Reclaim Sacred Spaces
Some people claim we shouldn’t celebrate Christmas or Easter because they have pagan origins, but when we let that kind of thinking rob us of the joy of celebrating Jesus, we’re missing the whole point of the gospel. Let’s look at what these days are really about.
Christmas is about the birth of Christ. Sure, some traditions may have been influenced by past cultures, but that doesn’t change the significance of what we’re remembering. We’re celebrating the moment when God Himself came to earth, born of a virgin, to redeem us. That’s the heart of Christmas! If my focus is on Jesus, I’m honoring Him. Trees, lights, and presents don’t distract from that; in fact, they can point people to the joy and love of Christ when celebrated in the right spirit. The problem comes when we allow concerns about ancient customs to steal away the opportunity to celebrate what God did. God’s not worried about the past of a holiday—He’s after our hearts today. If my heart is set on Jesus, am I sinning by celebrating? Of course not. When we gather with family, give gifts, and declare the miracle of Christ’s birth, we’re lifting up His name.
Easter is the same way. People argue about the date or symbols like eggs and bunnies, but the heart of Easter is the resurrection of Christ. It’s when we proclaim that Jesus didn’t stay in the grave but rose in victory over sin and death. That’s what we’re celebrating! The power of the cross and the empty tomb far outweighs any debate over traditions. If we let those arguments keep us from celebrating Easter, we’re allowing the enemy to win by diverting our attention from the resurrection—the very foundation of our faith! Easter is about Jesus’ victory, and no tradition can take that away.
Now, some might argue that since these days were once associated with paganism, we should step away from them completely. But here’s the problem with that thinking: when Christians retreat from the world, the world gets darker. If we pull back from these holidays, what are we leaving them to? If Christians stop celebrating Christmas and Easter, then what happens to these sacred moments of remembrance? The enemy would love for us to back away and leave these days to secularism or paganism, but that’s not what we’re called to do.
Jesus told us to be the light of the world, not to hide from it. We are meant to bring the light of Christ into dark places. Dr. Judd Burton talks about “reclaiming sacred spaces,” and that’s exactly what we’re called to do. The earth is the Lord’s, and every day belongs to Him. We’re not supposed to abandon these days because of their past associations; we’re supposed to reclaim them for the Kingdom! Christmas and Easter are opportunities to declare the glory of Jesus, to share the good news of His birth, death, and resurrection. If we retreat, the world fills the gap with emptiness, but when we stand firm, we bring the truth of Christ to the forefront.
Paul says in Colossians 2:16-17, “Do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration, or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.” He’s telling us not to get caught up in outward things—our focus is Jesus. We’re free to celebrate Him with our whole hearts, on any day, in any tradition, as long as He is at the center. God is looking at the heart, not the history of a day.
And if we give up on Christmas and Easter because of past pagan traditions, what’s next? Do we stop meeting on Sundays because other religions have holy days? Do we stop praying in public because the world mocks it? If we retreat from every space and every day that has been tainted by the world, we’ll end up retreating from everything! The world will become darker because we failed to shine our light. But we’re not called to retreat; we’re called to bring Jesus to the world!
Romans 12:21 tells us, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Our job is to bring the light of Christ into every place that has been touched by darkness. We’re not here to fear or avoid the world’s traditions; we’re here to redeem them. That’s why we don’t just let Christmas and Easter go—we stand firm and declare Jesus! We use these days to proclaim the gospel, to remind the world that Jesus came, died, and rose again for us.
Instead of retreating, let’s step boldly into these celebrations. Let’s use Christmas and Easter to glorify God, to tell the world about His love and power. Let’s reclaim these sacred spaces and shine the light of Christ in the midst of a dark world. Every day belongs to God, and we’re here to make sure the world knows it. We’re not giving up an inch—we’re taking it all back for the Kingdom of God!