Celebration of Easter and Christmas?

[Jon 316]

I've just listened to Dr McMahon's Wild Boar Radio podcasts on Christmas and Easter. I have a few questions.

What is a Christian response to Christmas and Easter?

Its interesting, I've always struggled with the idea of the incarnation and ressurection of Christ being embedded in a cultural practice which 1)came from paganism 2) was synchretized with Christianity 3) Has evolved into meaningless commercialism 4) Dominates the preaching schedule of the church in these dates. I have always hated this. Dont know why or how because it was before I read any puritam material. Perhaps it was just scriptural insight or Holy Spirit leading.

In regards to Christmas, in practice, I have grown to enjoy this sason as a time for enjoying Christ and family during the holidays. Is this wrong?

Easter has not been an issue, other than having to endure ressurection sermons embedded in secular mindset, as I havnt, until now had kids. (Just now he is too young to eat chocolate eggs anyway!).

So, how do you respond to these festivals?

 

[Tripel]

In regards to Christmas, in practice, I have grown to enjoy this sason as a time for enjoying Christ and family during the holidays. Is this wrong?

Let's see...enjoying Christ and family....Nope, doesn't sound wrong to me.

 

[Albatross]

I hope this thread doesn't turn into a list making venture.......these activities are permissible, these activities are not.

Curious, nonetheless, on what will be written.

 

[LawrenceU]

Is that Amen Corner in your avatar?

 

[Albatross]

Is that Amen Corner in your avatar?

It is. Good eye, I couldn't use a larger picture.

 

[LawrenceU]

I love Augusta. Beautiful course, but it'll eat your lunch. Great picture, btw.

 

[Albatross]

I am pretty certain I would cry if I ever stepped on the grounds. I should really find the Masters theme song as a ring tone!

 

[LawrenceU]

I have to admit that I was overwhelmed the one time I played there. It was a very emotional experience. That didn't help my game one bit. I've never been able to go to the Masters, though.

 

[DonP]

I am not so concerned what people do in their homes.

I just don't want us worshipping a tree in our church O Tannebaum O Tannenaum or a violation of the 2nd commandment image of baby Jesus as a worship aid.

And for those who say but we don't worship them, if these things are not there to aid in my worship why are they in the church?

General beauty? Put a Tulip in there then. It is following the world no matter how you justify it.
If it wasn't in our culture the faithful church would not be doing it.

Jer 10:2-4

2 Thus says the LORD:

"Do not learn the way of the Gentiles;
Do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven,
For the Gentiles are dismayed at them.
3 For the customs of the peoples are futile;
For one cuts a tree from the forest,
The work of the hands of the workman, with the ax.
4 They decorate it with silver and gold;
They fasten it with nails and hammers
So that it will not topple. NKJV

If you think this only pertains to pagan worship, how about this one?
1 John 2:15-17
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. NKJV

Rom 6:16
16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey,
NKJV

 

[ww]

I don't see an issue with celebrating either in the home but would not agree with either being celebrated by the Church in the Worship Service based on the RPW. Every Sunday celebrates Christ's Resurrection and their should be no greater emphasis on Law and Gospel for one particular Lord's Day than any other.

 

[Jon 316]

I don't see an issue with celebrating either in the home but would not agree with either being celebrated by the Church in the Worship Service based on the RPW. Every Sunday celebrates Christ's Resurrection and their should be no greater emphasis on Law and Gospel than any other Sunday.

Do no reformed churches use Easter as a means of preaching the ressurection? Just curious.

 

[matt01]

What is a Christian response to Christmas and Easter?

I don't imagine you would be able to find one clear answer to this. Search the archives; there are threads on this topic, ad nauseam.

 

[Tripel]

I don't see an issue with celebrating either in the home but would not agree with either being celebrated by the Church in the Worship Service based on the RPW. Every Sunday celebrates Christ's Resurrection and their should be no greater emphasis on Law and Gospel for one particular Lord's Day than any other.

What do you mean by these holidays being celebrated in the service? I don't see the problem with having an emphasis on something like the resurrection or incarnation...where all of the Scripture, preaching, and hymn-singing is in line with that theme.

