For most of the world Santa Claus came and went last week and Christmas is over. Many of us in the church world have spent so much time celebrating, eating, and spending that we have forgotten the true meaning of the Holy Days. Yes, I said Holy Days.
The denominational world goes to church to mark the glorious event of our savior's birth. However, our people scorn tradition so we throw one big party that lasts from about the first of December until New Year's Eve. So what about Jesus Christ? Perhaps we should reconsider our family first traditions that leave out the reason we celebrate.
Christmas bells ring out on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning while OUR churches are silent as the grave. Our people are home taking a break from church...leaving worship for the New Year! We cannot leave our families...or God forbid...bring them to church with us while we worship and remember the birth of the King of Kings.
Perhaps we should rethink this flouting of traditional worship that we think keeps us separate from the world. It does not keep us separate. The First Century Church kept these days holy and we should do that too.
My message is not that we should stop celebrating with friends and family, but rather that we should include Jesus Christ in the celebration of His birth. It is time we came back to church to honor the Lord on His birthday!
Take a moment to read the essay from Barry Setterfield about the events leading up to the birth of Jesus Christ. It is enlightening and will lay to rest the belief by some people that December 25 is from a Roman holiday. Christmas was celebrated on Dec 25 years before the Romans began their celebrations and we should ask ourselves why.
No comments:
Post a Comment