United In Christ · Growing In Grace · Reaching Out In Love

Sunday Morning Sermon Summary 

SERIES: “Grinchmas”

(Part One) “The Grinch is Real!”
November 30, 2008

ME:   growing up: commercialization, earlier…Times have changed!

      ●     In Washington, a school girl was not allowed to sing the word "Christmas" and instead was          ordered to substitute "winter."

      ●     In Virginia, officials at a state school for the deaf and blind banned religious songs from a             Christmas program.

      ●     In another Texas locale, students were told they could not wear red and green because                 those are Christmas colors.

      ●     In New Jersey, a school banned some Christmas carols in a school program and replaced           words in traditional pieces such as "Silent Night" with secular words.

      ●     In Minnesota, a library tree must be called "holiday" tree because it has become            an "offense"                   to one worker due to its Christian meaning.

      ●     “The Humanist Association is placing posters on buses in Washington, D.C., featuring a               skinny Santa in dreadlocks and the words, ‘Why believe in a god? Just be good for                    goodness’ sake.’ Fred Edwords, communications director of the Humanist Association, says               that partly they’re trying to cheer up agnostics and atheists, who tend to get lonely this time                  of year when most of their neighbors are celebrating holy days. But he says they’re also           ‘trying to plant a seed of rational thought and critical thinking and questioning in                    people’s minds.’” (Colson, Charles. Breakpoint. November 27, 2008)

WE:   Ever wonder? What’s going on?  What’s wrong with Christmas? A poor carpenter and his pregnant girlfriend, baby in a manger, shepherds, higher taxes, harsh government…What’s the problem?  Written in 1957, the Grinch was a cute story for kids.  Now the Grinch is REAL!

STORY: Every Who Down in Who-ville Liked Christmas a lot…But the Grinch, Who lived just north of Who-ville, Did NOT! The Grinch hated Christmas! The whole Christmas season! Now, please don’t ask why. No one quite knows the reason.  It could be his head wasn’t screwed on just right. It could be, perhaps, that his shoes were too tight.  But I think that the most likely reason of all May have been that his heart was two sizes too small.  But, whatever the reason, His heart or his shoes, He stood there on Christmas eve, hating the Whos, staring down from his cave with a sour, Grinchy frown At the warm lighted windows below in their town. For he knew every Who down in Who-ville beneath Was busy now, hanging a mistletoe wreath.          “And they’re hanging their stockings!” he snared with a sneer. “Tomorrow is Christmas! It’s practically here!” Then he growled, with his Grinch fingers nervously drumming, “I MUST find some way to stop Christmas from coming!”

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

THE PROBLEM

      Ecclesiastes 3:11 He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

      Genesis 3:15 – Enmity: Not the way it’s supposed to be; Go my own way with a hole in my heart!

     Then comes Jesus

     John 15:22-24 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now,       however, they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates me hates my Father as well. 24 If I       had not done among them what no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they        have seen these miracles, and yet they have hated both me and my Father.

      “As sin is not imputed where there is no law, so unbelief is not imputed where there is no gospel”
                                                                                                                                                                       (MH)

      Matthew 24:9 – You will be hated by all nations BECAUSE OF ME!

      eswRomanstg,,,,,,gbgbg,,b 1:18-22 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness             and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known          about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the          world God's invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen,             being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they           knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became      futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.

THE SOLUTION

      John 14:6 I am the Way the Truth and the Life, no man comes to the Father but by me.

      Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our       Lord.

      2 Timothy 3:12-16 …everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,       while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for       you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know       those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures,       which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

SO WHAT?

           Treating the “symptoms” won’t cure the “disease” (“Eternity” is built in, a “fire” that won’t                  go out, candle that keeps re-lighting)

           Dependence, Independence, Interdependence (a “young”/adolescent nation expressing

            independence)

WHAT NOW?

           Without God morality, justice, and peace are impossible

           Offensive vs. Defensive strategy (Matthew 16:18 – gates of hell) COME, LOVE, GO

                                                                                                                             Invite, Care, Serve

                                                                                                                             Extend the kingdom

           Love Your enemies, do good to those who despitefully use you, (Christopher Hitchens: “I               want my enemies dead!”)

…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.
For past sermons, please visit the Sermon Archive. 

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