Let's Ask God: How Do You Want to be Worshipped
A commentary by Robin Webber
United Church of pastor, Redlands and San Diego, California
Whenever I have a gnawing feeling in my gut about the direction
I'm going, I often reflect on the story of a lost safari tour
in the middle of the bush. They were thrashing and slashing their
way through the brush with their machetes, but progress was slow.
Finally, one of them climbed the tallest palm tree he could find
to get some needed bearings. Looking around, he became amazed at
what he saw. He yelled down to his companions below, "We're
in the wrong jungle!" They yelled back, "Come on down,
and join us, at least we are making progress."
This poignant story reminds me of the challenge set before many
a sincere person striving to worship the Christ child on December
25th. I'm not talking about "mall people" with
their endless shopping sprees for a secular festive occasion. I'm
talking about those endeavoring to "put Christ back into Christmas"—thinking
they are doing God a favor.
If this seems to be your current challenge have you ever asked
yourself: Heavenly Father or Jesus Christ, how do you want to
be worshipped?
Amazingly, God plainly states in the Bibles exactly how He chooses
to be worshipped and honored. Additionally, you
may be amazed to discover there is simply no mention of or command
for the celebration of Christmas in Holy Scripture. If this startles
you, by all means find a concordance of biblical words and check
it out for yourself.
A sincere and open-hearted student of the Scriptures will approach
the subject of how God desires to be worshipped with the following
scriptural principles in mind:
- "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word
that proceeds from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4).
What then does the Bible say or not say about worshipping God?
- "Whatsoever I command you to do, be careful to observe
it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it" (Deuteronomy
12:32).
The bottom line is God objects to mankind adding or subtracting
from what He alone can declare holy.
- "…This people honors Me with their lips, but
their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching
as doctrines the commandments of men." (Mark 7:6-7).
God's point is clear! We are not to confuse man's ways
with His ways.
Any encyclopedia will show undeniably that observances associated
with Christmas have non-Christian origins based on the worship of
false gods. Even beyond the origin issue of the December 25 date
there is simply no evidence that Christ, His apostles or any of
His early followers ever observed any date or occasion that was
related to His birth.
Please hear me loud and clear! As Christians, we are to acknowledge
and appreciate those persons and events related to Jesus' birth—be
it the humble setting in which He was born, the courage of His mother
Mary, the thoughtfulness of Joseph, the joy of the shepherds or
the determination of the wise men to honor Jesus as a king. But
that gives us no license to relegate the impact of His birth to
just one fixed date a year that was purposefully sequenced with
the pagan Saturnalia festival and many other superstitions of antiquity
associated with the winter solstice.
The United Church of God chooses to observe the biblical Holy Days
that Christ observed. We follow the example of Christ's apostles
who continued to observe these days after His crucifixion (Acts
2:1; 20:16; 1 Corinthians 5:7-8).
Our sincere desire is to worship God in the manner that He says
pleases Him rather than devising ways of worship based entirely
on human reasoning and personal feelings. Yes, as Christians we
appreciate beautiful music, family gatherings and feasting. However,
it is our rule of faith and practice to center such activities upon
the instructions revealed by God in the Holy Scriptures.
His festive celebrations focus our attention on His great love
for all of humanity. They are annual reminders of His divine blueprint
for the salvation of humanity. Each one is Christ-centered—together
they proclaim His life, death, resurrection, and ultimate return
to this earth to establish His Kingdom.
Where are you in regard to worshipping God? If you have been slashing
your way through the "wrong jungle," have the courage
to find the clear path that God intended from the beginning—before
man wrapped the most beautiful story in history with pagan packaging.
  For a thorough explanation of the divinely ordained Holy Days simply
request or download our two free, enlightening booklets: God's
Holy Day Plan—Hope For All Mankind and Holidays or
Holy Days: Does It Matter Which Days We Keep?
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