Thursday, December 13, 2012

What is Christmas, After All?

I love The Muppet's Christmas Carol. The songs are catchy and stay with you. The movie feels good. A lovely message. Yet, it doesn't mention Jesus or even the Babe born in Bethlehem, does it?
Last night the adults joined the youth for Wednesday evening service. The younger kids practiced their Christmas program in the sanctuary for this Sunday. Wonderful for the church to be busy that we have to join with the teen agers.
The youth pastor taught on not being a "Bah, humbug Christian" using clips of an older Christmas Carol. The film had the flavor of the forties in black and white, but music in background. My film expert daughters would know, but one is in school and the other in bed. The ghost of Christmas Present impressed me and filled me with joy. He said, "Christmas Present is 365 days old. It is not one day, just as the holy Babe born in Bethlehem wants to dwell in your heart 365 days a year." Something to that effect. A movie like that reminds me how much our culture accepted hearing the message of Jesus at one time.
Another point is how Scrooge ecstatic, almost to the point of crazy, over the fact that he can have a new life.
That scares people, makes them nervous. Yes, a person can love God and all that, but don't dare be radical. Yet, as Scrooge realizing he wasn't dead, but given a new life, we, too,  believing we have new life, should be jumping for joy, trying to do headstands, filled with enthusiasm that a second chance is ours.
Also those who have known Jesus so long need not chide this reaction to the new found realization.  I propose every day we should be doing headstands, knowing we have new life. Isn't this Christmas, after all?

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