by Pastor Rodney Tilley
When I started to title this article, I thought of the thousands of movies, books, and articles that have been written about Christmas. It is like the Hallmark channel on steroids. There is “The Christmas Candle,” “The Christmas Shoes,” The Christmas Bride,” “The Christmas Puppy,” and the list goes on and on. But today I am going to give you “The Christmas Test.” It is a simple true and false test, so just answer the questions to the best of your ability.
1. 3 Wisemen came to visit Jesus. – False: There were more than 3 Wisemen, we only say 3 because of the 3 gifts that they gave.
2. The Wisemen followed the star till it came over the manger where the baby Jesus lay.
False: In Matthew it says they came to the “house” where the child was. Most likely Jesus was around 2 years old.
3. Mary rode a donkey to Bethlehem- False: The Bible does not say that, only paintings reflect this.
4. Angels sang at Jesus’ birth- False: They did not sing, “Glory to God” in the highest, they only said it.
5. The first Christmas ornaments were fruit. True: Especially the apple, showing Eve and the fall of man.
6. There is a one place called Christmas Island. False: There are two islands called Christmas, one in the Indian Ocean and one in New Hampshire.
7. Joseph never said a word at the time of Jesus’ birth. True: There is no narrative of Joseph at all.
8. Jesus is another name for Joshua or James, False: James is another name for Jacob.
9. Jesus had other brothers and sisters. False: Jesus had other half-brothers and half-sisters.
10. Jesus was born on 0AD. False: He was born on 4 BC because they changed the dating later in the making of the western calendar.
So I hope you had a perfect score and I hope you know all the details and have watched all the Christmas movies, but you may have missed the main point, and that is “…. you will call him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21). So take the Christmas test and ask Jesus in your hearts, and pass the test of time, by serving Jesus all your life, and may this Christmas be the best you have ever had.
Merry Christmas from Pastor Tilley and the congregation of the Van Horn Community Church.
