Since Christmas falls on Sunday this year for the first time since 2005, some churches have decided to close their doors that morning. The rationale goes something like this: Our folks are busy enough on Christmas morning. They’ll have guests in town for the holiday. Attendance will probably be low anyway. Let’s just encourage everyone to spend the morning at home with family.
It’s not that I have a problem with spending time with my family. In fact, there’s very little else I’d rather do than spend time with my wife and kids. However, I do have a problem with canceling church on Christmas morning.
Such a decision not only keeps God’s people out of church, it keeps God’s praises off their lips. Most of those who decide to stay home that morning aren’t going to be singing a rousing rendition of “Joy to the World” at 10:45. Instead, they’ll do what they do every Christmas morning. They’ll get up. They’ll peek under the tree. Dad will get some coffee. Mom will get the camera. Let the festivities begin!
Yet, when you read the biblical accounts of the first Christmas, you see that it’s all about worship. Mary worships God when she’s told the wonderful news of the impending incarnation (Luke 1:46ff). An unborn John the Baptist worships in the womb. Zechariah worships at the birth of John (Luke 1:67-79). The Magi worship. The angels worship. The shepherds worship. Simeon worships. And Anna worships. Do we see a trend here?
Deciding to stay home on Christmas morning has spiritual implications. Rather than gathering as a body of believers to worship our God and Savior, many will spend the morning doing anything but that. Let’s not, in the name of family, join our unbelieving neighbors in denying God the praise He deserves on Christmas morning.
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