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“The Grinch Who Found Joy”
Brimfield Faith UMC
December 13, 2009
Luke 3:7-15
Joy is a funny thing. It can be so fleeting. In one moment you experience pure ecstasy and the next tremendous misery. In those moments of joy and happiness, it feels as if it will never end. And in the same way, suffering feels like an eternity. Having a newborn, I am all too familiar with the emotional rollercoaster that sometimes characterizes the human experience. One moment, I have the most peaceful, beautiful and perfect child. Life is absolutely amazing. Just as I become aware of that moment, it seems to pass into a screaming fit of frustration. In those moments of crying it can be really hard to remember those joy-filled ones. The joyful moments for me are often times at night when I am helping Caleb to fall asleep. I’ll be holding him in the living room with the Christmas Tree lit and the lights over the mantel on. He is resting peacefully in my arms and I am just filled with the most incredible feeling. The worst moments come when he is fussy, gassy, and crying. Those moments get amplified when Sienna, our dog starts crying too.
The Christmas season is often a similar rollercoaster of emotions: joy as family reunites after months without seeing one another. The joy lasts until chaos and arguments erupt when the dinner is finished and a few drinks have been consumed. Or there is the excitement of Christmas morning when the presents are stacked under the tree, which quickly turns to disappointment when you open another knitted sweater from your Grandma. (They were cute when you were five, but they are cause ridicule in high school.) Why does it seem like joy is such a fleeting emotion?
The movie that we’re watching this morning is “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” The story is about Mr. Grinch, a bit, anger outcast of the joyful people of Whoville. In attempts to destroy joy, Grinch develops and evil plot to ruin Christmas for the people by dressing up as Santa Claus and stealing all of the presents. We are going to watch part of the opening of the movie as we learn about Mr. Grinch.
[CLIP – HATES CHRISTMAS]
STOLEN JOY
The Grinch’s joy has been stolen because he has a heart two-sizes too small. As a result, he is trying to steal other people’s joy. What tries to steal your joy? It is a small heart? Is it a person? Is it stress and anxiety? Whatever it is, chances are something has tried and succeeded at stealing your joy at some point in your life. The reality is that this week something happened that took your joy away.
Maybe you don’t think losing your joy is a big deal. I mean, life is interesting because of the ups and downs, right? Without the down times, how can we ever come to appreciate the good? The reality is that your small heart is robbing you of life and negatively affecting others. I think the Scriptures have something important to say about joy in our lives.
SCRIPTURAL JOY
Joy is so important to God that we are commanded to rejoice. Philippians 4:4, which we read earlier, says, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” This letter is written by Paul from jail. Jail in ancient times was not the cushy, cable tv prisons of today. Jails were dug into the sides of hills. They were dark, cold, and filled with disease. There was nothing to rejoice about in Roman jails. Paul has been falsely imprisoned and yet he is still rejoicing and calling us to rejoice as well. Philippians is one of many places that calls us to rejoice in the Scirptures.
The Bible has a lot more to say about joy than we might initially think. Occasionally, Christians and Christianity get a bad rap for being boring, fuddy-duddies. All work and no play makes Christians dull. It’s all about rules that keep us from having fun. While there are Christians and churches that seem to outlaw fun in the name of holiness, joy is an integral part of God’s heart. In fact, one of the ways that I gauge people’s spiritual walks is by the amount of joy in their lives. You know the type of person who seems to have memorized the entire Bible and is very serious about their faith. When they talk, they harp on how sinful people are and how we need to get back to God. We have a tendency to think, “Wow! They are really holy.” I think the Bible depicts a much different picture. In fact, in Galatians 5, joy is the second fruit of the Spirit. Christians who are filled with God are marked by joy.
HOW TO LIVE JOYFULLY
This is the type of sermon where it is tempting for me to say, the Bible calls us to have more joy so go and be joyful. There might be some fruit in this approach. After all, joy is highly subjective and what brings you joy might be pure torture for someone else. With that said, I want to share a few principles of how we might live joyfully and rejoice in the face of difficulty.
#1. Joy is a matter of presence.
The key to joy is found in the song we sang earlier this morning. “I’m trading my sorrows, my shame, my sickness, my pain… for the joy of the Lord.” I remember the first time singing that song. I was a freshman in college and was having some growing pains and trouble adjusting. I went to an evening large group worship gathering held on campus. As I was singing this song, I felt the presence of God in a way that I never had before. In that moment, I felt the Holy Spirit trade my struggles in for a new found joy. It is hard to fully describe the experience, but it served to change something inside of me. It caused me to want to chase after God. That experience of joy drew me into a deeper relationship with God.
