Is there a Scrooge in you?
Intro: This morning I want to talk about a certain man, because of holding on to his past he became
Sound Crew
This is the title intro of movie
Cue for Clip 1 – “became”
Scene - Music begins and Scrooge title appear’s
Yes Scrooge - He never learn how to let go of his past
A. Israelites were like that - looking back to Egypt
1. As they were being lead to the promise land they began to murmur against Moses and wanting to go back to Egypt.
2. Being trapped in the past and not going forward in God.
B. Lot and his family had acquired much wealth in Sodom.
1. But when it came time for God to destroy the wickedness of Sodom. God said, “Don’t look back”.
2. And Lot’s wife couldn’t let go of the past and was in bondage to their wealth.
3. And because of her disobedience she turned into a pillar of salt and died.
Scene includes - Door for prop, Pastor, and Scrooge
Pastor at the Inns door talking to Scrooge why he hates Christmas and why he doesn’t go to church.
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Play movie clip
Clip 2 - Jacob working in room with chains on
After work one day Scrooge encounters his business partner that has past on”
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Play clip up to – “You have my sympathy”
Scene - Jacob talking about how he forged his chains in life
A. Co worker Jacob marely – “I wear the chain I forged in life I made it link by link, yarn by yarn. I put it on by my own free will, my own free will.”
1. We all forge our own chains in life
2. Some forge chains that keep them in bondage to Satan.
3. Chains of a uncommitted spirit
-Chains of wickedness
-Chains of being a good person, but never having a relationship with Jesus Christ.
4. Some forge chains as the Apostle Paul did as a soldier of the cross in Jesus name.
Ephes. 6:20
for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
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Play clip 3 after Cue – “should”
Scene - Jacob telling Scrooge he has a chance
B. His business partner says to him “You have a chance and hope of escaping my fate”
1. Each of us have a chance to turn from our own ways and go the direction of Jesus Christ.
2. Or to continue along the same path that your taking.
I. Christmas past
A. Christmas past took him back to the bitternesses he was still hanging on to.
1. When he was born his mother died. His father never forgave him for her death.
2. Then the same thing happened to his sister that he loved. And he hated her son for it.
3. Then how he got caught up in his greed and success in life.
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Movie Clip 4 -
Scene - Scrooge as a young man leaving his wife
4. That made him hurt the people he was supposely in love with.
B. Christmas past came to show scrooge how his past has followed him.
1. How he was still hanging on to things which made him a wicked wretch that he was.
C. Our past directly influences our present.
1. God wants us not to dwell on our past, but to go forward.
2. That’s why God gave us He’s only begotten Son. So the chains of the past can be broken.
3. Satan wants to keep us tied to the past
Phil 3:13
Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind (past) and straining toward what is ahead,
D. Paul maintained the growth he had already achieved.
1. Too many live up and down lives. We gain some discipline and some growth, then before too long, we slip right back to where we were.
It may involve...
·lying, stealing, or cheating
·devotions or prayer
·control of thoughts and mind
·discipline of body and habits
2. Growth takes place, but then some circumstance or interruption takes place.
3. And the new man and new growth are forsaken and we slip back into being the old man, living just like we used to live.
4. But note the strong exhortation of Scripture:
Phil 13:3 Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
5. To strain, to reach out for what is ahead.
II. Christmas present
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Movie clip 5
Scene - Christmas present and Scrooge talking by fireplace
A. Christmas present says, “Is your heart still unmoved towards Christmas”
1. Scrooge says, “I’m to old and beyond hope”
2. Christmas presents says, “The child born in bethlehem, He does not live in mens hearts one day of the year, but all of them. You have choosen not to seek Him in your heart.”
3. We all have our own free will and choice in life.
4. Scrooge unmoved from what he saw in the past feels he can’t change.
5. And as Christmas present said, “You have choosen not to seek Him in your heart.”
6. I ask you why haven’t you asked Jesus in your heart yet
7. Scrooge could have change, but he choice not to.
8. Why haven’t you changed.
9. What will it take for your heart to be moved to live for Him everyday of the year instead of just a seasonal thing.
B. Christmas present takes him to his employees house Bob Crouret. Where he discovers that Tiny Tim is going to die if he doesn’t get the right care.
1. Then he sees his wife working in a rescue center helping poor people.
2. But he gave her up to follow his own selfish and greedy desires.
3. When Christmas present is getting ready to leave him he asks scrooge a question.
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Start clip 6 on – “question”
Scene - Christmas present asking him the question
“Are you ready to turn your ways” Scrooge replys, “I can’t promise I don’t know if I can”
C. After all that he had seen, and after all he realized he did wrong.
1. Scrooge’s heart was still hard.
2 Cor. 6:2
For he says,
“In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.”
I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.
D. Satan has so many tied up with their faults and failures that when the time comes for salvation to come today.
1. That can’t break free to accept Jesus love of salvatioin.
2. Because they have been so fulled with their own ways of disobedience that Satan has them fooled.
3. They think heir waysare better then God’s ways.
4. That if they keep on working at it they can find a way.
III. Christmas future
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Start clip 7 - “Christmas future”
Scene - Scrooge running away from Christmas present and runs into Christmas future.
Play until they both walk away.
A. Shows him his future if he doesn’t change
1. Tiny Tim is dead and only his cain is shown in the shadows. It’s all because of Scrooge.
2. What people said about him after he died.
3. People selling his things and laughing about him.
4. How they could only talk about his money and how they hated him.
Sound Crew
Movie clip 8 starts after – “him”
Scene - Christmas future showing scrooge his grave and stop after he falls on grave stone and repents.
B. Wonderful things happen when we repent of our ways.
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Movie clip 9 -
Scene - Scrooge walking into his nephews house and telling the wife he’s sorry.
Pastor will talk while Scrooge starts to walk to door in clip 9
1. A joy that’s unspeakable come’s in your heart.
C. With repentence not only does a new joy come within your heart.
1. But a new forgiveness to make things right with those you’ve hurt.
Scrooge’s starts to talk - After they huge stop
Conclusion:
A. When you ask Jesus into your heart. Your eyesand ears become open to your foolish ways.
1. How you’ve let Satan blind you and make you deaf to the voice of the Holy Spirit.
2. How you’ve gone the world’s ways and not the Lords.
3. Satan has kept you in bondage and not realizing the true love of the Son of God.
4. And through His Son you can know true love.
-When the true love of the Jesus Christ comes in ones heart.
-You can’t help but have the happiness of the Lord.
Sound Crew
Movie Clip 10 – “Lord”
Scene - Scrooge seating at his desk telling Cratchit to go out and buy a new furnace. Scrooge saying, “that he didn’t deserve to be so happy” Scene continues to the end.
-We don’t deserve to be so happy, but one can.
HOW -
John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Because of the Love of Jesus Christ
