A Moment With Pastor Fred

“The observation of Christmas having been deemed a sacrilege, the exchanging of gifts, and greetings, dressing in fine clothing, feasting and similar satanical practices are hereby forbidden, with the offender liable to a fine.”

Some cultural war post canceling Christmas? No, it was an announcement by the Massachusetts Bay Colony, 1659. The observance of Christmas has had a complicated past. I read with interest and was convicted by a post written by Scott Hubbard from Desiring God. I quote freely from him.

Not much was written about the celebration of Christmas on December 25 for the first several centuries. Early Christians attempted to baptize the winter pagan holiday of Saturnalia with the birth of Jesus. During the Dark Ages the holiday was known for its debauchery – involving behavior most of us would find offensive. Hence the Puritan prohibition above. About 200 years ago things began to change. Christmas became less raucous and more family friendly. And yet even today we find a different kind of danger threatening Christmas.

Today we often celebrate a Christ-less Christmas. The holiday is about gifts, good food, music, family and traditions. Nothing wrong with these. I enjoy them. But if we’re not careful Jesus will be strangely absent from the holiday celebrating his very birth. Have I “reduced Christmas to mild church attendance, an inclination to charity, and a loving family around the fire? … [Do] I need reminding that goodwill without a good God means little? A large heart without a large Christ remains too small to save … If Christians of old had to guarded against debauchery, we have to guard against commercialism.”

No, I don’t want to cancel Christmas. I am looking forward being with family. But I do want the holiday to be a time of careful thought and serious worship of the King of kings.