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Sunday Morning Sermon Summary 

SERIES: “Grinchmas”

(Part Two) “The Grinch is Messing Up Christmas!”

2 Corinthians 4:1-6
December 7, 2008

STORY:    “I MUST find some way to stop Christmas from coming!”

                 Grinch dresses up like Santa Claus, antlers on the dog, comes down the chimney,

                 Betty Lou Who catches the Grinch who convinces her that he needs to repair a light on the tree…

                 Grinch steals all the Christmas toys, food and even the “roast beast”

From “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” by Dr. Seuss

ME:   News report: Christmas is not a religious holiday.  Did some research… Jesus probably not born in December!

      Centuries before the arrival of Jesus, the middle of winter was a time of celebration around the world.

      In Scandinavia, the Norse celebrated Yule from December 21, the winter solstice, through January. In recognition of the return of the sun, fathers and sons would set large logs on fire. The people would feast until the log burned out, each spark from the fire represented a new pig or calf that would be born during the coming year.

      In Germany, people honored the pagan god Oden during the mid-winter holiday.

      In Rome, SATURNALIA—a holiday in honor of Saturn, the god of agriculture—was celebrated for a full month … slaves would become masters. Peasants were in command of the city. Business and schools were closed.

      In the early years of Christianity, Easter was the main holiday; the birth of Jesus wasn’t celebrated. In the 4^th century Pope Julius I chose December 25.

      By the Middle Ages, Christianity had, for the most part, replaced pagan religion. On Christmas, believers attended church, then celebrated raucously carnival-like atmosphere similar to Mardi Gras. Each year, a beggar or student would be crowned the "lord of misrule" and celebrants played the part of his subjects.

      In the early 17th century, a wave of religious reform changed the way Christmas was celebrated in Europe. When Oliver Cromwell and his Puritan forces took over England in 1645, they vowed to rid England of decadence and, as part of their effort, cancelled Christmas.

      For the pilgrims, who came to America in 1620, Christmas was not a holiday.. From 1659 to 1681, the celebration of Christmas was actually outlawed in Boston. Anyone exhibiting the Christmas spirit was fined five shillings.

      In 1819, Washington Irving wrote a series of stories about the celebration of Christmas in an English manor house. The sketches feature a squire who invited the peasants into his home for the holiday. In contrast to the problems faced in American society, the two groups mingled effortlessly. In Irving's mind, Christmas should be a peaceful, warm-hearted holiday bringing groups together across lines of wealth or social status. Irving's fictitious celebrants enjoyed "ancient customs," including the crowning of a Lord of Misrule.

      Also around this time, English author Charles Dickens created the classic holiday tale, A Christmas Carol. The story's message-the importance of charity and good will towards all humankind-struck a powerful chord in the United States and England and showed members of Victorian society the benefits of celebrating the holiday.

      The family was also becoming less disciplined and more sensitive to the emotional needs of children during the early 1800s. Christmas provided families with a day when they could lavish attention-and gifts-on their children without appearing to "spoil" them.

      The 19th century was a period of class conflict and turmoil. During this time, unemployment was high and gang rioting by the disenchanted classes often occurred during the Christmas season. In 1828, the New York city council instituted the city's first police force in response to a Christmas riot.

      Christmas wasn't declared a federal holiday until June 26, 1870.

      In the next 100 years, Americans built a Christmas tradition all their own that included pieces of many other customs, including decorating trees, sending holiday cards, and gift-giving. Most families quickly bought into the idea that they were celebrating Christmas as it had been done for centuries.

WE:   It seems so obvious that we’re “reaping what we’ve sown”; why continue to insist on removing morality, denying absolute truth, claiming there is no right or wrong, when the consequences are so obvious in our culture? What’s the church’s reaction? What should it be?

GOD: 2 Corinthians 4:1-6 Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry (reflecting Christ), we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

YOU:         INGREDIENTS FOR A GRINCH-PROOF CHRISTMAS

                 A PURE HEART (Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God. Matthew 5:8)

                 A REORDERED HEART (But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given                      to you as well. Matthew 6:33)  

                 A REDECORATED HEART (I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you                          your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26-27)

                 A RECEIVING HEART (Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to                      become children of God. John 1:12)

                 A GIVING HEART (My child, give me your heart and let your eyes keep to my ways. Proverbs 23:26)

SO WHAT? Christmas needs proclaiming, not protecting

           Even if the Grinch takes all the “props” we still have the “plot”

WHAT NOW?

Matthew 24:4-5, 10-14

(CONTEXT: “Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the

                        age?")

4 Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ, and will deceive many…10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. 

…TO BE CONTINUED…

Legend:

Green: Mission and Vision
Blue: Illustrations and quotes
Red: Scripture

Note to the visitor:  These are Pastor Paul’s sermon notes from Sunday Morning.  They probably won’t make much sense if you weren’t in the service.  Feel free to contact Pastor Paul if you’d like more detailed information.
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