Gospel in a Christmas Tree

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Psalm 19:1 – 1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

Romans 1:20-23 - 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.

The Evergreen Tree – 

Isaiah 66:1 - Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?

There is no specific mention in the Bible that either commands or prohibits Christmas trees. However, Christians may want to use their own Christmas trees as a tool to share the Gospel, since it has lots of symbols associated with the Gospel. The tree represents not only the birth of Jesus Christ, but also His resurrection. The tree’s branches represent immortality, and it may also symbolize the crown of thorns. The tree’s evergreen nature represents eternal hope. The trunk of the tree can even represent the life-giving cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. The tree may also symbolize the peace that comes through Jesus, and the need to have peace between God and man. 

Our modern tradition of decorating a Christmas tree does not find its roots in paganism, but rather, from Protestant Christians in the 16th century Germany. It has been said that Martin Luther was responsible for introducing the tradition to German homes. Therefore, the modern Christmas tree came from these early German traditions. The custom probably came to the United States with Hessian troops during the American Revolution, or from German immigrants to Pennsylvania and Ohio. 

Man has used the evergreen tree to symbolize everlasting life and immortality for thousands of years. Fir trees were actually the first Christmas trees. Christians decorate with evergreens during Christmas because evergreens keep their leaves year-round, and thus, they are a symbol of eternal life. Isaiah 55:13 says, “Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree … and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off."

The Christmas Tree Topper – 

Isaiah 6:1-3 - In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

It was in Germany, during the 16th century that the infant Jesus adorned the top of Christmas trees. During the 17th century England, angels became popular as Europeans began making large glass angels as tree toppers. These toppers remind us that angels appeared from Heaven at the birth of Jesus. It was not until the 18th century that a large candle was placed at the top of the tree to represent the star of Bethlehem, which reminds us that Jesus is the light of the world.

Today, the most popular tree toppers are stars, which represent the star of Bethlehem that guided the three wise men to Jesus in Jerusalem. 

The Ornaments – Genesis 1:14-19 - 14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:

15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.

16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.

17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,

18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.

19 And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

The Bible says that it was on the fourth day that He created the sun, moon, and stars. They were created for several purposes, which includes showing us when special celebrations and festivals that honor the Lord should occur, and also to manage the time and seasons. In Jude 1:13, the Word refers to “wandering stars.” This phrase is where we get the word “planet,” which means “wanderer.” Planets are not fixed, like stars are, but rather they are “wandering stars.”  

There was a time when Germans set up what they called a “paradise tree” every year on Christmas eve, which is the religious feast day of Adam and Eve. It was decorated with apples, which represents the Garden of Eden.

However, over time, round glass ornaments began being used instead of apples. These pretty round ornaments not only represent the shape of the world, but they also symbolize unity, joy, blessings, and harmony. Their shape also remind us of the many planets, dwarf planets, and moons that exist in our universe. Therefore, our Christmas trees decorated with round ornaments can remind us that the planets, created by God, were placed in the universe to glorify the Lord through His creation.

The Lights –

Genesis 1:16 - 16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. 

John 8:12 – 12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

It’s hard to miss the fact that Christmas tree lights remind us of the stars. When we look into the sky on a clear night, we can see thousands of individual stars. 

In fact, the Christmas star is one of the most recognizable symbols of the Christmas holiday, since it was the Christmas star that appeared in the sky the night Jesus Christ was born. 

Christmas lights reminds us of Christ as the light of the world. They illuminate the darkness and bring hope and joy to people all over the world. They also remind us to stay connected with God, who is our ultimate power source.

But Christmas lights on a tree also remind us of the stars in the sky. When we look into the sky on a clear night, we will see a few thousand stars with our naked eyes. Even with an amateur telescope, more will come into view. It has been said that counting the stars in the Universe is like trying to count the number of sand grains on a beach on Earth. But the Bible says God knows the number of stars there are, and He calls them by name. And just as He calls them by name, He calls you by name as well. In fact, Isaiah 43:1b says, “… Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.” How amazing it is to think that God, who named the stars, knows us by name if we acknowledge Jesus as Savior!

The Garland –

13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

When we think of garland on a Christmas tree, we must think of how it continuously winds around the tree. Quite often garland is gold or silver, symbolizing God’s perfect and precious path as He moves from Heaven to Earth until He connects us to Himself. God calls us to Him, constantly reaching out and inviting us to be closer to Him, even if we might not fully understand it. 

Also, the garland winds, around and around, sometimes up and sometimes down, which reminds of how the wind moves. In the Bible, the Holy Spirit is often compared to the wind, which is invisible but can be felt through its effects; similarly, God's presence is unseen but can be experienced through our hearts and minds. 

Just like wind is always blowing around us, God's call is always there, inviting us to respond to his presence. While the wind can sometimes be strong, the image here as seen by Christmas tree garland suggests a gentle, persistent call from God, guiding us towards Him. 

The Gifts – 

Romans 6:23 - 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Christmas and gifts go together like peanut butter and jelly. When we think of gifts under a Christmas tree, we need to remember the first Christmas gifts were gifts of the Magi: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 

The gold symbolized Jesus’ kingship on earth; the frankincense symbolized His deity, and the myrrh symbolized His death. All three were fit for a king. Did you know that in those days, frankincense and myrrh were even more valuable than gold? So, if we combine the value of these gifts using today’s monetary equivalent, the three gifts would cost at least $3-$4 million dollars. 

As we think about Christmas gifts, let’s also remember that each one of us is a gift from God. Just ask any parent, and they will agree. But more importantly, you are tremendously valuable to God. Isaiah 43:4 says, “4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore, will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.” This verse highlights the value that God places on His people. The word “precious” indicates that God sees us as something of great worth and value to Him. This flies in the face of human nature, as we tend to devalue ourselves and our worth. It reminds us that we are cherished and valuable in God’s eyes. And that is why we finally come to …

The Nativity Scene – 

Luke 2:11 - 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

1 John 4:14 - 14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

A nativity scene under a Christmas tree? Yes, it’s actually traditional to place a nativity scene at the base of a Christmas tree. Why? Because German immigrants brought the tradition to America, But maybe you don’t know what a nativity scene is. If not, a nativity scene, also known as a manger scene, crib, or crèche, is a display of art objects that represent the birth of Jesus. The tradition of re-staging the Nativity is credited to Saint Francis of Assisi. The first nativity scene recorded being used was in 1223 in Italy. St Francis of Assisi created the first ever nativity scene in a cave near the medieval village of Greccio, one of Italy’s most beautiful, yet less-known villages. Today, you will find nativity scenes in many other places, but if you come to my house you will always find one under the Christmas tree. 

Summary:

1 Corinthians 1:21 - 21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

So, as we wind up the Gospel in a Christmas Tree, let’s consider this statement, “God can use anything to proclaim the Gospel of Salvation.” God is not limited to a single method or person to convey the message of salvation; He can use any circumstance, event, or individual, no matter how seemingly ordinary, to reach people and offer them the opportunity to be saved. Can God use the message found in a Christmas tree? Absolutely, positively, resoundingly, totally, yes, He can! AMEN!