Many of you have already put up and decorated your Christmas trees. Maybe you played Christmas music and enjoyed hot cocoa as you decorated. If you are like my wife and me, you discussed each ornament as you place it on the tree. Many of our decorations have a story behind them. When the tree is decorated, you turn off the lights and enjoy the wonderful lights in the darkness. There are many theories about the origin of the Christmas tree. Some believe that trees were used celebrate pagan festivals as early as a thousand years before Christ. 
Others believe Christmas trees started appearing in the second century and made the transformation from that point to where we are today. However, many believe that the first Christmas tree to be brought into the house and decorated started with Martin Luther, the great reformation leader. The legend goes that Luther was walking home in the evening shortly before Christmas. On his walk, he happened to look up at the trees and saw a star shining in the midst of the tree. As he pondered the encounter, he thought about Jesus who left the stars in heaven and came to earth to go to the cross to pay for the sins of the world. Then on Christmas Eve, Luther cut down the tree and brought it home. He placed the tree in his living room and decorated it with white candles. Then, he shared the joy of the Christmas story with his family. And thus, we have the start of the Christmas tradition. Galatians 4:4-6 declares, “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
May the Lord Bless you this Christmas season and every day of the year!
in Christ,
Dr. Michael J. Frazier
