Traditional Worship

Have we ever stopped to consider why the church celebrates something as seemingly obscure as the circumcision and naming of Jesus eight days after Christmas? This profound reflection on Luke 2:21 reveals layers of meaning we often overlook in our rush through the holiday season. At its heart, this observance reminds us that Jesus began fulfilling the law from his very infancy—doing what we cannot do, living the perfect life we fail to live. Even in this intimate, uncomfortable moment, Christ shed blood for us, perhaps for the very first time. The significance of the eighth day carries rich symbolism throughout Scripture: it represents God's new creation, pointing beyond the seven days of the original creation to something transformative and redemptive. When Jesus rose on the first day of the week—which was also the eighth day—he inaugurated that new creation. Through baptism, we're brought into that same reality, dying and rising with Christ, being created anew each day. Our names, like Jesus' name given by the angel, are written in the book of life. This seemingly strange holiday invites us to see how even the smallest details of Christ's life were purposeful acts of love, fulfilling every requirement on our behalf and drawing us into his story of redemption.