 

[ww]

I don't see an issue with celebrating either in the home but would not agree with either being celebrated by the Church in the Worship Service based on the RPW. Every Sunday celebrates Christ's Resurrection and their should be no greater emphasis on Law and Gospel than any other Sunday.

Do no reformed churches use Easter as a means of preaching the ressurection? Just curious.

Oh no there are quite a few that do since in many instances it is an opportunity to evangelize since unchurched folks will show up on that day but why should it be any different that day since every Sunday is a celebration of Christ's Resurrection.

 

[Tripel]

I just don't want us worshipping a tree in our church O Tannebaum O Tannenaum or a violation of the 2nd commandment image of baby Jesus as a worship aid.

Arguing against the celebration of a holiday and arguing against violations of the 2nd commandment are different arguments. I've never seen a "baby Jesus" in our church, and we have never sung a song about a Christmas tree...but you better believe we celebrate Christmas.

-----Added 4/1/2009 at 04:04:44 EST-----

Oh no there are quite a few that do since in many instances it is an opportunity to evangelize since unchurched folks will show up on that day but why should it be any different that day since every Sunday is a celebration of Christ's Resurrection.

I don't think this is a fair criticism. Do we celebrate Christ's resurrection every week? Yes. Is our sermon about the resurrection each week? No. And neither is yours.

Again, there is nothing wrong with placing special emphasis on an aspect of our faith on a particular Sunday. We have a Sunday (or two) every year where our service emphasizes missions or the Reformation. Same thing.

 

[AThornquist]

My family and church enjoy both in some fashion. And I don't care to argue about it; this topic is beat over the head every time one of these holidays (no, not as in holy days ) comes along. Regardless if this is "confessional," I hold to the NPW, so that is why my practice may differ.

And I would be surprised if my family "follows the ways of the world" in how we celebrate Christmas and Easter. Does the world use the opportunity to have fellowship with family and other believers and to reflect on the work of the savior of the world? Probably not. Our observances are not the same.

 

[ww]

I don't see an issue with celebrating either in the home but would not agree with either being celebrated by the Church in the Worship Service based on the RPW. Every Sunday celebrates Christ's Resurrection and their should be no greater emphasis on Law and Gospel for one particular Lord's Day than any other.

What do you mean by these holidays being celebrated in the service? I don't see the problem with having an emphasis on something like the resurrection or incarnation...where all of the Scripture, preaching, and hymn-singing is in line with that theme.

Why that day? Why not do that on any other Sunday? I don't see it as inherently wrong of course because those themes are not only commendable but encouraged however most churches who do so go further with Easter egg hunts, etc.

 

[Skyler]

Christmas = time to get together w/friends & family, eat ham/turkey... in general, like Thanksgiving.

Easter = time to stock up on candy & chocolates the day after.

 

[Tripel]

Why that day? Why not do that on any other Sunday? I don't see it as inherently wrong of course because those themes are not only commendable but encouraged however most churches who do so go further with Easter egg hunts, etc.

Why that day??? Because it makes the most sense. It's Easter. There's no requirement to do something special on that day, but I don't understand why you wouldn't. It's a holiday to place a special emphasis on the resurrection of Christ--I don't see why that is so bothering to people.

As to the egg hunts, I'm afraid I don't have a response. I've never seen anything like that done in my church or any other church. I'm not denying it happens, but it really has nothing to do with me since I'm not involved in it. I know of families in our church that do parties at their homes so that kids can "hunt eggs" but it's not tied to the church itself.

 

[DonP]

I don't see an issue with celebrating either in the home but would not agree with either being celebrated by the Church in the Worship Service based on the RPW. Every Sunday celebrates Christ's Resurrection and their should be no greater emphasis on Law and Gospel for one particular Lord's Day than any other.

What do you mean by these holidays being celebrated in the service? I don't see the problem with having an emphasis on something like the resurrection or incarnation...where all of the Scripture, preaching, and hymn-singing is in line with that theme.

Well many see that the origin of a thing or at least if not the absolute origin, but a well established practice of a thing would have a role in deciding if it was acceptable for a Christian.
ie Halloween. Now there are some people who choose to remain willfully ignorant to the fact there are witches today and they still celebrate Haloween as their holy day. Same with the Roman Catholic Christ's Mass.
I doubt you would go to a mass. Yet we have brought this in.

