#4 - A Christmas Story
Using Christmas Classics to learn and share Biblical Truth
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God IS SO GOOD!
As a church we've met our goal and have raised $21,820 to train pastors in India! All money will go toward materials, housing, and food during the trainings.
Please remember to pray for this endeavor. Pray for those who are giving the training, for the pastors and their churches, and for the people who will come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior because of this.
As a church we've met our goal and have raised $21,820 to train pastors in India! All money will go toward materials, housing, and food during the trainings.
Please remember to pray for this endeavor. Pray for those who are giving the training, for the pastors and their churches, and for the people who will come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior because of this.
There are 2024 Bible reading journals for you to pick up in CJ's coffee shop if you haven't already. These will be used as we study God's Word together next year.
If you would like to exchange Christmas Cards with your Grace Church family, feel free to place cards in the baskets on the tables in the auditorium. Baskets are labeled with letters that correspond with the last names of our church families. Be sure to check the baskets as the month goes on to pick up cards given to your family!
You can now purchase CJ's Gift Cards in either $10 or $20 amounts at the counter in CJ's. These cards are good for anything purchased in CJ's (not for online purchases). This is a great way to bless someone as well as supporting the Samaritan Fund to help those in need in our community!
Thursday, December 28th - Avary Allerding
Friday, December 29th - Holly Paul
Friday, December 29th - Holly Paul
Cards
Our December series is entitled Christmas Classics and is developed around several well-known Christmas movies.
So far this month we've looked at Elf, The Polar Express, and Miracle on 34th Street. Several of these are great allegories of the Christian faith and can be used to start meaningful conversations about life.
So far this month we've looked at Elf, The Polar Express, and Miracle on 34th Street. Several of these are great allegories of the Christian faith and can be used to start meaningful conversations about life.
Today we're looking at the movie, A Christmas Story.
The movie was produced 40 years ago and is based on several of Jean Shepherd's writings.
It's a movie set in the 1940's in Cleveland, Ohio that highlights an old style, traditional family Christmas.
The movie was produced 40 years ago and is based on several of Jean Shepherd's writings.
It's a movie set in the 1940's in Cleveland, Ohio that highlights an old style, traditional family Christmas.
Like most movies there are some good parts but also some questionable parts that should make us pause and think.
The plot is pretty simple:
A grade school boy, by the name of Ralphie, is convinced that if he gets a specific gift, he will be totally and completely satisfied. He daydreams, dreams, and schemes throughout the movie about this gift, but everyone turns him down because..."You'll shoot your eye out!"
The plot is pretty simple:
A grade school boy, by the name of Ralphie, is convinced that if he gets a specific gift, he will be totally and completely satisfied. He daydreams, dreams, and schemes throughout the movie about this gift, but everyone turns him down because..."You'll shoot your eye out!"
As far as themes and topics go in the movie, there are many that can be used as a launching pad for deeper discussion and serve as starting points for spiritual conversation.
Here are a few:
· The way we treat friends and those around us.
· How to respond to people who are bullies.
· The reality of struggles in our relationships and families.
· How to handle disappointments and hurt feelings in life.
· The trials of transitioning out of childhood and into adolescence.
· How to persist in our dreams even when they seem to be sliding away. . The joy that comes when we celebrate together with others.
All of these can be talked about in a spiritual or secular manner.
Here are a few:
· The way we treat friends and those around us.
· How to respond to people who are bullies.
· The reality of struggles in our relationships and families.
· How to handle disappointments and hurt feelings in life.
· The trials of transitioning out of childhood and into adolescence.
· How to persist in our dreams even when they seem to be sliding away. . The joy that comes when we celebrate together with others.
All of these can be talked about in a spiritual or secular manner.
This morning there is one theme that we should think about which is woven throughout the movie: Ralphie is obsessed with getting what he wants.
All of us have been like this in some way. We believe if we just get IT, then we will be satisfied. The problem is that what we want is of this world.
Christmas is about God giving us what we truly need, not just what we want!
All of us have been like this in some way. We believe if we just get IT, then we will be satisfied. The problem is that what we want is of this world.
Christmas is about God giving us what we truly need, not just what we want!
The trees on our stage tie in to the movies we're talking about this month:
1st week, ELF: The first tree is nothing but lights, an ELF hat, and the shape of a tree – but lacks substance. It displays the emptiness of a secular Christmas, void of JESUS.
2nd week, The Polar Express: The second tree is speaking of Belief and how it is critical to understanding the message of a Biblical Christmas and how it brings salvation and meaning to life.
3rd week, Miracle on 34th Street: Our third tree is red, with a Santa hat, and boots. A secular holiday with Santa as the key figure and identity as the main idea.
4th week, A Christmas Story: an old fashioned tree that captures the setting of our movie today. It is void of materialistic gifts because our focus should primarily be on God's gift that came many years ago. Without Jesus there is no Christmas!
1st week, ELF: The first tree is nothing but lights, an ELF hat, and the shape of a tree – but lacks substance. It displays the emptiness of a secular Christmas, void of JESUS.
2nd week, The Polar Express: The second tree is speaking of Belief and how it is critical to understanding the message of a Biblical Christmas and how it brings salvation and meaning to life.
3rd week, Miracle on 34th Street: Our third tree is red, with a Santa hat, and boots. A secular holiday with Santa as the key figure and identity as the main idea.
4th week, A Christmas Story: an old fashioned tree that captures the setting of our movie today. It is void of materialistic gifts because our focus should primarily be on God's gift that came many years ago. Without Jesus there is no Christmas!
This morning we'll look at two Scripture passages that teach the true meaning of Christmas.
1 John 4:9-10
John 3:16
From these passages we can learn some truths that have life changing potential.
1 John 4:9-10
John 3:16
From these passages we can learn some truths that have life changing potential.
1 John 4:9-10
BSB
9 This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him.
10 And love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.
10 And love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.
BSB
John 3:16
BSB
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
BSB
1. God KNOWS OUR GREATEST NEED.
2. God IS ANGRY AGAINST OUR SINS.
3. God LOVES US.
4. God DEMONSTRATED WHAT REAL LOVE IS.
5. God HAS PROVIDED A GIFT THAT TRULY LASTS AND MEETS OUR GREATEST NEED.
6. God HAS GIVEN US A CHOICE TO MAKE.
Application:
1. READ at least one of the following Scripture passages dealing with the birth of Jesus.
Isaiah 7:14 and 9:6-7
Matthew 1:18-25; 2:1-12; 2:13-23
Luke 2:1-7, 8-20
John 3:16-18
1 John 4:9-10
1. READ at least one of the following Scripture passages dealing with the birth of Jesus.
Isaiah 7:14 and 9:6-7
Matthew 1:18-25; 2:1-12; 2:13-23
Luke 2:1-7, 8-20
John 3:16-18
1 John 4:9-10
2. DISCUSS the meaning of Jesus' birth.
Galatians 1:1-4
Galatians 1:1-4
Galatians 1:1-4
BSB
1 Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead—
2 and all the brothers with me, To the churches of Galatia:
3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,
4 who gave Himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,
2 and all the brothers with me, To the churches of Galatia:
3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,
4 who gave Himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,
BSB
3. COMMUNICATE the true story of Christmas - God's and yours.
4. DEMONSTRATE affection and appreciation for the people God has gifted to us.
5. PRAY for those who truly need Jesus as the Lord of their life.
6. MAKE a list of God's blessings for your life and family and thank Him.
7. THINK and TALK about the themes and topics of the holiday media we watch.
