About Our Lesson Series
In conversations since last week, some have expressed concerns about the current sermon series, “Christmas in July.” This series is not about encouraging the religious observance of Christmas. Instead, it is an opportunity to study what the Bible says about the birth of Christ and to use a familiar cultural topic to point people to Scripture.
Throughout this series, you will hear no sermons encouraging the celebration of Christmas as a religious holiday. Galatians 4:9–11 prohibits the church from establishing holy days. However, Scripture does not prohibit us from recognizing cultural holidays and customs, provided that these observances do not violate God’s Word. Whether and how your family chooses to observe holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas is a matter of prayer- and study-informed choice.
Without presenting a lecture on the origins of “Christmas,” suffice it to say that the first observances began as early as 336 AD. The establishment of December 25 as the day for this holiday is truly an invention of the Catholic Church. However, the common suggestion that the date was selected because of pagan traditions, or that Christmas was simply a repackaging of pagan rituals, has little historical foundation. Throughout time, many holidays coincide with nature and the change of seasons.
I think it is unfortunate that preachers of the past have been so zealous regarding the word “Christmas.” I have known those in the church who consider it a sin to say the word and tend toward anger if someone happens to say “Happy Holidays” during the season. Brethren, in our society Christmas functions primarily as a civil holiday, and we should approach it with the wisdom and discernment Scripture requires. Fear of the word gives it power over our faith.
Out of love for the souls of mankind, we must take advantage of every opportunity to share the truth of God’s saving grace through Jesus Christ, His Son. “Christmas in July” is not an encouragement to celebrate a manmade religious holiday. God established three memorials to Christ, and each points to His death and resurrection, not His birth. Romans 6:3–4 guides us toward baptism so that we are “…buried with Him through baptism into death…” We partake of the Lord’s Supper as a memorial to His death, according to 1 Corinthians 11:26. And on the first day of each week, we gather for a time of worship as a reminder of His resurrection (Matthew 28:1 and Acts 20:7).
The sermon series is designed to underscore what the Bible says about the birth of Christ. While we can see that the religious world is missing some of the most important aspects because of its focus on a single day, we must ensure we are not guilty of neglect in the opposite direction. God wants His Son remembered in specific ways, defined in Scripture. As the opportunity to share the truth presents itself, let us be ready to give a defense of our faith.
—Martin Kent Miller