East Star was the pagan God of fertility worshiped widely.

Some govt's Roman Empire or the Catholic church tried to merge all the pagan holy days and Christianize them so all could have the same holy day.

Christians should reject this.

If your pastor held tot he Regulative Principle he would simply not do it because it is not prescribed in scripture to do it and we do not do anything in public worship that is not prescribed.

There is recently a newer interpretation of the RP that some say they hold to, that is, if it is not forbidden then you are free to do it.

This is no Reg Principle at all because we already don't do what is forbidden.

So they really do not hold to the RP.

So for them they must use conscience and for some apparently they have no problem learning the way of the heathen as long as they can find a way to Christianize it.

What would resurrection day be exactly different from the Lord's day which we celebrate weekly now on the 1st day because He rose on the 1st day and we take the Supper as worship and remembrance of the Resurrection

We have no idea what day the incarnation was, so it seems misleading to just pick an arbitrary day to celebrate it. If God wanted us to He would have told us to or the day. Its kind of like why we do not have a Jesus on the cross. It is the resurrected Christ the Lord we worship.

Now what does the world think of these days even today?
And do we want them thinking the church approves of what they think?

There are places we should seek to keep what we have tat is right and good and places to separate from the world. East Star and Christ's Mass and Halloween never belonged to the church and don't need to be kept.

I wonder if as many professing christians were as concerned about abortion or prayer in school, and in the law of God staying in our judicial system, if we would be in the state we are in today.
We kept christmas and let them steal the other. Note also the world lets us keep christmas and east star but they are taking the law and prayer out of govt. and politics

 

[Herald]

I am okay with preaching on the birth of Christ in December and His resurrection in March/April. Yes, I know those months are not historically accurate. Yes, I know there is no positive command in scripture to celebrate these holidays. But I have absolutely no pang of conscience in preaching the biblical account of Christ's birth, death and resurrection in the context of the gospel.

I will not allow a Christmas tree in the church, Easter egg hunts, or chocolate rabbits. I will not forbid a member family from celebrating either holiday, mainly because there is not unanimous agreement among the elders. Even if there was unanimous agreement, I doubt a church-wide prohibition could be enforced.

Once again - personal conviction and conscience.

 

[DonP]

If you won't let the king call the day of synod why let the world cal the day you preach on the incarnation or resurrection.

I have never heard a minister teach on the incarnation in June?

These holidays are not the church's. They are pagan and worldly.
Had the church invented and adopted them then it might be ok to let hem influence when you preach on a subject.

 

[Blueridge Believer]

All of brother Matt's Wild Boar programs are great and worth the time to listen to in my opinion.

 

[DonP]

I am okay with preaching on the birth of Christ in December and His resurrection in March/April. Yes, I know those months are not historically accurate. Yes, I know there is no positive command in scripture to celebrate these holidays. But I have absolutely no pang of conscience in preaching the biblical account of Christ's birth, death and resurrection in the context of the gospel.

I will not allow a Christmas tree in the church, Easter egg hunts, or chocolate rabbits. I will not forbid a member family from celebrating either holiday, mainly because there is not unanimous agreement among the elders. Even if there was unanimous agreement, I doubt a church-wide prohibition could be enforced.

Once again - personal conviction and conscience.

Great personal conviction. But we need the ministers to speak out and teach us how to come to a health conviction

We need to have them be examples to us and point us away from the world and flesh to the spiritual.

We need ministers to preach and warn us. Then maybe our convictions would be different. When the minister does nto teach against or warn about it naturally our conviction is that of the world we see around us.

When the church goes silent against women ministers or homosexuality we accept it in the church too. So esp on things not as clearly forbidden we will follow the world without direction

 

[Stomata leontôn]

I've just listened to Dr McMahon's Wild Boar Radio podcasts on Christmas and Easter. I have a few questions.

What is a Christian response to Christmas and Easter?

Its interesting, I've always struggled with the idea of the incarnation and ressurection of Christ being embedded in a cultural practice which 1)came from paganism 2) was synchretized with Christianity

This popular belief is not supported in history.

