Dr Suess Gospel - Christmas Eve 2018

"THE GRINCH"
ROMANS 5:12-21 ~"Jesus brings a perfect gift to an imperfect world"

Christmas time brings chaos each year,
Too much stress to feel the cheer.

Planning and searching for just the right gift,
The perfect thing for our loved one’s hearts to lift.

We hustle and bustle to make it all just right,
Decorating and wrapping right up until that final night.

Stockings and gifts, all placed with care,
The scent of baking cookies filling the air.

We fall to sleep, exhausted from the day,
Up tomorrow to clean the house for family to stay.

Christmas morning comes early and you’re out of bed,
Still so much to do, the list goes on and on in your head.

The kids are up too early, unable to rest,
They bug you about their gifts – who would have guessed?

They tear into gifts with so much passion,
Opening toys and games, clothes of the newest fashion.

And don’t forget the staples from grandma - socks and underwear.
Its over before you know it, and they’re off to play without a care.

But not for you, there’s ham and turkey to make,
Cookies and brownies, and other sweets to bake.

The meal still to come, we have to eat after all,
Starting with snacks like sweets and cheese ball.

Then on to the good stuff, turkey and mashed potatoes,
And who could forget great-grandma’s stewed tomatoes.

But as the meal ends there’s always the dreaded dishes,
The dirty pile looms, quickly ending any napping wishes.

Like every other year, Christmas came so fast,
So much build up, the holiday now past.

The food’s all gone, cookies and sweets too!
The games all played, their fun completely through.

The presents unwrapped, the tree now bare,
Life back to normal, does anyone care?

Sure, there’s a few new toys, maybe a gift card or two,
But in the end, does it really matter much to you?

Maybe the Grinch was right after all!
Those crazy Who’s minds seemed so small.

To think that Christmas was perfect no matter the way,
That maybe it had nothing to do with the day,

But actually was about something lasting and true,
A day to be celebrated and give credit where credit is due.

I mean seriously, are people like that real?
Someone happy in life no matter their deal?

They seem so fake, such a naïve approach to life.
How can it be that they celebrate even in strife?

No, the Grinch knew what life was really about,
It’s painful and unfair, there’s really no doubt.

But is that really where God wants to leave creation,
Stuck in the grasp of despair and frustration?

Perhaps there’s another side to the story,
That our outlook on life might be restored to its former glory?

Wouldn’t you know, one of the wildest of turns in history,
Comes a virgin birth, a total scientific mystery,

A baby named Jesus is born in a nasty barn stall,
Could this be the life that changes it all?

A perfect gift from God above to the world below,
Forgiveness, grace, and freedom to bestow.

In Jesus, righteousness suddenly was in reach,
A life given in sacrifice to stop the big breach.

The huge gap between God and man caused by sin,
Destroyed & torn down like the Great Wall of Berlin.

In Adam and Eve, humans found sin,
The tempting urge to satisfy the skin.

Things couldn’t go back to normal, Eden was through,
But God in his mercy, a new plan he construed.

Out of His presence, from the Garden they were cast out,
Given a second chance, but life would be harder no doubt.

Farming was now a difficult job, and everything hurt,
But there was a glimpse of grace, even in the desert.

Adam and Eve gave birth to sin, and some children as well.
Cain followed his parents footsteps and continued to rebel.

The world followed suite, generation after generation,
Ignoring God, giving in to constant temptation.

At the core, Adam’s choice of the apple brought death.
Disobedience that he knew would bring an end to his breath.

God’s laws were just, His commands were fair,
It was Adam, not God, who led the world to despair.

Even today, we can make the choice to feed the flesh,
Knowing full well that God and sin just don’t mesh.

Sin took its place, the gap between God and man grew,
But God in His love, continued to pursue.

He gave Moses the Law in hopes they’d figure it out,
But after many years, no lasting fix was brought about.

The Law was distorted, as men tend to do.
Self-righteousness and pride sent the Law askew.

It was clear a sacrifice must be made to put things right,
Lives must be purified, sin removed, souls made white.

How depressing that sheep after sheep must die,
Knowing that no long-term fix could it supply.

But even in sacrifice and offering, God found no delight,
What He really wanted was family, hearts free and light.

What great lengths God went to, to bring restoration,
Even trying a flood to save His creation.

In the end, He knew only a sacrifice could work completely.
And so God made his plans, although not very discreetly.

Prophet after prophet spoke of the One,
The Savior to come would end what Adam begun.

Yet the world seemed amazed at such a humble birth,
Could it really be that it was God come to Earth?

The Maker intervening to make a way?
Coming to save His family, found in disarray?

The plan was perfect, with only one goal in mind,
The cross of Jesus, the only way to save mankind.

The perfect sacrifice of a life with no sin,
Was the only way to bring this all to an end.

What compassion, what grace, what love,
That the creator would leave his throne above,

And come to our broken earth to die,
The souls of mankind so willingly to buy.

In a single death, the curtain was torn,
In Jesus’ last breath, WE were reborn.

The amazing story of salvation is simple at its core.
God would do everything to put things how they were before.

A gift given so freely to the world that He made,
The ransom of blood would be completely repaid.

Of course, we’re not in Eden anymore,
But we can be in His presence once more.

What better gift than the chance to know God,
To step out of our dull lives in which we plod.

This gift if for you, everyone in this room

It comes at a time when our world preaches gloom

For while you were a sinner, lost in wrongdoing,
Christ died on the cross, your soul pursuing.

His Presence came to this world to once again perfect.
Even if life’s rough, what a perspective to now reflect!

That we are intimately loved by a God who cares,
Enough to listen even before we even offer our prayers.

We’ve been forgiven of all our sins,
And now in Jesus new life begins.

A chance to be perfect in God’s sight,
A Life of perfection, what a delight!

You know, maybe the Grinch didn’t have it right on second thought.
Maybe his frustration with the Who’s was all for naught.

The Grinch seemed annoyed at the perfection of Whoville,
But isn’t our perfection the real goal still?

So here’s the big question…
Isn’t anything short of perfection regression?

If Jesus really came to make everything right,
Then why does the cynic in us continue to fight?

If we could take hold of the joy and peace that’s ours to possess,
Then maybe we could to understand this life that Jesus came to bless.

Wouldn’t Christmas have more meaning?
To actually celebrate the gift of our soul cleaning,

And not just some shallow gift giving?
Man, that would be living!

I don’t know about you,
But maybe it’s not so bad to be a Who.

Today, we offer each of you a choice

Open up your hearts, say “Yes” with your voice

Believe in Jesus with all your heart is the way

Let your spirit join with His and then begin to play

In a Kingdom of grace, His Presence is for us

All you need to do is believe, in Father God put your trust