"THE GRINCH"December 28, 2008
with Matt Johnson
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 ones 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 waaaay too early, unable to rest,
They bug you and bug you to open their gifts – who would have guessed?
They tear into the gifts with so much passion,
Opening box after box – toys and games, clothes of the newest fashion.
And don’t for get 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 appetizers like crackers and cheese ball.
Then on to the good stuff, like 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 celebrate 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 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,
A chance that our outlook on life might be restored to its former glory?
Wouldn’t you know, in 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 breach.
The huge gap between God and man caused by sin,
Destroyed, torn down like the Great Wall of Berlin.
In Adam and Eve, man found sin,
The tempting urge to satisfy the skin.
Things could not go back to normal, Eden was through,
But God in his mercy, a new plan he did construe.
Out of the garden and from His presence, they were cast out,
Given a second chance, but life would be harder no doubt.
Farming was now a full time job, and suddenly birth 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 in 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 and end to his breath.
God’s laws were just, His commands were fair,
It was Adam, not God, who’s choice sent the world to despair.
Even today, we still make the choice to feed the flesh,
Knowing full well that God and sin don’t mesh.
Sin took it’s place, and the gap between God and man grew,
But God in His love, continued to pursue.
He gave Israel the Law in hopes they’d figure it out,
But in the end, no lasting fix was brought about.
The Law was distorted, as mankind tends to do.
Self righteousness and pride sent the Law askew.
The Law was clear - A sacrifice must be made to make things right,
Lives must be purified, sin removed, souls made white.
How depressing a thought that sheep after sheep must die,
Knowing that no long term fix it would supply.
But even in the sacrifices and offerings, God found no delight,
What He really wanted was changed lives, hearts broken and contrite.
What great lengths God went to, to try and bring restoration,
Even trying a flood to save creation.
But water didn’t do the job - 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 that could end what Adam had 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 beloved world, found in disarray?
The plan was perfect, with only one goal in mind,
The cross directly in front of Jesus, the only way to save mankind.
The perfect sacrifice of a life with no sin,
Was the only way to bring this to an end.
What compassion, what grace, what love,
That the creator of the universe would leave his throne above,
And come to sinful 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 story of salvation really is simple at it’s core.
God was willing to go to great lengths to put things back to how it was before.
A gift given so freely to the world He made,
The ransom of blood completely paid.
Sure, we’re not in Eden anymore,
But we can be in His presence once more.
What better gift than the chance to know God,
And step out of the mundane life which we plod.
This gift if for you, you know.
And it comes at a time so apropos.
For while you were still a sinner, lost in wrongdoing,
Christ died on the cross, your soul pursuing.
His goal was to this world to once again perfect.
Sure, life can be rough, but what a perspective to now reflect!
That we are intimately loved by a God who cares,
Enough to listen even before we offer our prayers.
That we’ve been forgiven of all our sins,
And 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 perfection the goal still?
So here’s the 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 only we could take hold of the joy and peace that’s ours to possess,
Then maybe we could begin 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.
