Why should we rejoice to gather as a church when Christmas Day falls on a Sunday? I would suggest several reasons.
- Christmas Sunday is… a Sunday!
We worship on Sundays because the Lord Jesus was raised from the dead on a Sunday (John 20:1). That’s why we gather every Sunday, and it is likely why the apostle John dubbed it “the Lord’s Day” (Rev 1:10).
Consider then what a glorious thing it is when Christmas falls on Sunday. Blessedly, we are treated to the reminder that Christ was born in order to die and rise again. It is a gift from God to remind us that a miraculous birth would be nothing more than a nice gesture if it was not followed by an atoning death and life-giving resurrection!
- Christmas Sunday occasions THE explicitly biblical response to the coming of the King.
Gift-giving is so central to our celebration of Christmas that if it was removed there might be a collective temper tantrum. While we might say that gift-giving is a tangential implication of Christmas in that God gave His Son, gift-giving is not the primary biblical response to the coming of the King. What is?
Worship!
Matthew shows the model of the wisemen traveling far to worship the new King (Matt 2:1–2, 10–11). Luke describes the angels and shepherds praising God in response to the coming of Christ (Luke 2:13, 20). To their example could be added Simeon (Luke 2:28–32) and Anna (2:36–38). Likewise, Mary (1:46–55) and Zechariah (1:67–79) before the fact.
When we worship corporately on Christmas Day we engage in the actual modeled response to the coming of Jesus. One might say, “Yes, but we can worship at home.” You could, but can you imagine doing so on Resurrection Sunday? Why would this Sunday be different?
- Christmas Sunday is a helpful corrective to the secularization of Christmas…especially in our own hearts.
Not only does Christmas Sunday remind us that Jesus is the whole point, but it’s also an opportunity to slowdown and truly focus on Him. One of the facets of the secularization of Christmas is the proliferation of Christ-less Christmas events. Friends, workplaces, acquaintances, and even family members have “Christmas” parties only loosely if at all tied to the reality of Christ’s birth. The obligation to attend these functions can leave us drained and our brains frazzled by the time December 25 rolls around. What a wonderful thing then on Christmas Day to reset our minds and hearts by gathering with the saints to worship Him.
4. Christmas Sunday re-calibrates our theology of Christmas.
Likely, all of us have Christmas family traditions. There is nothing wrong with that. However, on Christmas Sunday by setting aside our family traditions for a few hours, we’re reminded what Christ’s work actually accomplished. Christ was given by God to redeem the family of God and serve as its head (Eph 1:22–23; Rom 8:15; Gal 4:5).
Certainly, there is instruction in the NT about how to live godly lives in family relationships (Eph 5:22–6:4), but the family is not the church. In reconciling us to the Father, Christ joined us to the church (Eph 2:11–22; 1 Cor 12:13). Further, the only plan God has made for our sanctification involves mutual service to one another using Christ-given gifts in the church (Eph 4:7–16). Because of the work of Christ, when He returns we will spend eternity with the church (Rev 21:1–8). Lamentably, we acknowledge that our blood relatives may reject Him (Matt 10:34–39).
Christmas Sunday reminds us of the cost and blessing of our being adopted into the family of God.
Because of coming Leap Years, Christmas Sunday won’t happen again until 2033! Let’s enjoy it.
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