Halloween, An Evangelistic Opportunity

Halloween, An Evangelistic Opportunity

Ephesians 5:1-13

Intro: Late one dark night, two men were walking home after a party. They were tired and desperate to get home, so they decided to take a shortcut through a cemetery.

They got to about the middle of the graveyard, and they were startled and stopped moving. There was a terrifying noise, "TAP-TAP-TAP" coming from the shadows. Trembling with fear, they spotted an old man with a hammer and chisel, chipping away at one of the headstones.

"Hey Mister," one of them said after catching his breath. "You SCARED us half to death. We thought you were a GHOST! What are you doing working here so late at night?"

"Those fools!" the old man grumbled. "They spelt my name wrong!"

. On Halloween night a little boy couldn’t sleep because he was convinced ghosts were in his room. "It’s all in your head," his mother reassured him. "Now go to sleep." Before she got down the stairs, he came running out of his room screaming. His mother asked what was wrong. The little boy said that the ghosts had moved out of his head and were now flying around the room.

. Halloween is upon us.

. It seems that our world is full of people glorifying evil.

. Some of the most popular shows on TV involve vampires and demons and zombies.

. This Thursday, many will dress up and pretend that they are witches and monsters and Zombies. Most do this innocently for no other reason than to receive candy from others.

. While that is true for many some take this night very seriously and use it as an opportunity to spread pagan beliefs involving witches and demons and worship of Satan.

. Halloween was actually celebrated hundreds of years before the birth of Christ. In the British isles, a group of people called the Celts observed a festival they called Samhain on Oct 31st.

But unlike today’s Halloween, theirs was no children’s holiday.

You see, the Celtic New Year began on November 1st. The fall harvest was complete and winter loomed. At this season of the year the Celts knew that the power of the sun was fading. For the next several months, darkness would prevail.

For the Celts this impending darkness was a fairly scary time.

It was especially scary because they believed that there was a something like a curtain that separated the living from the dead. And they believed - that at this time of the year - that curtain was at its thinnest.

On the evening of October 31, it was their belief that evil spirits and souls of the dead passed through this barrier and entered into the world of the living. And when the dead crossed that barrier they would torment the living. Crops might be destroyed, babies stolen, farm animals killed.

To appease these dead spirits, various sacrifices -including human - were performed the Celts. And food was left out for the spirits, hoping that this "treat" would prevent an evil "trick."

. That is the history of Halloween.

. In Christendom, There has always been much debate on how we as Christians should deal with Halloween.

. Should we participate should we not participate?

.Should we allow our children to dress up as witches and Ghosts even if they have no concept of why they do this.

.All they know is that they get to dress up and get candy.

. When I was a little boy, that’s all I cared about was the candy.

. Sadly, if this is all there was to it, there would be no debate.

. There is more to it though.

. In God’s word, we are told to separate ourselves from these things. We are told not to participate in things that are evil and vile and sinful.

. How are we to act during this Halloween season. Paul gives us the answer in Ephesians 5:

. Look with me at 5:1-13

. 1Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.

2Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.

3Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people.

4Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.

5You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.

6Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him.