Martin Luther on Christmas

There are many Christmas legends surrounding Martin Luther. According to one source...

Legend has it that Martin Luther began the tradition of decorating trees to celebrate Christmas. One crisp Christmas Eve, about the year 1500, he was walking through snow-covered woods and was struck by the beauty of a group of small evergreens. Their branches, dusted with snow, shimmered in the moonlight. When he got home, he set up a little fir tree indoors so he could share this story with his children. He decorated it with candles, which he lighted in honor of Christ's birth. (www.christmas-tree.com)

Whether or not the great Reformer began this tradition may be speculative, but one thing that we are absolutely certain of, was his devotion to the real meaning of the season. Consider this small extract from a Christmas Day Sermon preached from his Wartburg Church pulpit from 1521-1522...

How could God have shown his goodness in a more sublime manner than by humbling himself to partake of flesh and blood, that he did not even disdain the natural privacy but honors nature most highly in that part where in Adam and Eve it was most miserably brought to shame? so that henceforth even that can be regarded godly, honest and pure, which in all men is the most ungodly, shameful and impure. These are real miracles of God, for in no way could he have given us stronger, more forcible and purer pictures of chastity than in this birth. When we look at this birth, and reflect upon how the sublime Majesty moves with great earnestness and inexpressible love and goodness upon the flesh and blood of this virgin, we see how here all evil lust and every evil thought is banished.

With profound clarity of thought and expression Dr. Luther once again leads us to honor our Savior at this special time of the year.

So with that thought, Two Institutions wishes you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!