Yearly Christmas Discussion

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A minister in our denomination (Pastor Nathan Eshelman, who at least at one time was active on this board) wrote this piece, which may be helpful as well.

Jesus Died & Freed me from Christmas
https://gentlereformation.com/2021/12/23/Jesus-died-freed-me-from-christmas/
Hello Romesh,

Is it possible to not "observe" Christmas and still attend a service that is on Christmas Day?

For example, I am under no illusion that I must celebrate Christmas. As far as I am concerned, the Lord does not require me to celebrate his birth with a special service. He does not require me to attend a service on Dec. 25 unless it happens to be on a Lord's Day. I agree that Christmas is an unwarranted imposition on the church and is a human invention. Notwithstanding this, our church does have a service on Christmas Day.

We gather as a church and our minister will read scriptures, give an exhortation, we will sing songs, etc. I have a hard time believing that this is sinful because of the simple reason that the elders can also call the believers to meet on other days and do those exact same things - read, pray, and sing. For example, we have biannual congregational meetings. In those meetings we read, pray and sing (and also discuss matters of the church). In all of these things, I do not feel compelled in my conscience to attend - that is, I believe I am free to do so or not do so. The elders would not administer discipline for failure to attend a special service or a prayer meeting, or a congregational meeting.

I suppose I am setting myself for a beatdown with the RPW club. But I am having a hard time squaring the concept that "worship shall only be done on the Lord's day" from the fact that we can and do worship on other days - for example, my family sings Psalms in our devotion time. We as a church will gather on occasion for a prayer service in which we will sing some songs and perhaps the minister will give a homily. What makes those OK but attending a service on Christmas Day not ok? Is it the day itself? The association? The fact that there is a "call to worshp" and a benediction?
 
Hello Romesh,

Is it possible to not "observe" Christmas and still attend a service that is on Christmas Day?

For example, I am under no illusion that I must celebrate Christmas. As far as I am concerned, the Lord does not require me to celebrate his birth with a special service. He does not require me to attend a service on Dec. 25 unless it happens to be on a Lord's Day. I agree that Christmas is an unwarranted imposition on the church and is a human invention. Notwithstanding this, our church does have a service on Christmas Day.

We gather as a church and our minister will read scriptures, give an exhortation, we will sing songs, etc. I have a hard time believing that this is sinful because of the simple reason that the elders can also call the believers to meet on other days and do those exact same things - read, pray, and sing. For example, we have biannual congregational meetings. In those meetings we read, pray and sing (and also discuss matters of the church). In all of these things, I do not feel compelled in my conscience to attend - that is, I believe I am free to do so or not do so. The elders would not administer discipline for failure to attend a special service or a prayer meeting, or a congregational meeting.

I suppose I am setting myself for a beatdown with the RPW club. But I am having a hard time squaring the concept that "worship shall only be done on the Lord's day" from the fact that we can and do worship on other days - for example, my family sings Psalms in our devotion time. We as a church will gather on occasion for a prayer service in which we will sing some songs and perhaps the minister will give a homily. What makes those OK but attending a service on Christmas Day not ok? Is it the day itself? The association? The fact that there is a "call to worshp" and a benediction?

Good questions, brother. I am not one who believes that elders cannot call for a worship service at other times besides the Lord's Day. So that would not be my objection. Calvin had daily services in Geneva, and my soul longs for the day where that might be possible in each community. I loved having daily chapel services when I was at Seminary.

That aside, the reason for the call to worship that is the issue. Why Dec. 25? It is to elevate the day and create a "holy day" out of it. That is different from a midweek service for instance, where we have decided to worship God more frequently if able. Not ascribing any special significance to Wednesday. But just that our heart's desire is to worship God more frequently.

So, what will be the theme of the service on Saturday - including the singing, the praying, and the preaching? Will the minister continue whatever series he was on before the "season"? I think we know the answers to these questions. It is the elevation of this particular day. It is also the worship of a distorted view of Jesus Christ and is idolatrous. I take no pleasure in saying it. But this is how Calvin preached on Dec. 25:

Now, I see here today more people that I am accustomed to having at the sermon. Why is that? It is Christmas day. And who told you this? You poor beasts. That is a fitting euphemism for all of you who have come here today to honor Noel. Did you think you would be honoring God? Consider what sort of obedience to God your coming displays. In your mind, you are celebrating a holiday for God, or turning today into one but so much for that. In truth, as you have often been admonished, it is good to set aside one day out of the year in which we are reminded of all the good that has occurred because of Christ’s birth in the world, and in which we hear the story of his birth retold, which will be done Sunday. But if you think that Jesus Christ was born today, you are as crazed as wild beasts. For when you elevate one day alone for the purpose of worshipping God, you have just turned it into an idol. True, you insist that you have done so for the honor of God, but it is more for the honor of the devil.

