In Acts 17: 28 we see that God through the Apostle Paul used the entertainment industry of his day to make a spiritual point....something that generation could relate to help them more readily receive the gospel. This following came to me I believe by revelation in a similar way that is something about our present culture in which God wants to make a spiritual point....in so doing that they might more readily receive the Gospel. I'll say what it is first and then I'll share why in my opinion this can have a great impact for the Kingdom of God.
It's the Christmas Carol. the story of Ebenezer Scrooge and his joyful life filled nephew who sought to bring his Uncle into a state of merriment! Now just know first of all how significant this piece of literature The Christmas Carol has being over the last 100 years. Written by Charles Dickens in the 1800's there's been over 20 movies made about the theme.....then there's highly talented professional theater productions that have been done on stage.....not to mention just type in on youtube "Scrooge Highs School plays! I dare say you can't find a city in North America that usually doesn't have a Christmas Carol production going on in every city. So ..... everybody LOVES this story! Because they DO I believe God wants to use it to make a point.
I encourage you to stay with me and I think you'll find this interesting! Scrooges nephew was a type of Jesus Christ. He Scrooge's nephew came to a man who was in darkness and misery that is Scrooge and wanted to bring him in to a state of life and merriment. You recall (if you've seen a Scrooge movie) he came to his Uncle's business and announced to him in a lively spirit of joy and happiness, "MERRY Christmas UNCLE!!" Just to note in the actual text Charles Dickens wrote, he has Scrooge's nephew actually say to him, "Merry Christmas Uncle and God save you!" Interesting that all the movie producers actually left that out.
And how did Scrooge answer his nephew.....I think you all know....He said to him, 'HUMBUG! HUMBUG!" He basically told him "Take Your MERRY somewhere else!" There was something though his nephew wanted him to do.....a place where he wanted him to come, AND where was that? He wanted him to come to his place for Christmas dinner where there would be LIVELY JOY, MERRIMENT, DANCING AND FUN and Jesus 2000 years before Charles Dickens ever wrote this made out a call to for all to come his LIFE banquet! In Lk 14:16 we read,
But Jesus replied, “A certain man prepared a great banquet and invited many guests. 17When it was time for the banquet, he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’18But one after another they all began to make excuses. The first one said, ‘I have bought a field, and I need to go see it. Please excuse me.’19Another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out. Please excuse me.’20Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, so I cannot come.’
They like Scrooges were basically saying the same thing as he to the invitation to the LIFE party....HUMBUG....HUMBUG!!!
Scrooges nephew came to him with a message of LIFE and JOY and Jesus Christ outside of the realm of fiction actually did the same with what's called the Good News Gospel The Way, The Truth and the Life. Christ was wanting and still does want to restore within the hearts of every man the true state of merriment and that is imparting Eternal Life into ones spirit to transform their life. The Apostle Peter said to Jesus that he was the one who had the words of eternal life and Jesus said, "The words I speak unto you they are spirit and life!" Jn 6:63 We're going to take you on a journey in this series ahead at looking more closely at this Christmas Carol, Scrooge, and THE HUMBUG analogy and as I've suggested it can have a big impact on saints and sinners alike and here's why......the culture has engrained within them not to want to be of a Scrooge spirit! They've heard the Christmas Carol story all of their lives and the last thing they want to be is be like him. When one understands they don't want to say HUMBUG to The Creator of all Spirits to saints and sinners alike they find awaken in them a new positive vision to say YES to God in all things. Nobody or most people don't want to be a Spiritual Scrooge!
(See You Next Time)
It's the Christmas Carol. the story of Ebenezer Scrooge and his joyful life filled nephew who sought to bring his Uncle into a state of merriment! Now just know first of all how significant this piece of literature The Christmas Carol has being over the last 100 years. Written by Charles Dickens in the 1800's there's been over 20 movies made about the theme.....then there's highly talented professional theater productions that have been done on stage.....not to mention just type in on youtube "Scrooge Highs School plays! I dare say you can't find a city in North America that usually doesn't have a Christmas Carol production going on in every city. So ..... everybody LOVES this story! Because they DO I believe God wants to use it to make a point.
I encourage you to stay with me and I think you'll find this interesting! Scrooges nephew was a type of Jesus Christ. He Scrooge's nephew came to a man who was in darkness and misery that is Scrooge and wanted to bring him in to a state of life and merriment. You recall (if you've seen a Scrooge movie) he came to his Uncle's business and announced to him in a lively spirit of joy and happiness, "MERRY Christmas UNCLE!!" Just to note in the actual text Charles Dickens wrote, he has Scrooge's nephew actually say to him, "Merry Christmas Uncle and God save you!" Interesting that all the movie producers actually left that out.
And how did Scrooge answer his nephew.....I think you all know....He said to him, 'HUMBUG! HUMBUG!" He basically told him "Take Your MERRY somewhere else!" There was something though his nephew wanted him to do.....a place where he wanted him to come, AND where was that? He wanted him to come to his place for Christmas dinner where there would be LIVELY JOY, MERRIMENT, DANCING AND FUN and Jesus 2000 years before Charles Dickens ever wrote this made out a call to for all to come his LIFE banquet! In Lk 14:16 we read,
But Jesus replied, “A certain man prepared a great banquet and invited many guests. 17When it was time for the banquet, he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’18But one after another they all began to make excuses. The first one said, ‘I have bought a field, and I need to go see it. Please excuse me.’19Another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out. Please excuse me.’20Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, so I cannot come.’
They like Scrooges were basically saying the same thing as he to the invitation to the LIFE party....HUMBUG....HUMBUG!!!
Scrooges nephew came to him with a message of LIFE and JOY and Jesus Christ outside of the realm of fiction actually did the same with what's called the Good News Gospel The Way, The Truth and the Life. Christ was wanting and still does want to restore within the hearts of every man the true state of merriment and that is imparting Eternal Life into ones spirit to transform their life. The Apostle Peter said to Jesus that he was the one who had the words of eternal life and Jesus said, "The words I speak unto you they are spirit and life!" Jn 6:63 We're going to take you on a journey in this series ahead at looking more closely at this Christmas Carol, Scrooge, and THE HUMBUG analogy and as I've suggested it can have a big impact on saints and sinners alike and here's why......the culture has engrained within them not to want to be of a Scrooge spirit! They've heard the Christmas Carol story all of their lives and the last thing they want to be is be like him. When one understands they don't want to say HUMBUG to The Creator of all Spirits to saints and sinners alike they find awaken in them a new positive vision to say YES to God in all things. Nobody or most people don't want to be a Spiritual Scrooge!
(See You Next Time)