CHRISTMAS FROM HOLLYWOOD              Advent 2008

Luke 1:26-38           It is a Wonderful Life                Nov 30, 2008

       Every year, Hollywood comes out with a string of new Christmas movies.  Some are short lived but others have become classics that we watch again and again.  Hollywood and I guess the public seem to have a fascination with Christmas.  Movie after movie tries to find the true spirit of the season.   As Charlie Brown cries out, “Can anyone tell me what Christmas is all about?”  Over the next month during Advent, I want to look at Christmas through the eyes of Hollywood.  What do the movies tell us about Christmas?  And what does the Bible tell us about Christmas?  I think we can learn much that will bless us this Christmas season and maybe we can discover what Christmas is all about.

        Probably all of us have seen the movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life” starring Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey.  It is the story of a young man who puts his own dreams on hold so that he can help his family and friends during a time of economic depression.  He runs the small local bank and does all he can to keep it going in hard times so that people in his town can own a home, raise families, and have a life.  There is no bail out package for George so that he can keep a ridiculously high salary.  No. George makes personal sacrifices to help his neighbors.  He serves his community in many ways in charity drives, in war times, in volunteer work.  Year by year, George is always here to put others first.  But then one day, it all comes crashing down.  Due to his uncle’s foolishness and due to the greed and corruption of the head of a larger bank, George suddenly finds he is facing disaster.  Well, let’s take a look…. (Show film clip one).

        You see, it is not always a wonderful life.  In our scripture today, when Mary first heard the news from the angel that she would have a baby, she was greatly troubled.  Greatly troubled.  There are times when it is not a wonderful life.   There is a timelessness about the struggles of George Bailey.  We too can do all the right things in life and then suddenly face disaster.   This year, we have seen economic crisis.  Many people are fearful of losing jobs, losing homes, having less money to live on.  For many retired folks, their pension is not what it was.  These are people like George who did all the right things by working hard and saving money and putting something away.  But now hard times have come.  What are we to do?

      Mary in the Bible had faith.  Even though she was greatly troubled, she continued to trust God and heard the message of the angel in verse 37: Nothing is impossible with God.  That is a message of hope during hard times.  When hard times make us are ready to give up to depression, weariness, and failure, we need to remind ourselves again and again that nothing is impossible with God.  You see, our faith in a wonderful life is not built on what leaders in Washington will do.  Our hope is built on what God will do.  In the movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” George first tries to solve his problems by himself and then he goes to the big banker to help him out.  He hopes that this big shot, politician, Wall Street financier will loan him the money.  But what he finds there is threats of jail.  There is no salvation there.  And when George hits bottom and is ready to end his impossible life by suicide, he is finally ready to find God.  He is ready to hear from an angel that nothing is impossible with God.  Friends, the message of Christmas is that nothing is impossible with God.  No matter what you face.  No matter what bridge you are ready to jump from.  Nothing is impossible with God.

      In the scriptures, Mary is able finally to overcome her fears and say to this angel, “I am the servant of the Lord.  May it be to me as you have said.”  Listen.  It is a statement of acceptance about her life and what it will be in the plan of God.  To discover the wonderful life is to accept the plan of God for my life.  George had finally to discover that.  You know, for years George had resisted his life and maybe resented his life.  Remember, he gave up his dreams of college and travel and freedom to stay in his home town and keep the town going.  George gave up his plans in order to serve others and as he looked over the edge of that bridge ready to jump, he was tired of it all.  His life was nothing as he had planned or as he had wanted.  It seemed not so wonderful at all.  He wishes he had never been born.  And then he sees the truth.  Without his life, his brother would be dead.  The men on that Navy ship would be dead.  His uncle would be in an asylum.  His mother in a poor house.  His wife alone.  His town in the clutches of greed and corruption.  His neighbors in poverty.   George discovers that every man and every woman plays a part in the plans of God.  Not one of us is without meaning and purpose in life.  Without you, this world would be less.  Without you accepting God’s will for your life, the world is made less.  But as we accept and embrace the will of God for our lives, we discover that it is a wonderful life.  Let’s take a look at one more film clip….

     George, like Mary, was able to accept the will of God.  May it be to me as you have said.  May the purposes of God be done in my life.  In that acceptance and that faith, there is great hope for hard times.  It is a wonderful life in the end for those who never give up and keep hoping, keep praying, and keep faithful.  For George, he found a way.  He found he was saved.  It is a wonderful life in the plans of God for our lives.  May you discover God’s wonderful life this Christmas.  Amen.