Midweek Message: A Pagan Advent Wreath?

 

December 8, 2021

This week’s sermon will be:

Prepare

This week’s readings are:

Zephaniah 3:14-20

Philippians 4:4-7

Luke 7:18-35

Psalm 85

Message:

The Advent Wreath

-        Hope

-        Peace

-        Joy

-        Love

-        Christ

 Pagan origins?

-        Evergreen Wreaths – the Wheel of Life?

-        Holly – the blood of the Holly King who battled the Oak King?

-        Ivy – death?

-        Christmas – Saturnalia?

-        Easter – Rite of Spring?

-        Horus Ruins Christmas – Lutheran Satire

 Correlation vs. Causation

-        Were there pagan holidays around the times we celebrate Christian holy days? Yes.

-        Substantial differences even in the similarities.

 All things good are from God.

 Our God is a warrior.

-        Exodus 15:3

-        Zephaniah 3

The Lord your God is in your midst,
    a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
    he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.

-        Small Catechism – 3^rd Petition – God “breaks and hinders every evil plan of the devil, the world, and our own sinful nature.”

-        “Our God defeats your gods and takes their stuff.” – Donovan Riley, Banned Books

What should we do?