Whatever Happened to Christmas?

Whatever happened to Christmas? Christmas 2022 falls on a Sunday, December 25. And many larger churches are foregoing Sunday services in favor of families staying home or traveling or whatever on Christmas Sunday. Isn't it ironic that one of the most celebrated holidays honoring the birth of our Lord and Savior has been relegated to "time off" from regular church worship services? Of course, the excuses come in a flurry of holiday busyness, crowded holiday shopping schedules and commercialization of Christ's birth.

Many of these churches, of course, will excuse themselves and the Sunday services for a plate of Christmas Eve services, some offering five or six of them, so that the "faithful" can gather with their families on Christmas Sunday morning. And church staff can have time off for similar family gatherings. Of course this makes sense, it is argued, since "church" is offered on Christmas Eve services and that should be sufficient for God to be pleased. If this sounds sarcastic, it is certainly meant to be that. I wonder what Jesus would say about such scheduling Sunday services out of Sunday worship times. And taking time off for personal reasons.

Whatever happened to expecting people to show up on Christmas Sunday morning ready to honor and glorify the King of kings and Lord of lords? I recall serving on a staff of a larger church, with expectations for being at the family Christmas Eve service, usually around 5 or 5:30 PM the the choir service at 8 PM and then the welcoming service for Christmas at midnight. I guess that was too much for modern church staff to stomach. After all, family time can trump worship times, especially if there is an athletic event on Sunday morning or everyone is too tired to gather on Sunday because of late Saturday night activities. I remember training our kids to honor the Sabbath and if that means canceling their participation in band activities or athletic ventures on a Sunday morning, then so be it. Modern parenting would say that is too severe and that church attendance must take a secondary place to family gatherings and important childhood events. Really? And especially on Christmas Sunday morning?

This is a case of the world's secular culture invading sacred spaces and activities. Salving the conscience by offering more "alternate" Christmas gatherings is simply the world's way of saying that Christ is secondary to our lives. It is saying that our anti-Christian secular culture has won out over what is expected of devoted followers of Christ. This is the problem with the "seeker church" mindset that dumbs down biblical commands and standards for convenience purposes.

People will say that no one will show up on this Christmas Sunday because it has to be family time, and a worship service would "ruin" such a time. I get a bit weary of making excuses for Christians neglecting their biblical duties and commitments to please the world and attract secular people to Christmas gatherings. I for one intend to show up on Christmas morning ready to worship the God who created me, redeemed me and will come again for me. If this sounds too judgmental, so be it. We need to take a stand for Jesus this Christmas 2022.