly afford it.
This rich donor came to spend the night to see how his little mission was getting along. After he got settled for the night, the missionary said to him, “If there’s anything you need, just let us know, and we’ll tell you how to get along without it.”
Anyway, I saw that little tree with only about three balls on it—we were so poor we could hardly afford it—and one little string of tinsel, and I think they bought one little string of lights, poor kids. I marched in after teaching school all day, a hard day at school, and saw that tree, and my wife came rushing up,
“It’s just a little tree! And they gave us the balls—all I bought was the lights. It’s only for the children!” I said, “Well, there’s not much I can do about it now; you’ve already got it.” But oh, how it grew!
I do think it is good that the world is almost compelled to celebrate Christmas. Christmas lights are a testimony. If you put up Christmas lights outside where everybody can see them, then you’re reminding everybody that it’s Christmas, and maybe they’ll think about Jesus!
I think it’s good that the whole world is almost compelled to remember Christ’s birthday. That’s the one time that even the atheists and the unbelievers and the skeptics acknowledge something that’s about faith and religion and Christ and the Bible, even if they don’t celebrate it as such.
I am thankful that the world remembers Christ’s birthday. I just wish that they would remember that that is what it is. But at least the world recognizes the day and everybody celebrates it. It’s one of the happiest days of the year.
O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem.
Come and adore Him, born the King of angels.
O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.
Is your heart full of thanksgiving? Isn’t it wonderful to have love? When you haveGod, you have love, because God is love. Isn’t it wonderful to know Jesus? Isn’t it wonderful to be saved? Isn’t it wonderful to have God in your heart? Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!
Originally published December 1976. Adapted and republished December 2013. Read by Simon Peterson. Music taken from the Rhythm of Christmas album.
Used by permission.
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