Now that it's over....

Our current schedule allows us to play online poker tournaments almost every day. We even played last week on December 24 and 25 -- with the usual levels or turnout for afternoon games at National League of Poker. That led to this brief chat....

Me: I don't celebrate Xmas, so it's no big deal to me.
Dealer: rustypac wins Main Pot ($1560) with Full house, nines full of queens
Me: Very good
drglover: u jewish
Me: No, Christian.
Me: But there's more Biblical evidence Jesus kept Hanukkah than Xmas.
Me: (He was a Jew, after all.)
Dealer: upanddown wins Side Pot 1 ($670) with Two pair, aces and queens

Dr. Glover was eliminated at this point, so we couldn't continue the discussion. But that's enough for us to ask: did you realize there's no Biblical evidence of Jesus keeping Christmas?

In fact, you won't even find the word "Christmas" or the phrase "Merry Christmas" in the Bible. (Despite what some of the "Christmas under attack" people might tell you.) So where's the evidence that Jesus kept Hanukkah?

I find it in John 10:22-23. "Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon's Colonnade."

The margin of my NIV Bible indicates the "Feast of Dedication" was Hanukkah. (Eugene Peterson's The Message goes ahead and calls it Hanukkah.) Considering Jesus's lineage goes through the tribe of Judah (Matt. 1:2, 16), this really shouldn't be surprising.

Don't miss the main point of the next few verses. Jesus does not correct Jews for keeping this festival. Instead, He says believing in Christ and listening to His voice leads to eternal life -- and "no one can snatch them out of my hand" (verses 25-29).

So as you plan ahead to 2010, remember: you don't have to keep Christmas, since Jesus never ordered anyone to do it. But you do need to listen to Christ's instructions, as they speak to you in Scripture. Don't get so addicted to poker hands that you ignore the One who wants to carry you in His hands -- well beyond the river, and all the way into eternity.