12.23.07 AM Smyrna Assembly of God Pastor Shell Osbon
“Don’t Let The Grinch Steal Your Christmas”
Matthew 2:11-16 says, 11“When the wise men had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way. 13Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, ‘Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.’ 14When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, 15and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, ‘Out of Egypt I called My Son.’ 16Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.”
King Herod wanted to rob the world of Christmas so badly that he was willing to kill Jesus. And in the process, he didn’t hesitate to kill thousands of other children. Herod wasn’t successful but he was the first Grinch of many Grinches that would try to steal Christmas from God’s people.
Intro
The Grinch is a crotchety character with a heart two sizes too small who lives on top of Mount Crumpit overlooking Whoville which is home to the merry-hearted Whos.
The Grinch wants the Whos to be as miserable as he is so he makes plans to go into Whoville, steal all of the decorations and presents and prevent Christmas from coming.
The Grinch soon discovers that Christmas still comes to Whoville because Christmas is more than just gifts and trees. In the end, the Grinch’s heart grows three sizes larger ,he returns all of the decorations and presents that he has stolen and he is welcomed into Whoville by all of the Whos!
There are some real Grinches that would love to steal your Christmas that you need to look out for.
1. The Grinch Of Depression
Depression is “severe despondency especially when long-lasting and accompanied by physical symptoms.”
The Grinch of Depression would love to overwhelm you to the point that you lose the ability to enjoy Christmas or any other day, for that matter.
Depression affects nearly 20 million Americans each year. Up to 25% of American women and 12% of American men will experience serious depression in their lifetime. America leads the world in the number of anti-depressant medications taken.
Psalm 38:6 David says, “I am depressed; I am bowed down beyond measure; I go mourning all the day.”
Isaiah 61:1-3 says, 1“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound. 2To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God. To comfort all who mourn, 3to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.”Job 10:1 Contemporary English Version Job says, “I am sick of life and from my deep despair I complain unto You, my God!”
Ezra 1:3 Contemporary English Version says, “The Lord God will watch over and encourage His people.”
2. The Grinch Of Disappointment
Disappointment is “when something or someone fails to fulfill the hopes or expectations you had.”
The Grinch of Disappointment tries to focus your attention on what you don’t have rather than on what you do have.
Genesis 29:16-20 says, 16“Laban had two daughters, the name of the older was Leah and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17Leah’s eyes were delicate but Rachel was beautiful of form and appearance. 18Jacob loved Rachel so he said, ‘I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.’ 19Laban said, ‘It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me.’ 20So Jacob served seven years for Rachel and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her.” Jacob works 7 years in exchange for marrying his daughter Rachel. But those 7 years seemed like only a few days to Jacob!
Genesis 29:21-25 says, 21“Then Jacob said to Laban, ‘Give me my wife for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.’ 22And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast. 23Now it came to pass in the evening that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob and he went in to her. 24And Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid. 25So it came to pass in the morning, that behold, it was Leah. And Jacob said to Laban, ‘What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served you? Why have you deceived me?’”
After working for 7 years so he could marry Rachel, Jacob wakes up on his honeymoon morning looking in to the eyes of Leah - his ugly sister-in-law! He then agrees to work another 7 years for Rachel and then he’s satisfied. But now he is married to his beautiful love Rachel and her ugly sister Leah!
3. The Grinch Of Disconnection
Disconnection is defined as “the state of being disconnected from something or someone.”
The Grinch of Disconnection would love to steal your Christmas by separating you from other people and causing you to go through life all by yourself.
Isaiah 9:6 says, “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given.”
God sent Jesus into the world, for the whole world and not just for one little group of people in one little corner of the world and certainly not just for YOU!
Matthew 1:23 says, “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a Son and they shall call His name Immanuel which is translated, ‘God with us’.”
Jesus came so that He might connect us with God and with others. But, the Grinch of Disconnection wants to disconnect you from God and from everybody else.
4. The Grinch Of Debt
Debt is “any sum of money owed to someone else.”
The Grinch of Debt loves to put pressure on you that follows you everywhere that you go. Whether you owe $500 or $500 million, the debt that you owe will control your life when you don’t control it.
Proverbs 22:6 Contemporary English Version says, “Borrow money and you are the lender’s slave.”
It’s really hard to work for money that you’ve already spent!
Americans will charge $100 billion on their credit cards this year buying Christmas gifts. (www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/credit/view/)
The average American spent $910 on Christmas gifts in 2006 and that is expected to increase in 2007. www.wiki.answers.com/Q/How_much_money_was_spent_in_the_US_on_Christmas_in_2006)
Luke 12:15 Good News Bible says, “Watch out and guard yourselves from every kind of greed because a person’s true life is not made up of the things he owns, no matter how rich he may be.”
Romans 13:8 Contemporary English Version - “Let love be your only debt!”
Conclusion
1 John 3:8 says, “The Son of God was manifested that He might destroy the works of the devil.”
The Grinches of Depression, Disappointment, Disconnection and Debt are defeated and they cannot steal your Christmas in Jesus’ name!
The best way to keep the Grinch from stealing your Christmas is to present yourself completely to the Lord as an offering. The best Christmas gift you can give the Lord is your life!
