 for 400 years There was silence from heaven This might not be too much for Christmas service But God hadn't forgotten these people God had forgotten these things Okay, it might be a bit much a little dramatic, but maybe not too much Yeah, I don't know we need that Okay, yeah, this probably shouldn't be at a Christmas service For some reason we as Christians want to be so much like the world We want to entertain the world or be entertained like the world or Entertain each other as the world does even to the point to where we want to bring in Objects or images that are clearly not Christian, but are also worldly You're just like those I don't know that a church needs to bring in the Grinch to bring about the messes of Christmas I don't think that's necessarily needed or and certainly not appropriate How many lights and how much volume do you need to get point across that Jesus came on earth Born in a major to eventually die for us. How much showtime and glitz do you need? We fight so hard to make sure people understand why we even have any sort of contemplation about Christ's birth and to distance ourselves from celebrating Santa Claus Making him a part of Christmas because obviously he's not a part of Christmas But you've got churches that want to go out of their way to appeal to the world and also Let's see if there can be some harmony between Jesus and Santa Claus Seriously Well, okay. This is a little embarrassing. I'm so sorry guys They just told me that We didn't fill our snow machines. I guess it's just not gonna snow this year at Bayside unless There was someone here tonight. They brought enough snow with them and they could fill all over snow machines, and I know a guy Ladies and gentlemen starting a point guard tonight from the North Pole six foot one five hundred and ninety five pounds Would you welcome? It's as though that people that are involved in these things aren't even Thinking not even paying attention to how you look the Bible says that we should abstain from any form of evil from the very Appearance of evil to not to make sure that people understand that we are not of this world We're not trying to be friends with this world. We're not trying to emulate this world We don't want the things of this world our minds are to be settled on things above and not things down here below Now if you're watching this and you're thinking back to Mike Todd's Church Transformation Church their Easter service. There's a reason why because they also themselves indulge in this sort of stuff So with the synthesized voice and the music why could not why couldn't you just sing it normally? But you've got to put a little bit of flair into it, right now that in and of itself is cringe But then they have this guy to come out that kind of makes it even more cringe work, doesn't it? You are welcome here. You are safe here You belong here before you behave before you believe a list of certain things This is a place of progression and not perfection Like I said and really this whole experience is and someone please tell me what this is or what it has to do with Christmas I get the fact that we want to get the point across to get the message across to what actually happened We want to tell about what was happening around what was centering around his birth who was after him But how much drama how much activities how much theater is required to get this point across It gets to the point to where it's too distracting and then those that come What they're going to remember what they're going to take away is not so much the message because Even had they not come to the church to begin with they understand what we think the message is supposed to be But when they leave the church, they're going to come away with Dancing drummers and angels and so forth and smoke machines and lights That's what they're going to take away from this whole experience Not necessarily the message or really even the point of him coming and I think about the sure volume of effort energy time and money that would go into this to go ahead and just rig up all these different devices in The church to have people playing drums and floating in the air above the parishioners in the church And all the things that are happening on the stage. Is this anywhere remotely biblical? Well, obviously the answer is no I believe someone said that the the cost for this the price tag for that was somewhere around three million or more Thinking about what that could have been done with what that money could be used for how the how it could have been better Spent and you still could have gotten messed across King Herod himself had secretly summoned the wise man to stay with him at his palace The arrival of these wise men had greatly troubled King Herod He pointed them towards Bethlehem and then began to set his trap The very last thing they heard the King tell them was Go and search carefully for the child as soon as you find him report to me I remember growing up remembering being told not to get too involved in the commercialization of Christmas Even thinking back to one of our most favorite most beloved Christmas shows growing up as a child Charlie Brown Christmas special and then the very famous question that was asked that my Charlie Brown Can anyone tell me what Christmas is all about? Sorry, I can tell you what Christmas is all about and then of course, you know famously Linus shows up and he tells the story Notice the contrast where he his lights even then on the cartoons. Just basic. Just gentle Oh, by the way, this is the first time the only time in peanuts history and Charlie Brown history Where Linus who has his security blanket the only time that Linus actually drops the blanket and speaks without it Her behold I bring you tidings of great joy, which will be to all people for on to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior just Christ the Lord And this will be a sign on to you. You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in an manger and Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God And saying glory to God in the highest and on earth peace Goodwill toward men. It should not be that a cartoon character gives more reverence and gives more exact response of what Christmas is about What Christmas is about? Yes, we're aware that it might not have been 25th of December that he was born on But we are still rejoicing the fact that he came why in a humble fashion to die for those who did not deserve it This is what Christmas is about. This is what the birth of Christ is about This is what the life of Christ is about. This is what the whole story of the Bible is about But he had some kind of way We want to go ahead and make it into something that it's not the Bible says whatever we do do it all to the glory of God Why not do that give all to the glory of God with either with you drink? Even if you want to have something at church about Christ's birth Why not just simply read from the text give no offense to the Jews or to the Greeks to the church But we give a lot of people offense We make a lot of people offended and turned off some folks they like it, but some folks they do not there's no need for this just as I also Please all men and all things not that he's trying to compromise what he says not seeking my own prophet But the prophet of the many why so that the many will be saved not to turn anyone off not to put on a Display a show some sort of church Christmas extravaganza No, just to present the word of God You know the word that the Bible says that we should be like newborn babies Like as they desire pure milk, we should desire the word of God Why not just preach that and let that be it instead of all this other stuff?