You can see more of his sermon here:
https://heidelblog.net/2015/09/calvins-response-to-being-forced-to-observe-christmas/
 
Good questions, brother. I am not one who believes that elders cannot call for a worship service at other times besides the Lord's Day. So that would not be my objection. Calvin had daily services in Geneva, and my soul longs for the day where that might be possible in each community. I loved having daily chapel services when I was at Seminary.

That aside, the reason for the call to worship that is the issue. Why Dec. 25? It is to elevate the day and create a "holy day" out of it. That is different from a midweek service for instance, where we have decided to worship God more frequently if able. Not ascribing any special significance to Wednesday. But just that our heart's desire is to worship God more frequently.

So, what will be the theme of the service on Saturday - including the singing, the praying, and the preaching? Will the minister continue whatever series he was on before the "season"? I think we know the answers to these questions. It is the elevation of this particular day. It is also the worship of a distorted view of Jesus Christ and is idolatrous. I take no pleasure in saying it. But this is how Calvin preached on Dec. 25:



You can see more of his sermon here:
https://heidelblog.net/2015/09/calvins-response-to-being-forced-to-observe-christmas/
I agree that the reason for the call to worship is the difference. Thanks for pointing that out. God has never called us to set aside special days to remember certain aspects of Christ's earthly ministry.

And yes, the minister would probably read certain portions of scripture such as Matthew 1 or Luke 1-2. Yes the sermon would deal with Christ's birth but it would never stay there. I would always culminate at the cross. There would be no idolatrous veneration of the "baby Jesus" or something silly like that.

This excerpt is from the 1836 synod of the separated reformed churches in the Netherlands:

"Given that the Holy Scripture just as much admonishes us to stand in the freedom with which Christ has made us free, as admonishes the observance of the divine commandments, so ought we in the congregation of Christ to carefully watch out that, besides the precise sanctification of the Lord's Day, we do not compel people to observe the so-called feast days which the Lord has not commanded in His Word. The Lord's Day has been set apart by the Lord Himself, and we cannot and may not add to it any feast by human decree. The 6 work days are given by God in order to work; people may indeed gather together on those days to be edified from and according to God's Word, provided that the conscience of men is not bound to the observance of fixed and annually returning feast days; the conscience must be left completely free in this matter."
 
I agree that the reason for the call to worship is the difference. Thanks for pointing that out. God has never called us to set aside special days to remember certain aspects of Christ's earthly ministry.

And yes, the minister would probably read certain portions of scripture such as Matthew 1 or Luke 1-2. Yes the sermon would deal with Christ's birth but it would never stay there. I would always culminate at the cross. There would be no idolatrous veneration of the "baby Jesus" or something silly like that.

This excerpt is from the 1836 synod of the separated reformed churches in the Netherlands:

"Given that the Holy Scripture just as much admonishes us to stand in the freedom with which Christ has made us free, as admonishes the observance of the divine commandments, so ought we in the congregation of Christ to carefully watch out that, besides the precise sanctification of the Lord's Day, we do not compel people to observe the so-called feast days which the Lord has not commanded in His Word. The Lord's Day has been set apart by the Lord Himself, and we cannot and may not add to it any feast by human decree. The 6 work days are given by God in order to work; people may indeed gather together on those days to be edified from and according to God's Word, provided that the conscience of men is not bound to the observance of fixed and annually returning feast days; the conscience must be left completely free in this matter."
That is a very reasonable statement from the synod. I am glad that some progress has been made. For example, I know a URC elder who does not attend the extra services and he is well respected by his fellow elders and congregants.

However, almost 200 years later things have not changed much insofar as good Christian people still celebrate this day in a superstitious way. I was raised in the OCRC & URC churches and I have pastored in both - my experience and conviction is that the only way to remove the superstition attached to it is to eradicate its recognition. Indeed, the only way I as a Reformed pastor could be free from the tradition was to leave the denomination.
 
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