TRAMPLED BENEATH THE CHRISTMAS RUSH (14 OF 34)
by Zach Terry
Scripture: John 7:1-10
This content is part of a series.
Trampled Beneath the Christmas Rush (14 of 34)
Series: Jesus, the One and Only
Zach Terry
John 7:1-10
OPENING ILLUSTRATION:
According to police reports about 2,000 people were gathered outside the Wal-Mart doors in Valley Stream, New York on Friday waiting for the 5AM opening. When the doors opened the impatient crowd knocked Dimi-tai Damour to the ground where he was trampled to death amidst the holiday rush.
Mr. Damour can serve as an effective picture of the lives of so many people even in our congregation that in one way or another will be trampled by the holidays.
"Tis the season to be jolly" or at least that's the plan according to one classic Christmas song. More often that not - your schedule is completely assaulted, your internal time clock is shaken, your sleep is limited, and your stress is elevated till there is very little frivolity.
Normally it starts out with simple frustration -
- For us it starts at the Thanksgiving lunch - There we were at Thanksgiving with Julie's family when I heard it - the one word that I hoped I wouldn't hear this thanksgiving. The one word that I knew would draw a great dark cloud over an otherwise happy occasion. The one word that for the last 12 years has brought at variety of emotions and set the tone for the rest of the day - the word, the name - HILLARY. I heard it and I knew it was down hill from there.
- The day after thanksgiving we decorate our tree - Every year we go through the same thing - My parents own a florist, so I'm used to decorating with real classy, expensive ornament. Julie prefers homemade stuff… She goes to putting that junk the kids made in Sunday School up beside the $30 ornament that I bought at pottery barn. There's a greek word for that you know - TACKY.
- You work so hard to find the presents, then you have to work even harder to hide them from your children. One cartoon showed Dennis the Menace running into the room with his mother standing there with her mouth open and sho ...
Series: Jesus, the One and Only
Zach Terry
John 7:1-10
OPENING ILLUSTRATION:
According to police reports about 2,000 people were gathered outside the Wal-Mart doors in Valley Stream, New York on Friday waiting for the 5AM opening. When the doors opened the impatient crowd knocked Dimi-tai Damour to the ground where he was trampled to death amidst the holiday rush.
Mr. Damour can serve as an effective picture of the lives of so many people even in our congregation that in one way or another will be trampled by the holidays.
"Tis the season to be jolly" or at least that's the plan according to one classic Christmas song. More often that not - your schedule is completely assaulted, your internal time clock is shaken, your sleep is limited, and your stress is elevated till there is very little frivolity.
Normally it starts out with simple frustration -
- For us it starts at the Thanksgiving lunch - There we were at Thanksgiving with Julie's family when I heard it - the one word that I hoped I wouldn't hear this thanksgiving. The one word that I knew would draw a great dark cloud over an otherwise happy occasion. The one word that for the last 12 years has brought at variety of emotions and set the tone for the rest of the day - the word, the name - HILLARY. I heard it and I knew it was down hill from there.
- The day after thanksgiving we decorate our tree - Every year we go through the same thing - My parents own a florist, so I'm used to decorating with real classy, expensive ornament. Julie prefers homemade stuff… She goes to putting that junk the kids made in Sunday School up beside the $30 ornament that I bought at pottery barn. There's a greek word for that you know - TACKY.
- You work so hard to find the presents, then you have to work even harder to hide them from your children. One cartoon showed Dennis the Menace running into the room with his mother standing there with her mouth open and sho ...
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