IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (4 OF 4)
by Jeff Strite
Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-20
This content is part of a series.
It's A Wonderful Life (4 of 4)
Series: Christmas At The Movies
Jeff Strite
Ephesians 2:1-20
(Showed Clip of "Clarence" trying to convince George Bailey he'd really had a wonderful life. Used scene where they were drying their clothes out after George "saved" Clarence from drowning)
OPEN: A Sunday school teacher once asked her class of children: "What is Christmas a time for?" Many of the kids gave the usual answers-Jesus' birthday, a time of joy… but one child responded it was "a time for sportsmanship, because you don't always get everything you want."
Everybody gets gifts they really don't want during this season and several years ago "USA Today" conducted a survey among adults to find out what they do with that not-quite-right holiday gift:
- 31%: Keep it
- 30%: Hide it
- 13%: Toss it
- 12%: Give it away
- 6%: Return it
Every once in a while, everyone receives gifts that they're really not sure that they want.
(pause…)
In the movie "It's a Wonderful Life" George Bailey had a gift that he wasn't sure he wanted. His gift was the gift of life. And his life had seemingly fallen apart all around him. He just knew he was going to lose his business, his livelihood. He faced prison for something he hadn't done. And as a result of all this… his family faced shame and poverty.
In desperation, he pleads with his arch-enemy (Mr. Potter) for a loan on his life insurance. Potter gleefully observes "George, you're worth more dead than alive!"
And thus, George Bailey decides that his only solution is to throw himself off the bridge into the frigid waters below and at least supply his family with the money from his life insurance.
But God steps in and an angel is sent to earth to stop George Bailey before he can take his life.
But how do you convince a man that the gift he wants to throw away is in reality far too valuable to be destroyed?
The angel's solution: to grant George Bailey's wish and show him what life would've been like if he'd nev ...
Series: Christmas At The Movies
Jeff Strite
Ephesians 2:1-20
(Showed Clip of "Clarence" trying to convince George Bailey he'd really had a wonderful life. Used scene where they were drying their clothes out after George "saved" Clarence from drowning)
OPEN: A Sunday school teacher once asked her class of children: "What is Christmas a time for?" Many of the kids gave the usual answers-Jesus' birthday, a time of joy… but one child responded it was "a time for sportsmanship, because you don't always get everything you want."
Everybody gets gifts they really don't want during this season and several years ago "USA Today" conducted a survey among adults to find out what they do with that not-quite-right holiday gift:
- 31%: Keep it
- 30%: Hide it
- 13%: Toss it
- 12%: Give it away
- 6%: Return it
Every once in a while, everyone receives gifts that they're really not sure that they want.
(pause…)
In the movie "It's a Wonderful Life" George Bailey had a gift that he wasn't sure he wanted. His gift was the gift of life. And his life had seemingly fallen apart all around him. He just knew he was going to lose his business, his livelihood. He faced prison for something he hadn't done. And as a result of all this… his family faced shame and poverty.
In desperation, he pleads with his arch-enemy (Mr. Potter) for a loan on his life insurance. Potter gleefully observes "George, you're worth more dead than alive!"
And thus, George Bailey decides that his only solution is to throw himself off the bridge into the frigid waters below and at least supply his family with the money from his life insurance.
But God steps in and an angel is sent to earth to stop George Bailey before he can take his life.
But how do you convince a man that the gift he wants to throw away is in reality far too valuable to be destroyed?
The angel's solution: to grant George Bailey's wish and show him what life would've been like if he'd nev ...
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