Thankfully a formerly popular Church of Christ christmas practice is waning. The practice was that of not celebrating Christmas.
There was a time when preachers in the Church of Christ would intentionally avoid preaching sermons out of the first few chapters of any gospel during the month of December. Elders would ban hymns honoring Jesus' birth. There was to no mention of the birth of Jesus at Christmas.
It almost sounds cultist to me to even think about it.
Of course, it was all based on pricinple and truth. Since the Bible itself does not mention a specific date of Jesus' birth, there was not cause for celebration. Until we unearthed (from the bible) the real birth date of Jesus, any celebration was wordly. Yes, the Church of Christ practice was to label the celebration of Jesus' birth as worldly. That's insanity.
The practice and critique was not based on the overcommercialization, excessive consumerism, or self-indulgence associated with the season. No, it was nitpicky, theological, molecules which were over-reacted upon and thus robbing families of something sacred and holy and beautiful.
But I say about the Churches of Christ, "We're bringing Christmas back, baby!"
Let's celebrate the birth of Jesus because he was born, because he came to be near us, because he become one of us, because he loves us to do such a thing, because the poetic beauty of the incarnation, because there is something into which we must be incarnated, because God is with us.
17 comments:
You must have forgotten to proof-read your blog.
To each his own. I see no need to celebrate a day born of paganism.
I grew up in one a church of Christ that forbade any mention of Christmas in December. You might get away with singing "Silent Night" in the Summer.
It always seemed irrational to me that such a big deal was made about Easter but not Christmas in the church of Christ.
I suppose the Lord's Supper was somehow tied to that day.
Thanks for the proof-read feedback. I clearly needed it.
I was robbed of the Jesus of Christmas as a child. A crime methinks.
And so far as paganism is concerned, well, I am not talking about paganism, nor am I talking about a Christian attempt to counter it. I am talking about the meaning I now attach to the season. I couldn't care less aboutt he false motives by which it began nor am I worried about the false motives driving the season today.
The incarnation is nothing to be cynical about, so I am going to celebrate it.
Maybe next year - Advent, baby!
I was raised in the same church, same time frame, about 20 miles north of your church and we did sing the songs and hear the sermons, but there was no Christmas service, no skits by the kids, and the quote was always "there is no proof Jesus was born this time of year."
What's interesting though is that everyone at my church and all the CoC people I knew celebrated "Christmas" by putting up the tree, exchanging gifts, etc. just like (most) everybody else. So, I didn't feel robbed. Even at my young age, the CoC approach seemed, well, stupid.
Not sure where you guys are located, but the area I'm from is still pretty much anti-Christmas recognition. I do find it very strange. We went "carolling" with a group yesterday, and we couldn't sing any songs with a mention of anything spiritual. I'm really a little surprised that we were able to go on the congregations behalf. As I believe Paul wrote, he was just glad Christ was being proclaimed, even if it was out of questionable motives. Praise God that more people are focusing on Christ this time of year. May be that someone commits to extend that focus to more than a few weeks.
I just shared with some people at the church I go to now about not celebrating Christmas and they could not believe it.
I think we should focus on Jesus every day of year, how He came to save men from sin. How wonderful He is. Why do we want to pick Winter Solstice as some special time, what about Jeremiah 10, or the verses in Isaiah, What happened to Solomon's kingdom when he allowed his wives to bring in their idol practices? Should we compromise with the druids and the yule logs, what about lying to children about "Santa?" Our focus should be to Jesus, how He lived, made the atonement, the resurrection, and the ascension. Jesus is real, Santa is not. What about all the stress that people go through when they see their credit card bill in January?
Dear Anon, You've certainly read a bunch into my post that is not even there. Druids and yule logs? Where did I mention that?
Oh, I am aware of the pagan history. I do not submit to it. Since it exists in the past does not force my celebration to include it.
Hello,
I was supprised when reading reaction on your blog on this christmas business. Do we celebrate because the world does so or do we celebrate because we are biblicaly asked to. Well just go back on your knees, talk to God and be sincere to yourselve. Please read Galatians 4:8-12,16. God bless you
Dear Anon,
I read through the Galatians passage and wonder how it applies to this certain situation. Again, I do not understand your thinking in connection with mine.
Your assumption that I am am celebrating Christmas is because the world does is not only huge leap, it is a huge leap in the wrong direction.
The whole reason for Christmas is the birth of Christ. Without that, there is no Christmas. I celebrate it at this time to join with the global celebration of the event, not by the force of the world.
I also take joy across the calendar in the birth of Christ.
We may not have similar understandings of the Bible and how it is authoritative. It would appear that you believe that the Bible is authoritative in such a way that it must be exactly replicated in content.
My belief is that there are times when that is called for in scripture and times when it is not. In fact, I bet you believe that too, but not in the same areas. Head covereings is a good one. Few Christians replicate women's head coverings, but taking a rpelication view of scripture's authority would demand head coverings.