The idea that Christian practices are pagan is not Reformed, but historically comes from secular humanist and radical Anabaptist beliefs that Christian practice should resemble any ordinary secular workday as much as possible -- and not be special nor foster fear and awe of the Lord.

In secular humanism and radical anabaptism, anything smacking of specialness or awe was automatically dismissed as pagan or Roman. Any Christian practice that differed from ordinary secular life they assumed to be Roman. Since anabaptists believed that the church became wholly corrupt as soon as the ink dried on the New Testament, historiographic evidence from non-biblical but Apostolic and early church sources is ignored as a matter of faith.

 

[Tripel]

So for them they must use conscience and for some apparently they have no problem learning the way of the heathen as long as they can find a way to Christianize it.

Leaning the way of the heathen? That is ridiculous. Singing songs about Christ's death and resurrection, reading passages about Christ's death and resurrection, and having a sermon centered on Christ's death and resurrection. Hmmm...sorry, but you're not convincing me that is anything heathen.

What would resurrection day be exactly different from the Lord's day which we celebrate weekly now on the 1st day because He rose on the 1st day and we take the Supper as worship and remembrance of the Resurrection.

We do celebrate resurrection day every Sunday--that is why we meet on Sunday. But some of the those Sundays are not focused on the resurrection itself. Sometimes we're working through the Psalms or one of Paul's Epistles. Last week was Psalm 46, and it was glorious.
But I love that every spring we have a week where everything in our worship is all about the resurrection. It's great.

We have no idea what day the incarnation was, so it seems misleading to just pick an arbitrary day to celebrate it.

Nobody (that I know of) is claiming we are celebrating on the actual day. That's not the point. The point is to have a week set aside where the whole of the service is pointing to the resurrection. Same with Christmas.

Now what does the world think of these days even today?
And do we want them thinking the church approves of what they think?

The world thinks of these as purely secular. Easter bunnies and chocolate. I don't understand how a church service emphasizing the resurrection has anything to do with bunnies and candy.

 

[Jon 316]

I've just listened to Dr McMahon's Wild Boar Radio podcasts on Christmas and Easter. I have a few questions.

What is a Christian response to Christmas and Easter?

Its interesting, I've always struggled with the idea of the incarnation and ressurection of Christ being embedded in a cultural practice which 1)came from paganism 2) was synchretized with Christianity

This popular belief is not supported in history.

The idea that Christian practices are pagan is not Reformed, but historically comes from secular humanist and radical Anabaptist beliefs that Christian practice should resemble any ordinary secular workday as much as possible -- and not be special nor foster fear and awe of the Lord.

In secular humanism and radical anabaptism, anything smacking of specialness or awe was automatically dismissed as pagan or Roman. Any Christian practice that differed from ordinary secular life they assumed to be Roman. Since anabaptists believed that the church became wholly corrupt as soon as the ink dried on the New Testament, historiographic evidence from non-biblical but Apostolic and early church sources is ignored as a matter of faith.

So what exactly are you saying?

I am okay with preaching on the birth of Christ in December and His resurrection in March/April. Yes, I know those months are not historically accurate. Yes, I know there is no positive command in scripture to celebrate these holidays. But I have absolutely no pang of conscience in preaching the biblical account of Christ's birth, death and resurrection in the context of the gospel.

I will not allow a Christmas tree in the church, Easter egg hunts, or chocolate rabbits. I will not forbid a member family from celebrating either holiday, mainly because there is not unanimous agreement among the elders. Even if there was unanimous agreement, I doubt a church-wide prohibition could be enforced.

Once again - personal conviction and conscience.

What about a Christmas tree in the home?

 

[Tripel]

What about a Christmas tree in the home?

Are you suggesting there might be a problem with a Christmas tree in one's home???

 

[Jon 316]

What about a Christmas tree in the home?

Are you suggesting there might be a problem with a Christmas tree in one's home???

No. We have one in our home. I'm just asking if the pagan origins would make it questionable.

 

[Tripel]

I've heard reference to the pagan origins of these holidays before, but I've also heard it is all completely untrue. Can anyone provide some evidence one way or the other?