What Are You Celebrating?

INTRO

Halloween is one of those nights where culture and Christianity collide

You see it all over social media

Christians arguing over whether or not it’s okay to celebrate, participate, or even acknowledge Halloween

But the problem isn’t really about Halloween itself.

The problem is much deeper…

 Christians often celebrate the very things Jesus died for and defeated

TENSION

On Halloween, it’s easy to see this:

Death is celebrated

Darkness is glorified

The devil and demons, the literal enemies of Jesus, are turned into costumes and decorations.

And people get a free pass to do things and wear inappropriate clothes, because “it’s just a costume.”

But this isn’t just a Halloween problem

it’s an everyday problem

Our world celebrates sin constantly

It’s in our music

our shows

our social media feeds

our jokes

All made to look normal… fun… even fulfilling

But scripture is clear:

Romans 6:23 CSB

For the wages of sin is death…

Sin always leads to death

yet the world tells us “don’t worry about it… it’s not that big of a deal”

That’s the collision

a culture that celebrates sin and death vs. a Savior who conquered both

TRUTH

1 Peter 2:24 CSB

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree; so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

1 Corinthians 15:54–57 CSB

When this corruptible body is clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal body is clothed with immortality, then the saying that is written will take place: Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, death, is your victory? Where, death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

Jesus didn’t die so we could keep celebrating sin

He died so we could be free from it

He didn’t defeat death so we could laugh at it

He rose from the grave so we could have life.

Every time we glorify what Jesus came to destroy, we forget who we belong to

APPLICATION

So here’s the question for tonight: What are you celebrating?

Ask these honestly:

The music you listen to… does it celebrate sin or glorify Jesus?

The shows and videos you watch… do they make sin look funny or normal?

The things you post, share, or joke about …do they honor the One who died to save you from them?

The world celebrates sin because it’s blind to what sin really costs

But you know better

You know what it cost…

the life of Jesus

CHALLENGE

Let me leave you with Paul’s words

Romans 6:11 CSB

So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Tonight, you’re dressed up, laughing, having fun and that’s awesome.

But as you go back into the week, remember:

We don’t celebrate the things Jesus died for and defeated

We celebrate the One who died and rose again to give us life

That’s not just once a year on Halloween but every single day