I actually tried to contact Gino about sermon that Christians who celebrate Christmas were going to hell. I sent him a video to consider in response to his study. He and several of his churches never responded. Here is that video sermon study I sent him -
PowerPoint here -
https://archive.org/details/ever-green
Video here -
https://archive.org/details/aaron-evergreen
Or here -
https://www.bitchute.com/video/6KrXf7N3p3IN/
Additional material after:
Ho, Ho, Ho ...
Isaiah 55:1 - Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
Zechariah 2:6 - Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith the LORD: for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith the LORD.
There are many persons, when speaking on the subject of "Christmas", who cite Jeremiah 10:1-5, to 'prove' that the "Christmas tree" and the very "season" are all of pagan origin and thus not to be done by Christians. Here is that selection (KJB):
"10:1 Hear ye the word which the Lord speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:
2 Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
5 They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good."
Those who do produce that passage (Jer. 10:1-5), should take much more prayerful caution, and read a little more context, lest they "wrest" (Psalms 56:5; 2 Peter 3:16) the scriptures, and teach error in the place of truth. Why? It is because that passage is not directly speaking of a "Christmas tree", but rather of a tree cut from a forest, stripped of leaves and branches (a "stock", a "Christmas tree" is to retain it's branches and is more than "stock") and shaped into an idol (a "graven image", "molten image"), and plated with silver ("silver spread into plates") and gold, nailed into a fixed position, and carried on men's shoulders (like as unto what Roman Catholicism, Hinduism, etc do for their 'statues' (idols)). The Living God, contrasts Himself with those false "gods", even that which is not alive ("no breath in them", but a living tree does, as it exchanges CO2 with O2, etc). If we continue to read, we see this very thing:
"10:6 Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O Lord; thou art great, and thy name is great in might.
7 Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee.
8 But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities.
9 Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder: blue and purple is their clothing: they are all the work of cunning men.
10 But the Lord is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.
11 Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.
12 He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.
13 When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.
14 Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.
15 They are vanity, and the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.
16 The portion of Jacob is not like them: for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: The Lord of hosts is his name.
17 Gather up thy wares out of the land, O inhabitant of the fortress.
18 For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this once, and will distress them, that they may find it so.
19 Woe is me for my hurt! my wound is grievous; but I said, Truly this is a grief, and I must bear it.
20 My tabernacle is spoiled, and all my cords are broken: my children are gone forth of me, and they are not: there is none to stretch forth my tent any more, and to set up my curtains.
21 For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the Lord: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.
22 Behold, the noise of the bruit is come, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah desolate, and a den of dragons.
23 O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
24 O Lord, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.
25 Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy name: for they have eaten up Jacob, and devoured him, and consumed him, and have made his habitation desolate."
Now, having read the fullness of the context, is that passage directly speaking about "Christmas trees"? No.
Is a "Christmas tree" inherently an "idol"? No.
Can it become one, even as the brazen serpent that was made by Moses at the behest of God (Numbers 21:8-9; John 3:14)? Yes (2 Kings 18:4). If it becomes an idol, then remove it, but until then, God owns the trees, and silver and gold, and made the seasons, and tells us to share, and give, with those around us who have need.
Just because satan can and does twist that which God made for a blessing, into a cursing, doesn't mean we have to allow it or follow it. Let us be thankful in this, Christ's season (Colossians 1:16), to our Father in Heaven for His precious gifts (James 1:17) unto us, let us celebrate Christ Jesus as we were always meant to.
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