INTRODUCTION
Suppose, hypothetically, that one of the biggest days of festivity in the world happened to coincide with a Lord’s Day. And further suppose, hypothetically, that Christians wanted to take a day off from church to celebrate. Don’t worry; they’ll still want to worship—just not at church. But it’s not because of laziness, oh no. They have to stay home to make it an extra special day. Much time and many expenses will be put into worshiping in ways that they don’t worship any other time of the year.
Of course, everyone knows that I’m referring to the fact that Christmas falls on a Lord’s Day this year. I didn’t want to open on this note because there are other applications to the situation. Sometimes, on no particular occasion, saints may just be in the mood for some quiet time of prayer on a Lord’s Day. And then there’s the Superbowl. Don’t ask me how this is in any way supposed to embody the covenantal communion of Lord’s Day worship; but for some, it’s not for lack of trying. All this is to say: this issue will frequently be relevant somewhere, and this Christmas happens to be the opportunity I’ve taken to address it.
Before I proceed, I should probably clarify that I’m full aware that we are the church. When I speak of “going to church,” I mean the church gathering. The assembly. The thing we are told not to forsake. I take no issue with shortening “church gathering” to “church” in reference to this, or even in reference to—cross yourselves—the building.
THE FIRST DAY
Genesis 1:2-3
The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
John 20:19
Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
Psalm 122:1
I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.
There is a striking parallel between day one of creation and the appearance Jesus made to His disciples after His resurrection. This, along with the types and shadows of the Psalms, puts in perspective what a beautiful privilege the Lord’s Day is. It is both disappointing and baffling that any believer would want to find a way out of it, even a lawful one.
Nevertheless, those of us blessed with the ability to assemble weekly have all been guilty, at some point, of taking it for granted. Our spirit is willing, but our flesh is weak; and our weak flesh can keep a perfect attitude all throughout Lord’s Day worship about as well as it can perfectly love the Lord its God with all its heart, soul, mind, and strength.
So make no mistake: I am not judging anyone for being tempted to forsake the assembly. Extended family may travel many miles for Christmas and want to spend the whole day together, not knowing when they’ll have such opportunity again. If someone does not oblige, they may feel unloved. Under such circumstances, who wouldn’t be tempted?
But, like Jesus, we must answer temptation with Scripture. Hebrews 10:25 is a well-known verse on this issue; but when it is isolated, one could easily argue that a family reunion—if done in faith—fits it like a hand in a glove. So it is crucial to know the context of the whole chapter. After a discourse on rituals that were replaced by the Lord’s Supper, here’s what it has to say.
Hebrews 10:19-25
Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and your bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
The “assembly” in this passage refers to the gathering of the saints for corporate worship, not the gathering of a family to sit cross-legged by a fireplace and exchange parcels filled with shiny things—yes, even if “Away in a Manger” is played in the background.
BY BREAD ALONE
It is assumed that forsaking the assembly is not the same as being providentially hindered. In more colloquial terms, “miss out” is not the same as “skip out.” But, lest anyone ask if it is sinful to catch pneumonia or get snowed in on a Lord’s Day, it is worthwhile to note that “forsaking” is a willful choice, as confirmed by the Greek word “enkataleipó.”
Whoever penned this passage was, no doubt, acquainted with how often the apostles could not attend church due to being imprisoned for their faith. Providential hindrances can come in any of number of forms; and in our modern age, livestreams can be a blessing if you find yourself here. They are not a substitute; you were still providentially hindered. But you did not forsake the assembly, so you are still in obedience.
Staying home or going elsewhere for Christmas, on the other hand, is forsaking the assembly. Some will argue that it doesn’t count, since it’s only one week of the year. Where, then, do we draw the line—and more importantly, who draws it? What say you of those who do attend church at Christmas, but don’t the rest of the year? This is a consistent schedule, after all. Will you stand in judgment if they feel that once a year is enough? What if once a month? Every other week? At what point is it still liberty, and at what point is it forsaking the assembly?
