A Reel Christmas

 

A lot of people have great memories of their favorite Christmas shows.  Before the age of the DVR or even the DVD or VHS to show on the LCD TV (how did we get to a language of acronyms?), we had to actually wait for one day a year when we could watch a favorite show.  Commercials began right after Thanksgiving to remind us to mark our calendars for when Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer would show – or Frosty the Snowman – or A Christmas Carol.  Occasionally we were lucky and a certain station would rebroadcast one of these a few times during the season.  But we would make sure supper was done and we would huddle under a blanket in front of the TV to watch each of these shows.  They seemed to mark the beginning of the Christmas season and our anticipation of the season.

 

I think back to those days and those Christmas stories.  They were really good.  The whole family could watch them – together even!  And there was a great message in them.  In the midst of consumerism even then, these shows would point our minds and hearts to things that really mattered.  I would even suggest to you this morning that many of those shows pointed us to the real meaning of Christmas – to specific truths we found fulfilled in Jesus coming to earth and fulfilling his mission to seek and save the lost.

 

1. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.

 

This was my very favorite.  Maybe it's because the message centered on the whole idea of misfits or outcasts who are finally accepted.  Not only are they accepted, but they find great purpose in life.

 

-Rudolph is a misfit because he is born with a red nose that lights up.

-Hermey one of Santa's elves, who just doesn't like making toys  – He wants to be a dentist, and that makes him a misfit-

-Yukon Cornelius – is a down on his luck misfit prospector

-Abominable Snowman – is just a hurting misfit

 

Misfit Toys – and then they encounter a whole island of misfit toys who seem to have no hope.

 

Video Clip – Rudolph 1

 

So when Rudolph and Hermey and Cornelius leave the island, they promise to come back with Santa to put them on the sleigh and deliver them to boys and girls who will love them.

 

Video Clip – Rudolph 2

 

And it reminds me that we are all misfits – sinners.  We would seem to have no hope.  But God demonstrates his love to us in a way that brings us hope and makes us acceptable to God.

 

- Rudolph's nose is just perfect to guide Santa's sleigh through the snowstorm.

- Hermey gets to become a dentist.

- Yukon Cornelius finds a peppermint mine – better even then silver and gold.

- The Abominable Snowman is perfect for the job of putting the star on top of the Christmas tree.

- And the misfit toys find homes where they make children happy and find happiness themselves.

 

It reminds me that as sinners, we are all misfits.  In fact, the Law of Moses made crystal clear just this – that we are all misfits, but God loves us so much that he provided a way for us to be made right again and to have great purpose in life.

 

Misfits made right:

Romans 5:6-10 – "When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.  Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good.  But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.  And since we have been made right in God's sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God's condemnation.  For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son."

 

Given new purpose:

2 Corinthians 5:18-20 – "And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.  For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.  So we are Christ's ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, ‘Come back to God!'"

 

2. A Christmas Story

 

If you have seen this – made in 1983 – it is a great story.  Not only are there Christmas themes, but common themes of the struggles and joys of young childhood.

 

The story revolves around Ralphie's hopes and dreams and quest for the perfect Christmas present – a Red Ryder BB gun.  What boy didn't want one of these growing up?

 

Video Clip – Hope for the Red Ryder BB gun.

 

Of course, the conflict in the movie is all of those who tell him it is the wrong gift – he would just shoot his eye out with it.  He feels hopeless, destined to get some other gift he does not really want.  But he can't imagine that he would actually get the worst gift of all.

 

Video Clip – The Bunny Suit

 

But, his father has been planning all along to give him the perfect gift.

