GOD’S ANSWER TO UNBELIEF
I Corinthians 1.25
S: Atheism
C: Christmas Story
Pr: THIS STORY IS TO BE OUR STORY.
Type: INDUCTIVE
PA: How is the change to be observed?
• Recognize that the stories we love find their origin in the author of the greatest story.
• Allow God to give your story the best possible ending.
Version: ESV
RMBC 25 November 07 AM
INTRODUCTION:
As I began thinking about this series on atheism, I asked myself the question…
1. What does an atheist do for Christmas?
I don’t mean to sound mean, but does it make sense to celebrate?
Is it not hypocritical?
After all, isn’t Christmas the celebration of the birth of the Christian’s Savior, Jesus?
So I did some exploring online to what atheists are saying about their celebration of Christmas.
For many atheists, they just don’t see it as a religious holiday.
As one blogger noted:
It’s not a Christian holiday anymore. . .it’s a commercial holiday that was based on a Christian concept a very long time ago. It’s not about Christ anymore, though.
It is still celebrated by many atheists because they love the party.
It is seen as a time about family, friends and eggnog.
Here is what another blogger said:
I love Christmas. I’ve been at least an agnostic for as long as I recall (even as a kid, I never really gave the whole existence re: God thing much thought), and an atheist for a fairly long time as well. While, as a kid, my parents (at my mother’s behest, her being a twice a year Christian) would take us to church for Christmas Eve service, I still never really celebrated it for the whole "birth of our savior" aspect. I just liked getting stuff and eating good food.
Of course, others see it as nothing more than a commercialized holiday, using Santa Claus (another Christian symbol) to provide a bump for the economy.
Not only that, some atheists turn the hypocrisy accusation back at us.
Another blogger says:
If anything the hypocrisy would be on the side of Christians that put up a pine tree (pagan symbol denounced as evil in the Bible), and celebrating a holiday not at all based on the actual birth date of Jesus.....wouldn’t it?
I share these, because many of us here today, do not know or understand what people who are not Christians, and atheists in particular, are thinking about Christmas.
When you hold Christmas near and dear to your hear for more than the reasons that have been noted here, you wonder who is trying to steal it away from you.
It reminds me of the Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas…
ILL Christmas (S)
Everyone who lived down in Whoville liked Christmas a lot,
But the Grinch, who lived just north of Whoville did not!
The Grinch hated Christmas! The whole Christmas season!
Now, please don’t ask why. No one inquired the reason.
It could be his head wasn’t screwed on just right.
It could be, perhaps, that his shoes were too tight.
But I think that the most likely reason of all
May have been that his heart was two sizes too small.
But, whatever the reason, his heart or his shoes,
He stood there on Christmas Eve, hating the Whos,
Staring down from his cave with a sour, Grinch frown
at the warm lighted windows below in the town.
For he knew every Who down in Whoville beneath
Was busy now hanging a mistletoe wreath.
And they’re hanging their stockings, he said with a sneer
Tomorrow is Christmas! It’s practically here!
Then he growled, with his Grinch fingers nervously drumming,
I must find some way to stop Christmas from coming.
So, as the story goes, the Grinch steals all the gifts, to prevent Christmas from happening, and here is what happens in Whoville:
It was a quarter past dawn; all the Whos still in bed,
All Whos, still a-snooze when he packed up his sled,
Packed it up with their presents, The ribbons! The wrappings!
The tag! And the tinsel! The Trimmings! The trappings!
Three thousand feet up! Up the side of Mt Crimpit,
He rode with his load to the tiptop to dump it!
Pooh-pooh on the Whos! He was grinchishly humming.
They’re finding out now that no Christmas is coming!
They’re just waking up! I know just what they’ll do!
Their mouths will hang open a minute or two.
Then the whose down in Whoville will all cry Boo-Hoo!
That’s a noise, grinned the Grinch, that I simply must hear.
So he paused, and the Grinch put his hand to his ear.
And he did hear a sound rising over the snow.
It started in low. Then it started to grow.
But the sound wasn’t sad! Why this sound sounded merry!
It couldn’t be so! But it was merry! Very!
He stared down at Who-ville! The Grinch popped his eyes!
Then he shook! What he saw was a shocking surprise!
Every Who down in Who-ville, the tall and the small,
was singing! Without any present at all!
He hadn’t stopped Christmas from coming, It came,
Somehow or other, it came just the same!
And the Grinch, with his grinch-feet, ice-cold in the snow,
Stood puzzling and puzzling, How could it be so?
It came without ribbons! It came without tags!
It came without packages, boxes or bags!
And he puzzled three hours, till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before!
Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store,
Maybe Christmas perhaps means a little bit more.
Many of you agree with me, this morning, that Christmas is not about presents.
It is about the present – Jesus.
But we do agree that…
2. Christmas certainly is a time of joy, family and reminiscing.
It is a time for family.
It is a time to be together.
It is a time to reminisce.