There are more, but I'll leave it at that.
Dear Anon,
I read through the Galatians passage and wonder how it applies to this certain situation. Again, I do not understand your thinking in connection with mine.
Your assumption that I am am celebrating Christmas is because the world does is not only huge leap, it is a huge leap in the wrong direction.
The whole reason for Christmas is the birth of Christ. Without that, there is no Christmas. I celebrate it at this time to join with the global celebration of the event, not by the force of the world.
I also take joy across the calendar in the birth of Christ.
We may not have similar understandings of the Bible and how it is authoritative. It would appear that you believe that the Bible is authoritative in such a way that it must be exactly replicated in content.
My belief is that there are times when that is called for in scripture and times when it is not. In fact, I bet you believe that too, but not in the same areas. Head covereings is a good one. Few Christians replicate women's head coverings, but taking a rpelication view of scripture's authority would demand head coverings.
There are more, but I'll leave it at that.
Not sure where you guys are located, but the area I'm from is still pretty much anti-Christmas recognition. I do find it very strange. We went "carolling" with a group yesterday, and we couldn't sing any songs with a mention of anything spiritual. I'm really a little surprised that we were able to go on the congregations behalf. As I believe Paul wrote, he was just glad Christ was being proclaimed, even if it was out of questionable motives. Praise God that more people are focusing on Christ this time of year. May be that someone commits to extend that focus to more than a few weeks.
I love Christmas. I celebrate the day every year and enjoy all the music and the story of Christ's birth. I always have and I am a member of the church of Christ.
Where in the bible does one find any instruction to the church to celebrate the birth of Christ? If it is there somewhere then the church should celebrate Christmas.
If it is not there Christmas is not an observance of the church. A Christian can celebrate Christmas individually and it's Ok. The bible tells the church to remember Christ's death (Matt 26) when assembled together (Acts 20:7) but does not tell the church to celebrate His birth. You may assume the church has a religious obligation to observe Christmas. You A-S-S-U-M-E! You have not one word of scripture telling you that.
So back off criticism of the churches of Christ. They happen to be right!!!!!!
Read this and clear your doubts...
http://daleridgechurchofchrist.net/links/what-about-christmas/
About Christmas...
It seems to me, since the Scripture equips us for every good work (cf. II Timothy 3:16-17 .. if God wanted us celebrating such a day He would have, at the very least, let us know which day to celebrate. But we can’t find that day anywhere in Scripture.
“The true birth date of Christ is unknown. The worldwide census reported in Luke 2:1-2 Open in Logos Bible Software (if available) cannot be substantiated. By the late second century different groups of Christians held divergent ideas on the date of Christ’s birth: January 6 or 10…, April 19 or 20, May 20, or November 18…With no evidence for the exact date of Christ’s birth, and no clear proof of the date at which the feast began to be celebrated, nor its rationale, liturgical historians have developed two noncompetitive theories.”
Christmas Practices
Again, the scripture equips us for every good work. Exactly how on the special day, for which there is no equipping, do we celebrate Jesus’ birthday? Scriptures would be nice on this one. Should we bake a cake? That’s how we often celebrate our birthdays. Should we pass out gifts? Should we decorate a tree? Hang out mistletoe? Burn a Yule Log? Amazingly, most of the practices we now associate with celebrating Christmas did not come from the equipping of Scripture. Rather, they came from adopting pagan practices into Christian religion.
We know that Jesus was born, and why He was born and we are thankful for His birth. But, what Jesus himself wants us to remember about Him that is most important is His DEATH BURIAL and RESURRECTION. Jesus died to set us free.
And the way we are to remember His death is to celebrate it, and we do that on the first day of each week through the emblems of the partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine as Jesus has commanded. Jesus commanded this, He did not command us to celebrate his birthday as a religious Holy Day.
Putting up a tree, decorating it, putting up all kinds of decorations, exchanging of gifts, and all that stuff that comes with Christmas...Do you really think that on the night that Jesus was born, they put up a tree, decorated the town of bethlaham, and had a big fat man with a white beard giving out gifts to all the little children? NO, all that was made up by human ideas and they used our Lord Jesus to make a never ending money making business. And brain washed everyone into believing that Jesus was born on December 25th, and we should celebrate, and then everyone was hooked, and still are.
I love Jesus and I am thankful that Jesus was born, He was born because God sent Him to be born. I show my thanks to the Lord the way the Lord asks, not the way that people say to do it. So if Jesus thought His birthday was as important to celebrate as his death was, then Jesus would have said so.
If the bible keep silent, let us keep silent also. If the bible command us to celebrate Christmas, then let us celebrate. But the bible still keep in silent. Do not force Christians to celebrate Christmas because it is against the LAW of God. (Revelation 22:19)
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