SILVERHILL — Lots of people celebrate Christmas on Christmas Day and they wonder why anyone would celebrate on Christmas Eve. It all depends on how you understand God and God’s time table. The Bible tells us that God created night and day, in that order. In fact, Genesis 1:5 explains that “God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.” That means that Christmas Eve begins the day of Christmas, that 24-hour period when Jesus was born to Mother Mary and Foster Father Joseph.

The basic message of Christmas is not dependent on day or night, however. The Bible explains that God cares for people. That is why God fathered the Second Adam, Jesus Christ. The role of Jesus was to pay for the sins of the world, sins that resulted from a decision of mankind’s first parents, Adam and Eve. That Adam was the First Adam. Jesus (the Second Adam) was to save people from the consequences of sin which is death. The Bible explains that the actions of the Second Adam would allow mankind to reclaim its lost personal relationship with God Himself. Most of the time we do not speak “hermaneutics,” so we just talk about Jesus saving people.

One hundred five years ago there were 16 Swedes who decided they wanted to honor Jesus Christ as Lutherans in the Swedish enclave here in south Alabama called Silverhill. People get very serious about Jesus Christ at Christmas and Easter — the liturgical church reminds believers in worship that although we are sinners, there is hope for us because of the work of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. We say that Jesus died for our sins, but that event never would have happened without Bethlehem. And that gets us to the beginning of Zion Lutheran Church.

So, it is 105 years ago. It is Christmas. There is no Lutheran church, which was the state church of the fatherland in Northern Europe. These Lutherans with no church home look around. Other Swedes have already formed what today is Silverhill First Baptist Church and Silverhill Covenant Church. But there is no “Lutheran” church. And, it is Christmas! You can imagine what was going on in the minds of Swedes no longer in the homeland. We all have memories of home and Christmas. On Dec. 18, 1905, the “Lutheran” Swedes established “Swedish Lutheran Zion Church."” Ten years later they were constructing the basic church that now sits at Seventh Street and Fourth Avenue, a church whose shape and form would recall the churches of the homeland in Sweden.

Christmas is important as a recognition of God’s work in history. But, it is especially important to the people of Lutheran faith in Silverhill. Folks used to say “He’s the reason for the season,” if you remember from a few years ago. In a very real way, “He and His birthday are the reason for Zion Lutheran Church of Silverhill.”

So, yes, we will celebrate the Lord Jesus’ birth on Christmas Eve like good “Swedish Lutherans.” And of course, we invite all Christians to join us for a Christmas Eve Candle Light Service at 6 p.m. on — you guessed it — the beginning of Christmas. If you haven’t been paying attention, that is Dec. 24 on the calendar, but the beginning of Christmas by the Bible’s calendar.

Information about Christmas celebration and other events at Zion Lutheran Church can be obtained at www.LutheransInSilverhill.com or by calling (251) 945-5209. “Merry Christmas!” to you, and for any Swedes out there, “Gud Jul!”