MPC, 22nd December 2002. Carols in the Carpark.Matthew 2:1-16 - "It's Not Just the Grinch Who Stole Christmas"
Phil Campbell MPC, 22nd December 2002. Carols in the Carpark.
If you've had one eye on the news the last few months, you'll know it's not just the Grinch who stole Christmas.
Christmas is being stolen everywhere. In ways you would never have expected.
Fifty Australian childcare centres ban Christmas
Fifty childcare centres and kindergartens across Australia this year banned scenes with baby Jesus in them and scrapped Christmas parties and Santa Claus. In the name of cultural sensitivity. So in one Victorian Kindergarten, Santa has been replaced by a holiday clown.
Same in Canada
School superintendent Camla Lane from Vancouver sent an email to all the schools in her district saying principals should avoid using the word "Christmas" in naming seasonal events. And so schools are advertising the Winter Concert… instead of the Christmas Concert.
On the other side of Canada, in Toronto…
Toronto Christmas Tree
In Toronto city officials renamed the city's traditional 15.2 metre Christmas tree outside City Hall. They've called it a "holiday tree." Because, they say, Toronto has become the most multicultural city in Canada, with communities from around the world and residents who speak more than 100 different languages. After a huge public outcry, the mayor changed it back.
And the Royal Canadian Mint's Christmas ad campaign…
has changed the Twelve Days of Christmas to the twelve days of giving.
Back in Australia
And back in Australia again, the Prime Minister has had to step in to save Christmas… telling department stores they should keep using nativity scenes in their window decorations… to keep Christ involved in the celebration. He said it after reports that most major department stores had already banned Jesus. And were looking at getting rid of other Christmas images as well.
The Grinch is alive and well. Not just sucking up the presents in his giant vacuum cleaner. Not just burning down Christmas trees. But more subtly. renaming them. So in the end there's no Christmas at all. And no Christ.
Which is something that's not particularly new.
In fact, if you listened to the Bible Reading, Grinching goes right back to the very first Christmas. And Christmas almost didn't get started at all. When King Herod didn't like the sound of Jesus being born… and decides to get rid of him.
The wise men turn up in town, they're following the star… looking for the new king. Because they want to bow down and worship him.
And when King Herod hears about it he's furious. Because he's determined there's going to be no other king but him. I wonder if lots of people are a bit like that. Even if they're not actually kings? Don't like the idea of saying there's another king who should be in charge?
So the wise men come and they say, where's this new king? And King Herod says when you find him… let me know. Look carefully. And then make sure you tell me. so I can worship him too.
Now boys and girls, I don't know if you've seen those cartoons where you've got the bad guys who do an evil laugh.
Sort of like the Grinch laugh.
And you've got to imagine when King Herod says tell me where this new king is so I can worship him, you've got to imagine he's doing the wicked Grinch laugh when he says it. Because he doesn't really mean it at all.
He doesn't want to bow down to the new king. He wants to get rid of him. He wants to Grinch the very first Christmas. No matter what.
And so the wise men follow the star. And it leads them to the place where Jesus is. And because they're wise men they do two things. (You know, my wife says to me, the most amazing thing about the whole Christmas story is they could actually find three wise men!)
But you can tell they're wise because they do two things.
Number 1. When they see Jesus… they worshp him. They say, you're just a baby. But we know you're going to grow up to be someone who deserves to be the king of our lives. And they give him precious gifts.
And number 2… which shows they're wise... is they sneak home another way. So they don't have to go back to King Herod. And say where Jesus is.
And King Herod's furious. Because there's this so called other king's been born… and nobody's telling him where he is.
So… and this is the nastiest bit of the story… so he gives orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem. To try to get rid of Jesus.
See, if you get rid of Jesus you get rid of Christmas don't you? I mean, some people say it's about presents, and some people say it's about Santa, and some people say it's about family. And some people say it's about world peace. But Christmas in the end is all about Jesus. God's gift to the world.
Except no matter how hard he tries, Herod can't get rid of Jesus at all. Because God warns Joseph and Mary in a dream… and they get out of town just in time. And hide. And Jesus is safe.
You know why so many people want to get rid of Jesus? And want to get rid of Christmas? Because maybe they know deep down that if you meet him, you might have to worship him. You might have to say, he really should be my king.
And so you try to avoid him. So you can stay king yourself.
But if you're really wise you'll make sure no Grinches steal Christmas. And make sure no Grinches steal Jesus as well.