It is a time to tell stories about past times.
Which brings me to the question…
3. What kind of story do you really enjoy?
I know what kind I enjoy, and I am willing to bet that most of you will agree with me that you enjoy a story with a happy ending.
In addition, you like a story that inspires you.
One that gives hope.
One that makes you want to live a better life.
I was thinking of certain movies that tell stories that inspire me in one way or another.
I was thinking of different genres, and as I thought of children films (and Broadway plays), I thought of…
3.1 The Lion King
When the young Simba comes to reclaim the kingdom from his treacherous uncle, Scar, we cheer.
He truly becomes his father’s son as the Pride Lands are returned to their rightful ruler.
When you think about classic films, I thought of the very familiar…
3.2 The Wizard of Oz
Our heart aches for Dorothy when she is sent by the great wizard of Oz to fetch the broom of the Wicked Witch of the West.
Yet, we are relieved when she is destroyed, even though it is done accidentally by Dorothy.
When you think of romantic comedies, how can you not think of…
3.3 Sleepless in Seattle
When Sam Baldwin reveals his loneliness on a call-in radio show, Annie Reed, a journalist in Baltimore begins to believe she has found the man of her life.
So, on a lark, she writes him, and Sam’s son, Jonah believes that she is the one for her dad, though Sam doesn’t agree.
Jonah goes to meet Annie at the Empire State Building because his dad won’t and we cheer when all three finally meet.
When you think of adventure movies, it is…
3.4 Star Wars
We watch a young man, Luke Skywalker, face insurmountable odds to become a Jedi knight, rescue the princess, face the evil Darth Vader, and then we cheer, when he does the impossible…
He defeats the empire by destroying the Death Star.
Now, I am not doing justice to any of those stories, but, I chose them, thinking that most of you will be familiar with at least one of them.
And it brings me to another question…
4. Does fiction have anything to do with reality?
These are all just stories.
They are not true.
Yet, we enjoy them.
There are parts that drive us crazy – we are on the edge of our seats – and then we cheer like the best possible thing that has ever happened has happened..
The ending we long for happens.
You see…
5. A good story captures our heart and minds.
Let’s go back to The Wizard of Oz and understand the elements that literary analysts tell us that make a good story.
First, there is the…
5.1 Ordinary World
Dorothy is living with her aunt and uncle on the farm in Kansas.
Though it is probably a hard life, it is a good life.
But in the story, there is a…
5.2 Problem
A tornado strikes Kansas and Dorothy is carried to the land of Oz.
When she lands, she becomes a heroine to the Munchkins because the house landed on the wicked witch of the east.
So, the…
5.3 Adventure
…begins.
She takes as her possession the ruby slippers and heads off down the yellow brick road to go and meet the wizard.
On the way, Dorothy meets the scarecrow, tin man and lion, who also hope to ask the wizard for help.
The scarecrow wants a brain.
The tin man needs a heart.
And the lion longs for courage.
Now comes the…
5.4 Crisis of Decision
They finally get to the Emerald City to meet the wizard, but he sends them on a mission.
He asks for the impossible.
He sends Dorothy to get the wicked witch of the west’s broom.
Will she do it?
Yes, and once again, they are off on another adventure.
But then comes the…
5.5 Ordeal
Those scary flying monkeys (that terrified us as children) take Dorothy away.
It looks like our heroes will meet their doom and not be successful.
But then comes the…
5.6 Sacrifice
The scarecrow, the tin man and the lion, led by Toto (Dorothy’s dog) set out to rescue Dorothy.
They successfully get into the castle overcoming their fears.
Then, they get to Dorothy, release her, but during the attempted escape, the witch sets the scarecrow in fire.
Which brings us to the…
5.7 Resurrection
The impossible happens…
Dorothy throws a pail of water on the scarecrow to save him from certain death, but in the process, gets water on the witch, causing her to melt.
And, now the…
5.8 Reward
After receiving another disappointment (the wizard was not quite the wiz we thought he was), Dorothy returns to Kansas, by clicking the ruby slippers.
OUR STUDY:
We all know that is fiction.
But as Christians, we know that…
6. The gospels tell an intriguing story about Jesus.
It is not fiction to us.
It is a true story.
It is non-fiction.
But the elements of the story are the same.
For the story about Jesus starts in the…
6.1 Ordinary World
A baby is born.
It is an extraordinary birth in an ordinary world.
In the muck and mire of a stable, an irresistible baby is born in a small insignificant village called Bethlehem.
Jesus grows up in an ordinary town called Nazareth and becomes a young man.
But there is a…
6.2 Problem
Jesus grows up in a world where people struggle.
There is suffering.
There is disease.
Humanity needs help.
Most of all, they are a slave to sin, which keeps them from knowing the Father.
So, the…
6.3 Adventure
…begins.
Jesus begins a ministry to meet the needs of the people’s struggles.
He relieves the suffering.
He heals the diseases.
