Christmas Eve Over And Over Again! Series

Christmas Eve over and over again!

Message for CHC School Christmas Program 2019:

Summary of play:

Gideon – stuck in time – stuck reliving the same day over and over (Christmas Eve) until he learns the lesson God wants to teach him – which is the true meaning of Christmas and the reason Jesus came to this earth as a baby – It is found in John 3:16!

Illustration our play and “Groundhog Day” the movie:

Our Christmas play tonight reveals a similar theme to the iconic movie, “Groundhog Day” starred in by Bill Murray – the classic popular film called by some, “the most spiritual movie of all time!” Follows Phil Connor a weatherman sent to Punxsutawney Pa. to cover Groundhog Day on Feb 2nd. This is a local Dutch celebration of this town in Pa every year. By the way the movie was not filmed in Punxsutawney, Pa. but in Woodstock Il. a little trivia for you!

Phil’s a weatherman who has lost the joy of life – He does not really know how to live life with eternal meaning and value – He is so similar to our character Gideon – life has stolen his joy and his ability to find peace and meaning in life.

Out main character Gideon is miserable, he has no joy, life has become a chore for him, the death of his father has plunged him in a grief that sees no hope, the difficulty of life has robbed him of cheer, there is no enthusiasm for life or for the meaning of life. He is a Buh Humbug Scrooge when it comes to Christmas’ to its meaning and message. His grief and joylessness blinds him so he sees no hope – no joy – no peace! His attitude gets him trapped in the time warp of a day with no meaning or purpose.

Phil Connor’s from “Groundhog Day” is a self-centered, conceited, and pompous person. He’s sarcastic and pessimistic to everyone about life – about the tradition of the holidays. He doesn’t care much for people, for celebration, for fun, for community except when he can manipulate and use them for his own personal advantage – he resents his assignment to report on a Groundhog coming out of its cage to predict the weather? It’s beneath him!

But something happens to Phil Conner’s similar to our character Gideon he gets stuck in a time warp. For days-weeks-months years - the writer of the movie said it’s about a 30-40 year time warp – He wakes up everyday at 6am to Sonny Cher’s song “I got you babe” – but it’s the same day over and over – It’s as if God is saying to Phil and to our character Gideon “You are going to repeat this day until you get it right , until you learn how to live the right way and discover the true meaning of life – until you discover Joy in the journey of life.”

Wow – How many would like to have an opportunity like this? Repeat a day until you get it right? Seriously?

I. The movie and play communicate to us to live the right kind of life so you don’t get stuck in time warp of a meaninglessness life filled with no joy, no peace and no real relationships.

a. The iconic movie Groundhog Day has changed the name of the words “Groundhog Day” –

i. The Urban Dictionary - states it’s a NOUN referring to February 2, when the groundhog is said to come out of its hole at the end of hibernation. If the animal sees its shadow—i.e., if the weather is sunny—it is said to predict six weeks more of winter weather.

ii. But they added another definition to their dictionary – “it’s a situation in which a series of unwelcome or tedious events appear to be recurring in exactly the same way.”

1. For example: "she lived an unrelenting Groundhog Day of laundry, shopping, and rearing us kids"

2. In the war in Bosnia many troops referred to their time of duty their as Groundhog Day!

3. The same thing over and over again – stuck in time!

a. A life filled with No joy – No peace – No purpose!

b. Have you ever had one of those days that you just wish you could do over again?

i. Would it not be nice to have thousands of days to get it right? Thousands of do overs?

ii. The truth about time:

1. But you and I live in reality not like Gideon or Phil Connors – the truth is when we use our precious time up you use it – it’s gone forever never to return – time is a one time deal – once you use it is gone never to return again - so we need to make the most of our precious time – we never to get it back again in real life!