 

Video Clip – The hidden gift

 

After getting the BB gun, he finds it is not as satisfying as he thought it would be.  He doesn't shoot out his eye, but he does bruise it.  And then the neighborhood dogs ruin the family Christmas turkey.  But somehow the family finds joy eating at the only restaurant open in town – a Chinese restaurant.  And they are serenaded by a group of Chinese Waiters singing Fa Ra Ra Ra Ra Ra Ra Ra Ra Ra.  And it reminds me that many times we long for the perfect gift.  We don't always even know what it is exactly we are looking for, but we want what will bring peace and fulfillment and contentment to our lives.  And our good father has already provided it for us.  And he does not hide it.  He has given it to the whole world.  It is ours for the asking.

 

God knows the perfect gift for us and He wants us to have it.

 

Matthew 7:8-11 – "For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead?  Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not!  So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him?"

 

And the best gift of all is salvation in Jesus.

 

John 3:16 – "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life."

 

That gift of the baby Jesus was not recognized as the perfect gift my many at first.  Today, that perfect gift is still rejected by most in our world.  But to those of us who understand and have placed our faith in Jesus, he is the perfect gift.  He brings us all that we really need.

 

3. A Christmas Carol

 

This classic Charles Dickens novel has been made into a movie many times.  Just this year Jim Carrey starred as Ebenezer Scrooge in a new version.  But my favorite is the Alastair Sim version from 1951.  It was originally done in black and white but eventually updated to color sometime in the 1970's I think.  I remember watching it on my parents' bedroom tv for the first time when I was only 8 or so.  It was a little scary to see the "spirits" of Christmas past present and future.  But even then, my little heart hoped for the best outcome. 

 

We identify with Scrooge as each "spirit" reminds him of things he wishes he could either forget or change.  His life was one of greed and selfishness, but he can't change the past.  It is there to haunt him and only deepen his frustration and pain.  The encounter with the Spirit of Christmas future is the most frightening.  With him he sees what is sure to become of him if he continues his life of greed and unkindness.  In the future he dies without anyone to care or reflect back fondly on him.  Worst of all he finds himself doomed to hell.

 

But the story does not disappoint, as even the hardened Ebenezer Scrooge learns the need for his life to be changed and is filled with joy when he gets a second chance at life.  He wakes up after that last encounter, and he gets the second chance.

 

Video Clip – Waking up Christmas morning.

 

Because of Jesus, we have the most incredible second chance, and our new life in Him is a never ending second chance.  We find forgiveness and new purpose and hope – even in a fallen world.

 

2 Corinthians 5:17-18 – "Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him."

 

1 John 1:9 – "If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness."

 

Conclusion

 

Then there is another classic – A Charlie Brown Christmas.

 

The series of Charlie Brown cartoon movies are such a gift from Charles Schultz.  The Christmas one was my favorite.  Who didn't identify with Charlie Brown and his sense of bad luck as a kid?  But the classic scene of his frustration with everything that seemed to be wrong with the way people celebrated Christmas is wonderful.  "Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?" he shouts, and Linus, blanket in tow, calmly reminds us all the real meaning of Christmas.

 

Video – Linus explains the meaning of Christmas

 

And so we have it.  It's all about Jesus.  Jesus is the reason for the season.  But even more accurately, we are the reason for the season.  Jesus came for us – to rescue us.  He came as a little baby, born into a sinful and cruel world.  And he came that way to experience being one of us, to be able to sympathize with us, so that he could qualify to die for us.  Jesus came to die for us so that he could pay the penalty for our sin so we could be made right with God.  Jesus was the plan from before the foundation of the world.  The love of God sent him.  The love of Jesus motivated him to come willingly.  And even TV shows, at their best, remind us of the best messages of Christmas. 

Because of Jesus, us misfits, sinners, are accepted by God. 

Because of Jesus, in our striving we can find the perfect gift from God in Jesus. 

Because of Jesus, in that gift we get a second chance – a new life – the promise of heaven.  And it all begins at the birth of Jesus we celebrate at Christmas.

 

Children to the front

 

Aaron Dorman - reads the Christmas story from Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 2:1-20; Matthew 2:1-12.

 

Each child receives a gift to remind them of the greatest gift of Jesus.