And He criticizes the religious establishment, because their “rules” are keeping people from knowing the God who loves them.
Because of this, they decide that He must die.
They are determined to kill Jesus.
Now comes the…
6.4 Crisis of Decision
Jesus knows that they want to kill Him.
Nonetheless, He goes to face them.
It is His plan to do so.
He knows He is going to die.
He knows that He must die in order to save humanity.
But He does not want to – He prays – “Take this cup from me.”
Nevertheless, He follows through to the…
6.5 Ordeal
Jesus is betrayed by one of His followers.
He is arrested.
He is put through a mock trial.
He is found guilty and sentenced to die.
And He provides the ultimate…
6.6 Sacrifice
He dies on the cross.
It is an excruciating death.
It is an unjust death.
But it is not the end of the story.
There is the…
6.7 Resurrection
There is hope, because Jesus does the impossible.
He raises from the dead.
He defeats death and renders what has held humanity in bondage – sin, powerless.
As a result, the…
6.8 Reward
Jesus finished the task and returns to heaven.
And as a result, secures the same ending for those that faithfully love God and follow Him.
CHALLENGE:
For the last two weeks, I have spoken about the new atheists: Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens.
Hitchens has written the book God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything.
7. New Atheism: Hitchens claims that the teaching about Jesus is unethical.
He believes that the teaching about Jesus becoming a sacrifice for all humanity is wrong and unhealthy.
It is unethical.
For what it does, according to Hitchens, is absolve people from the responsibility of their actions.
Without a sense of responsibility and consequence, chaos will reign unchecked.
I believe Hitchens completely misreads this concept about Jesus’ sacrifice and shows that he truly does not understand the doctrine.
But that is okay, because…
8. Man’s greatest thinkers are always outthought by God (I Corinthians 1.25).
Hitchens is the kind of person that the apostle Paul writes…
For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
I like how Eugene Peterson translates this:
Human wisdom is so tiny, so impotent, next to the seeming absurdity of God. Human strength can’t begin to compete with God’s “weakness.” (The Message)
This foolishness – this weakness – is astounding – it is profound.
For we are being asked to believe the unbelievable, that Jesus existed from the beginning.
So in Jesus, eternity stepped into time.
The Eternal One was born into a world of time.
The Timeless One lived in a realm of calendars and timepieces.
The One who is omnipresent, that is, exists in all places at one and the same time, in the Christmas story, is now confined to a single place in the person of Jesus.
It is wonderful to think that the Great God, who fills heaven and earth, should compress Himself into a human body.
From the palace of heaven to a cattle shed, a stable, a manger, the omnipotent one became a helpless baby.
It is no exaggeration to say that He whom Mary held in her arms held Mary, for He is the sustainer as well as the Maker.
The Lord of life came into the world for the express purpose of dying.
The Holy One, who cannot look upon sin, came into this jungle of sin called earth.
The object of the Father’s delight, and of angelic worship, hungered, thirsted, sweated, hurt, was weary, slept,
He wandered as a “homeless stranger in the world His hands had made.”
This is a remarkable story.
It is a story that gives hope
It is a story that inspires.
But…
9. Where does the story originate?
Just as I believe that God has given into the heart of humanity the ability to decipher right and wrong, I believe God has given within us the ability to identify with the story.
The story originates with God!
And when we hear it, it touches our heart and soul.
It is what we hope for.
It is what inspires us.
I believe the stories we love find their origin in the author of the greatest story.
God appeals to our imagination.
He has put within us the belief that something great and miraculous can happen to us as well.
When it all seems dark to us, the world is collapsing around us, we still have hope.
God is ready to surprise us when we faithfully follow Him.
You see…
10. This story is to be our story!
I encourage you today to allow God to give your story the best possible ending.
He wants you to experience genuine love and lasting peace.
He wants you to possess purpose in life.
He wants you to know that the Christmas story is the story that can change your world, if you will choose to believe.
BENEDICTION:
Let the story of Jesus speak to your heart:
It is an incredible story…
It is an impossible story…
It is a story that will give you hope…
It is a story that will give you purpose…
It is a story that will connect you with God for now and forever.
Let the story of Jesus become your story:
For God does not want you living without peace…
He does not want you living without hope…
He does not want you living without purpose…
So believe, follow Him, and live the story!
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
RESOURCES:
SermonCentral
Amundson, Edwin Reading the Christmas Story from Cover to Cover
Colaw, Stephen How Does Christmas Change My World
Sullivan, Bill Pondering the Paradox of Christmas
Thomas, Roger Christmas According to the Grinch
Thrower, Ronnie Little Things in the Christmas Story
Other:
Rutter, David. What Does an Atheist Do for Christmas? 11 December 2006. Accessed 17 October 2007. Available from http://rutty.newsvine.com/_news/2006/12/11/477197-what-does-an-atheist-do-at-christmas.
Vogler, Christopher. The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers. 2nd ed. Studio City, CA: Michael Wiese Productions, 1998.