When we experience the presence of God through a personal relationship with him, we are given a fresh lease on life. Jesus came to give us life. The Spirit enables us to be filled with joy. When we are touched by God and empowered to live more fully.
What is your default reaction in difficult situations? Do you run towards God or do you run into bad habits, addictive behaviors, and dysfunctional relationships? 1 Thessalonians calls us to “Give thanks in all circumstances.” If we are going to be overcomers and keep the joy through all circumstances then we need to deepen our relationship with God. During the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, we don’t always make time for God. I would implore you make time to read your Bibles, pray, and attend worship during the Christmas season. I hear so many people say they haven’t been at church because they’ve been dealing with difficulties and life has just gotten away from them. I see these same people burned out, frustrated, and lacking joy. It’s not going to be a magic elixir but maintaining your relationship with God is going to increase your joy.
#2. Joy is a matter of perspective.
A stronger relationship with God increases your joy because it helps shifts our perspective. It keeps life in focus. It helps us to have faith in the face of adversity. The reality is that life is going to throw curve balls at us. There are people and forces in the world that will try to steal your joy. Let’s watch the scene where the Grinch is trying to steal Christmas from the Whos.
[CLIP - GRINCH STEALING X-MAS]
The prophet Zephaniah says, “Sing, O Daughter of Zion, shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem” (Zeph 3:14). Isaiah 12:6 reads, “Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.” The Philippians exhortation along with the two I just read are not given in good circumstances. In fact, each time the people are suffering, oppressed, and downtrodden. A distant promise does not seem powerful enough to cause they to sing with joy. Have you ever tried to sing joyfully when you are depressed or down? There is a reason they call them funeral dirges. You don’t typically hear polkas sung at funerals because it is virtually impossible to sing joyfully in the face of death. And yet, each of these three words, God is calling his people to sing joyfully at their own funerals.
Your perspective is going to be challenged in life. God’s joy cannot be circumstantial because life is not always going to be rosy. There will be difficulties. Bad things are going to happen. When you have a deep relationship with God, you are able to see with a different type of perspective. You understand and know that God is victorious over sin and death. You know the ultimate outcome. You know you are on the winning side. It’s like watch a sporting event and knowing the team you are cheering for is going to win. They may go down 24-3 but you don’t worry because you know they are going to win. You watch with anticipation to see how they beat the other team. You almost get excited about how it’s going to happen. We should be the same way in life because we know the outcome. God wins.
SPREADING JOY
#3. Joy is a matter of choice.
The reality is that knowing the final outcome doesn’t always make the difficulties of today easier to cope with. That is why ultimately joy is a matter of choice. We have to choose to remember that God wins in the end. We have to choose to maintain a proper perspective on life. When we have a relationship with God and God’s perspective, we can indeed choose joy. So while I don’t know what has tried to steal your joy, I do know that you can choose joy. It may not be easy. It may require you to choose joy each and every day. By you can choose it.
The people of Whoville faced the tragedy of the Grinch stealing all of their presents and Christmas decorations. They could have wailed in despair but instead they choose to rejoice. In the face of hardship, the Whos choose joy because they maintain their relationships and their perspective. They understood that Christmas joy wasn’t about the gifts. They still had each other and their voices. They could still sing with joy. We can be like the Whos and choose joy. Let’s watch how the Whos choose joy and the affect that it has.
[CLIP OF GRINCH’S HEART GROWING]
CONCLUSION
The Grinch thought that he has stolen Christmas. He has taken all of the toys and the decorations. All to do is wait to hear the crying and weeping from Whoville. Instead of hearing the weeping, he hears the Whos singing. In that moment, the Grinch realizes that there is something more to Christmas than what you can buy in a store. And as we see his heart grew three sizes. It was the Whos faith and joy that positively impacted the Grinch.
Joy when it flows out of our relationship with God is contagious. The Grinch in each of us needs to gain a fresh perspective. In that fresh perspective, our hearts can grow and our joy can increase. But our joy can reach beyond ourselves. When you continually choose joy over sorrow, you can influence and impact people. Even the Grinch’s heart can grow. True joy shared at the Christmas season can heal wounds, mend hearts, and foster greater joy.
It is time that we draw together to rediscover the joy that God intends for us to live out. It is time for your heart can grow. It is time for the Grinches in your life to be transformed. It is time for you to experience the presence of God, time receive a new perspective. This Christmas is the time to rejoice and to be filled with joy.
