Midweek Encouragement - "3 Reasons to Go to Church on Christmas Sunday”

"3 Reasons to Go to Church on Christmas Sunday"

You realize, don’t you, that Christmas Day falls on a Sunday every six years or so. Sadly, only 63% of churches will offer both Christmas Eve and Christmas Sunday worship services this coming weekend. Many Christians will stay in their matching PJs, focus their cameras, time, and energy on family gatherings, open their gifts, and enjoy a leisurely brunch and not even consider attending worship on Jesus’ birthday. After all, it’s hard to pull the kids away from their presents, get them to eat at least a little something for breakfast, and go to church all on the same day.

          This trend is, in my humble opinion, a really bad one, and it’s one we should push back against. So let me offer you three reasons why you should go to worship with your church family this Christmas Sunday.

1. It’s Sunday!  The main reason you should go to church this Christmas Sunday is because it’s the usual day we gather to worship the Trinity. Sunday is the Lord ’s Day! We gather on that day to celebrate, remember, and worship Him.  This tradition has existed in the Christian Church since Christ’s resurrection approximately 2000 years ago.  Why would we even consider breaking it just so we’ll have more time to open presents that will be broken in a couple of hours or returned the next day? Even if you’re out of town visiting family, surely you can find a way to go to church and worship the Lord God who thought enough about you to send Jesus to rescue you from your sins and offer you abundant life!

2. Going to church on Christmas Day is counter-cultural.  I don’t need to tell you that our world has been trying to make Christmas a secular holiday since who knows when. Why do you think Christmas decorations come out in retail stores right after Halloween? Let’s take the time to put the cultural celebration of Christmas on the back burner so we can focus on the primary person . . . Jesus’ birth! Doing so will give you a way to buck the trend of our materialistic culture and remind it that there IS a reason for this season, and it’s not gifts, family, or anything other than Jesus. Be counter-cultural and focus on Jesus by going to church this coming Sunday!

3. Christmas is about Jesus! Despite what our culture says or what you may think, Christmas is only about Jesus. Sure, we’ll gather together with friends and family member this time of year. We’ll exchange gifts and eat our roast beasts. But none of those things are really what Christmas is all about. They’re all good activities, but when understood correctly, they point us to Jesus. They should never be the focus of this holy day. Christmas is only and all about Jesus. If you’re tempted to put Jesus on pause so you’ll have enough time for the cultural parts of Christmas, you’ll be missing the boat. Don’t let this world tempt you by taking your focus from where it should be. Keep it on Jesus, God’s gift of love!

         So whether you’re at home or you’ve gone over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house this year, be sure to give Jesus your most focused attention in worship on Christmas day! I hope to see you there this coming Sunday! Why in the world wouldn’t you attend church to worship Jesus on Christmas Day? He left heaven to come for you, didn’t He? The least you can do is give Him an hour on His birthday!

Pastor Dale (PD) and Pamela his wife are honored to serve the Mt. Laurel Church of God. If this Mid-Week Encouragement has helped you, perhaps it may encourage someone else. Feel free to share this email with anyone you choose. And if for some reason you'd like to stop receiving PD's Mid-Week Encouragement, just send me an email (kingdomguy@gmail.com) and I'll accommodate your request.