Furthermore, if a Christmas party can count as Lord’s Day worship one week, why not every week? Who sanctioned the exception on December 25th? What if someone wants to celebrate Christ’s birth more than once a year? How many weeks can they stay at home with their family before it’s no longer acceptable to God?
Still others argue, in “Fast & Furious” fashion, that nothing should come before family. As right as it is to desire family time, it should be unheard-of for believers to speak this way of anything, save God. So if your family asks you to forsake the assembly to break bread with them, you would do well to tell them that you will be happy to break bread with them after the assembly, or at any other time.
But when it comes to the small window of time occupied by the assembly, remind them that “man shall not bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” Your testimony is at stake. Your family needs to know that you simply will not sin for anyone; and you should be firm enough on this that they will ideally know better than to ask again.
BIBLICAL PARALLELS
Even before the birth of Christ, people tried to invent ways to worship God on their own terms. Let’s look at some Biblical examples of this, which, by the way, have nothing to do with the Sabbath.
Genesis 4:3-7
And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”
Leviticus 10:1-3
Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. So fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. And Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke, saying: ‘By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; And before all the people I must be glorified.’” So Aaron held his peace.
In both of these examples, the sin was that of presumption. It wasn’t that they didn’t want to worship God. It was that they didn’t care enough to do it His way. Nadab and Abihu were priests who, like Moses, probably went to Heaven despite dying as punishment. But what an earthly punishment, and how telling of the gravity of their sin!
WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY?
The central question here is: what is worship? With application to both daily worship and Lord’s Day worship, there can be no worship without obedience. Just as a rebellious child cannot claim to obey the fifth commandment, so rogue churchgoers cannot claim to obey the first commandment. Those who forsake the assembly for Christmas may be worshiping family, tradition, or themselves; but they are not worshiping in obedience to God.
To observe the Lord’s Day, we must do what the Lord says: not forsake the assembly, when He says: on the first day of the week, and where He says: in a local body of believers (and no, it’s not forsaking the assembly to visit another congregation in God’s universal church). As 1 John 5:3 tells us, His commandments are not burdensome; and this is especially true of weekly assembly.
Additionally, these makeshift substitutions for Lord’s Day worship are being seen by many as not only valid, but superior. Someone may defend their forsaking of the assembly by telling you about how hard they’ve worked to prepare their Christmas to be the most special occasion of the year. But in doing this, they only reprove themselves. Similar to the Pharisees, they have taken it upon themselves to measure their own holiness based on how much they give, how many carols they sing, how many decorations are on the Christmas tree, and how far they wash up their arms before meals. They think that they can outdo the holiness of assembling.
Eric Geiger recently said in an Instagram story that his megachurch will forego service this Lord’s Day, but have more services than usual in the two days prior to it. He followed this up by saying that he feels sorry for people who use the issue to show themselves more holy than others. Well, we should not use anything to try to show ourselves more holy than others, but that does not negate our duty to call obedience holy and disobedience unholy. So don’t be led astray by such lousy attempts at projection and gaslighting.
Finally, if you are forsaking the assembly this Lord’s Day, you are more than welcome to spare us any and all kvetching about people not saying “Merry Christmas.” The world is merely refusing to use a man-made word that affirms a God they don’t profess. You, however, don’t even obey the actual commands of the God you do profess. So on this front, the world has you beat in the consistency department.
Regardless of your views on the origins of Christmas traditions, if you are not a Romanist, there should be no controversy about the fact that they are man-made. Now if an Old Covenant Israelite had said, “Hey guys, I made up a special holiday that overrides the Sabbath,” he would have been stoned before he and his ox and his donkey could have even started their work.
As many practical contrasts as there are in the New Covenant Lord’s Day, such excuses against the fourth commandment are no more valid in it. Yes, the Sabbath was made for man, but that doesn’t make it optional. And this gift of the Lord’s Day should be far more desirable than the hustle of a Christmas party—a principle beautifully exemplified in the story of Mary and Martha.
Luke 10:38-42
Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”
Psalm 84:10
For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.