Let’s pray.
Brimfield Faith UMC
December 13, 2009
Luke 3:7-15
Joy is a funny thing. It can be so fleeting. In one moment you experience pure ecstasy and the next tremendous misery. In those moments of joy and happiness, it feels as if it will never end. And in the same way, suffering feels like an eternity. Having a newborn, I am all too familiar with the emotional rollercoaster that sometimes characterizes the human experience. One moment, I have the most peaceful, beautiful and perfect child. Life is absolutely amazing. Just as I become aware of that moment, it seems to pass into a screaming fit of frustration. In those moments of crying it can be really hard to remember those joy-filled ones. The joyful moments for me are often times at night when I am helping Caleb to fall asleep. I’ll be holding him in the living room with the Christmas Tree lit and the lights over the mantel on. He is resting peacefully in my arms and I am just filled with the most incredible feeling. The worst moments come when he is fussy, gassy, and crying. Those moments get amplified when Sienna, our dog starts crying too.
The Christmas season is often a similar rollercoaster of emotions: joy as family reunites after months without seeing one another. The joy lasts until chaos and arguments erupt when the dinner is finished and a few drinks have been consumed. Or there is the excitement of Christmas morning when the presents are stacked under the tree, which quickly turns to disappointment when you open another knitted sweater from your Grandma. (They were cute when you were five, but they are cause ridicule in high school.) Why does it seem like joy is such a fleeting emotion?
The movie that we’re watching this morning is “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” The story is about Mr. Grinch, a bit, anger outcast of the joyful people of Whoville. In attempts to destroy joy, Grinch develops and evil plot to ruin Christmas for the people by dressing up as Santa Claus and stealing all of the presents. We are going to watch part of the opening of the movie as we learn about Mr. Grinch.
[CLIP – HATES CHRISTMAS]
STOLEN JOY
The Grinch’s joy has been stolen because he has a heart two-sizes too small. As a result, he is trying to steal other people’s joy. What tries to steal your joy? It is a small heart? Is it a person? Is it stress and anxiety? Whatever it is, chances are something has tried and succeeded at stealing your joy at some point in your life. The reality is that this week something happened that took your joy away.
Maybe you don’t think losing your joy is a big deal. I mean, life is interesting because of the ups and downs, right? Without the down times, how can we ever come to appreciate the good? The reality is that your small heart is robbing you of life and negatively affecting others. I think the Scriptures have something important to say about joy in our lives.
SCRIPTURAL JOY
Joy is so important to God that we are commanded to rejoice. Philippians 4:4, which we read earlier, says, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” This letter is written by Paul from jail. Jail in ancient times was not the cushy, cable tv prisons of today. Jails were dug into the sides of hills. They were dark, cold, and filled with disease. There was nothing to rejoice about in Roman jails. Paul has been falsely imprisoned and yet he is still rejoicing and calling us to rejoice as well. Philippians is one of many places that calls us to rejoice in the Scirptures.
The Bible has a lot more to say about joy than we might initially think. Occasionally, Christians and Christianity get a bad rap for being boring, fuddy-duddies. All work and no play makes Christians dull. It’s all about rules that keep us from having fun. While there are Christians and churches that seem to outlaw fun in the name of holiness, joy is an integral part of God’s heart. In fact, one of the ways that I gauge people’s spiritual walks is by the amount of joy in their lives. You know the type of person who seems to have memorized the entire Bible and is very serious about their faith. When they talk, they harp on how sinful people are and how we need to get back to God. We have a tendency to think, “Wow! They are really holy.” I think the Bible depicts a much different picture. In fact, in Galatians 5, joy is the second fruit of the Spirit. Christians who are filled with God are marked by joy.
HOW TO LIVE JOYFULLY
This is the type of sermon where it is tempting for me to say, the Bible calls us to have more joy so go and be joyful. There might be some fruit in this approach. After all, joy is highly subjective and what brings you joy might be pure torture for someone else. With that said, I want to share a few principles of how we might live joyfully and rejoice in the face of difficulty.
#1. Joy is a matter of presence.
The key to joy is found in the song we sang earlier this morning. “I’m trading my sorrows, my shame, my sickness, my pain… for the joy of the Lord.” I remember the first time singing that song. I was a freshman in college and was having some growing pains and trouble adjusting. I went to an evening large group worship gathering held on campus. As I was singing this song, I felt the presence of God in a way that I never had before. In that moment, I felt the Holy Spirit trade my struggles in for a new found joy. It is hard to fully describe the experience, but it served to change something inside of me. It caused me to want to chase after God. That experience of joy drew me into a deeper relationship with God.
