Scrooge
One of the most popular of the Christmas movies are the many versions of “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens. It is the familiar story of a man named Ebenezer Scrooge who despises Christmas and all those who observe it. He sees the celebration as a waste of time and states that if he had his way “every idiot who goes about with a ‘Merry Christmas’ should be boiled with his own pudding”! Wow! Talk about a wet blanket. Why would such a story be so popular? Well…we know what’s coming. Through a series of supernatural visitations the old miser’s heart is awakened and transformed. He then makes things right and becomes (spoiler alert if you are the only person on the planet that doesn’t know the story) the biggest fan of the Christmas season.
This story has many things in it that we can use to help us celebrate our holiday more richly but lets focus on one truth today as we begin our Advent journey.
Here is the holiday truth…there will always be a Scrooge at your Christmas! There were at the first Christmas and every Christmas since. There will be those around you who will “Bah Humbug” your party and rain on your Christmas parade. When Jesus talked about His own birth in John 3 He said, “the Light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.” (verse 19).
Darkness and light cannot coexist. Sin and righteousness are contrary and are always in conflict. Therefore, when we celebrate the hope, peace, joy, and love that Christmas brings, it should not surprise us that there is resistance from a sinful world. Another thing to remember is that we were all ‘Scrooges” before we embraced the Light and our hearts were transformed. Our selfish hearts were wrapped in darkness before God shined the light of His mercy and grace upon us.
So, on this first Sunday of Advent…the Sunday of Hope…here is your Christmas truth. There is hope! We watch the “Christmas Carol” and we can put up with Scrooge’s insults because we know what’s coming! There is hope for this guy! He can be changed!
Let that same hope encourage you as you prepare for your celebration. And don’t let the “scrooges” of this world rob you of the Joy of the season. We know there is hope! We know what’s coming! This should give us the courage to share with those who are struggling the “good news” of Christmas…the coming of Jesus! The world can be a dark place but Christmas reminds us that God so loved the world that He came! The Light has come into the world and now, we can celebrate the season!
May the Hope of Christmas fill you this day!