Christmas classic movies...your beloved family favorites.
Share with someone which is your favorite.

This morning we're starting a series called Christmas Classics which is developed around several well-known Christmas movies.
This is the third installment of this series:
1. In 2006 we looked at The Grinch, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, and Charlie Brown.
2. In 2011 we covered Home Alone, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Christmas with the Kranks, and The Nativity Story.

All these Christmas shows/movies have become part of the American social fabric and have shaped our understanding, vocabulary, behavior, and customs during the Christmas season.

As thinking Christians we should beware of what we and our family consume through the media...not everything in the world is squeaky clean.
Romans 12:2 [NLT]

Besides the potential dangers there are a multitude of possible conversation streams which could be used to challenge people's thinking and to teach Biblical principles. Both Jesus and the Apostle Paul demonstrated how secular events and conversations could be used to effectively engage our culture with the Word of God and the Gospel.

The first message in this series is ELF - Lessons from a Buddy

Note: A thinking, spiritually sensitive follower of Jesus should always be able to see the areas that are in conflict with God's Word and find areas whereby we can dialogue about Biblical truths.

Here is a basic summary of the plot:
- ELF is the story of a toddler (Will Ferrell) who was accidentally transported to the North Pole in Santa’s bag and raised to adulthood among Santa’s elves – His name is Buddy.
- Unable to shake the feeling that he doesn’t fit in, Buddy travels to New York, in search of his real identity and father, and does so in full ELF attire.
- Buddy is distressed by the nature of the Christmas he finds and the fact that there are fake Santa’s.
- The movie is filled with moments where Buddy demonstrates his endearing childlike enthusiasm and tells people about the real Santa.

As a Christian there are numerous themes that we could use from the movie to have deep and meaningful conversations about life and our Biblical faith.
Example #1 - How the events and people of life can shape our identity.
“Actually, I’m a human, but I was raised by elves.”
Example #2 – Growth requires that we take risks.
“Papa says my real father lives in a magical place far away… but the thing is, I’ve never left the North Pole.”
Example #3 – Success in life requires that we don’t give up.
“I passed through the seven levels of the Candy Cane forest, through the sea of swirly twirly gum drops, and then I walked through the Lincoln Tunnel.”
Example #4 – Being positive and maintaining our enthusiasm makes life better.
“I just like to smile! Smiling’s my favorite.”
“Good news! I saw a dog today!”
“Does somebody need a hug?”
“First we’ll make snow angels for two hours, then we’ll go ice skating, then we’ll eat a whole roll of Tollhouse cookie dough as fast as we can, and then we’ll snuggle.”

One of the most famous lines from the movie is when Buddy says, "The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear."

That line reminds us of the true Christmas story in Luke 2:1-18 [NLT]

The Luke passage teaches us several truths, all of which are seen in some form throughout the story plot of Elf:

1. God CARES about everyone.
Luke 2:1-3
Matthew 5:45b

2. God DESIRES mankind to be reconciled to Him.
Luke 2:4-7
Psalm 22:28

3. God INTERVENES in the lives of humanity.
Luke 2:8-14

4. God WANTS people to put their faith in His Son.
Luke 2:15-16

5. God EXPECTS that we go and tell others.
Luke 2:17-20

1. Be a thinking Christian and look at the real messages being conveyed in the media you watch.
2. Discover truths in media that provide common ground for you to talk about Biblical truth.
3. Honor Jesus this Christmas season and tell others about Him.