When we experience the presence of God through a personal relationship with him, we are given a fresh lease on life. Jesus came to give us life. The Spirit enables us to be filled with joy. When we are touched by God and empowered to live more fully.
What is your default reaction in difficult situations? Do you run towards God or do you run into bad habits, addictive behaviors, and dysfunctional relationships? 1 Thessalonians calls us to “Give thanks in all circumstances.” If we are going to be overcomers and keep the joy through all circumstances then we need to deepen our relationship with God. During the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, we don’t always make time for God. I would implore you make time to read your Bibles, pray, and attend worship during the Christmas season. I hear so many people say they haven’t been at church because they’ve been dealing with difficulties and life has just gotten away from them. I see these same people burned out, frustrated, and lacking joy. It’s not going to be a magic elixir but maintaining your relationship with God is going to increase your joy.
#2. Joy is a matter of perspective.
A stronger relationship with God increases your joy because it helps shifts our perspective. It keeps life in focus. It helps us to have faith in the face of adversity. The reality is that life is going to throw curve balls at us. There are people and forces in the world that will try to steal your joy. Let’s watch the scene where the Grinch is trying to steal Christmas from the Whos.
[CLIP - GRINCH STEALING X-MAS]
The prophet Zephaniah says, “Sing, O Daughter of Zion, shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem” (Zeph 3:14). Isaiah 12:6 reads, “Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.” The Philippians exhortation along with the two I just read are not given in good circumstances. In fact, each time the people are suffering, oppressed, and downtrodden. A distant promise does not seem powerful enough to cause they to sing with joy. Have you ever tried to sing joyfully when you are depressed or down? There is a reason they call them funeral dirges. You don’t typically hear polkas sung at funerals because it is virtually impossible to sing joyfully in the face of death. And yet, each of these three words, God is calling his people to sing joyfully at their own funerals.
Your perspective is going to be challenged in life. God’s joy cannot be circumstantial because life is not always going to be rosy. There will be difficulties. Bad things are going to happen. When you have a deep relationship with God, you are able to see with a different type of perspective. You understand and know that God is victorious over sin and death. You know the ultimate outcome. You know you are on the winning side. It’s like watch a sporting event and knowing the team you are cheering for is going to win. They may go down 24-3 but you don’t worry because you know they are going to win. You watch with anticipation to see how they beat the other team. You almost get excited about how it’s going to happen. We should be the same way in life because we know the outcome. God wins.
SPREADING JOY
#3. Joy is a matter of choice.
The reality is that knowing the final outcome doesn’t always make the difficulties of today easier to cope with. That is why ultimately joy is a matter of choice. We have to choose to remember that God wins in the end. We have to choose to maintain a proper perspective on life. When we have a relationship with God and God’s perspective, we can indeed choose joy. So while I don’t know what has tried to steal your joy, I do know that you can choose joy. It may not be easy. It may require you to choose joy each and every day. By you can choose it.
The people of Whoville faced the tragedy of the Grinch stealing all of their presents and Christmas decorations. They could have wailed in despair but instead they choose to rejoice. In the face of hardship, the Whos choose joy because they maintain their relationships and their perspective. They understood that Christmas joy wasn’t about the gifts. They still had each other and their voices. They could still sing with joy. We can be like the Whos and choose joy. Let’s watch how the Whos choose joy and the affect that it has.
[CLIP OF GRINCH’S HEART GROWING]
CONCLUSION
The Grinch thought that he has stolen Christmas. He has taken all of the toys and the decorations. All to do is wait to hear the crying and weeping from Whoville. Instead of hearing the weeping, he hears the Whos singing. In that moment, the Grinch realizes that there is something more to Christmas than what you can buy in a store. And as we see his heart grew three sizes. It was the Whos faith and joy that positively impacted the Grinch.
Joy when it flows out of our relationship with God is contagious. The Grinch in each of us needs to gain a fresh perspective. In that fresh perspective, our hearts can grow and our joy can increase. But our joy can reach beyond ourselves. When you continually choose joy over sorrow, you can influence and impact people. Even the Grinch’s heart can grow. True joy shared at the Christmas season can heal wounds, mend hearts, and foster greater joy.
It is time that we draw together to rediscover the joy that God intends for us to live out. It is time for your heart can grow. It is time for the Grinches in your life to be transformed. It is time for you to experience the presence of God, time receive a new perspective. This Christmas is the time to rejoice and to be filled with joy.
Let’s pray.
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