We Will Assemble Wednesday Night

This Wednesday is Christmas. The question has been asked if there will be services or Bible class this Wednesday night considering the day is December 25. There will be those who will decide to skip attending Wednesday night because they are enjoying a holiday with presents and dinners. It is probable many churches in the area and across the country will dismiss whatever regular kind of activity they engage in this Wednesday in deference to Christmas. In January many churches cancel their worship services to either show the Super Bowl at the church building or closes services altogether. Of course, this follows the trend of many churches that have decided the Sunday night service is unfruitful. This Wednesday night we will be having Bible Class as we do each week because as a church of the Lord we serve the King of Kings and not the whims of carnal men.

The church faces many problems and chief among them is the secularization of its purpose with the influence of a prosperous material world that emphasizes more the carnal desires than spiritual. There will be those who will be shocked to see the lights on at the building Wednesday night. They might think we are having a special service to commemorate the birth of Jesus but again this is a mistaken idea brought in from the world. On Wednesday night we will study the Bible, sing some songs and pray together as if it were any other time of the year. There will be nothing different about the Bible study because we are gathered to worship the Father as we do each and every week.

The holiday calendars of men do not guide the work of the church, the Bible does. We do not celebrate Christmas as the birth of Christ because December 25th is not the birth of Jesus. The Bible never mentions the Mass of Christ as begun by the apostate Roman Catholic Church. None of the early Christians set aside the day of Christ’s birth as anything special and they had good reason to do so. Luke tells us the mother of Jesus was part of the disciples in the early church. “Then they (the eleven) returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey. And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.” (Acts 1:12-14)

If anyone knew the exact day Jesus was born it was Mary. She probably told a lot of people about that day and it would be likely many people would have known the birthday of Jesus. But the early church never set aside anything special about the day of Jesus’ birth because they focused on the day of His resurrection. Throughout the teachings and writings of the New Testament, the church of Christ assembled to commune in the Lord’s Supper because this was commanded on each first day of the week. The Holy Spirit never reveals the day of Jesus’ birth and never hints that any early disciple practiced the day of the Lord’s birth.

December 25 is a day like any other day and should be revered as a day that if the Lord allows the world to continue, it is a blessed day to serve and worship the Lord. There will be no special services, no commemorations, and no nativity scenes. The Bible will be presented in a study of God’s word. All of the focus of the evening will be saints gathered together to enjoy the spiritual feasting of fellowship in kindred hearts. The Wednesday night Bible class is not a place to bring in the trappings of the secular world and its celebration of a misguided holiday done in the name of Christ. There will be no Christmas trees, Santa Claus, merriment and holiday spirit of Christmas that will overshadow the study of the holy character of God. What we do Wednesday night is what we do every week.

It is hoped that members of the church will honor Wednesday night by leaving the Christmas decorations at home and not come to Bible class regaled in the spirit of the season as this is unfitting the glory of God. There is a time and place for secular celebrations if that is the choice of the individual. Respecting the covenant of grace given by God through His Son is to respect the time of spiritual examination without the distractions of Christmas adoring the children and adults. Let the world have its way in the world and let the sanctity of the spiritual body of Christ glorify what Jesus died for. Please come Wednesday night and bring your Bible. We will be examining the word of God and you will be our welcome guest to learn about the favor of the Lord. It will be a feast of good things.