Lessons from Elf

Who doesn’t love a good Christmas movie? Over the years we have watched the emotional, nostalgic and transforming stories that help us to look deep within to discover ourselves and what truly matters.

Its A Wonderul Life - brings the discovery of the impact each life makes regardless of how much wealth one possesses

A Christmas Carol - reminds us to be kind to our fellow man, and to have a heart that is soft and loving toward our fellow man

Home Alone - reminds us to check our kids before we leave for vacation

and then there’s ELF!!!

There are really some great discoveries in this story that parallel some truths in Scripture.

We start out with an Elf named Buddy - he is clearly not really an Elf - he is 6ft 3in and does not seem to have the same “know how” as the elves when it comes to making toys, cookies and shoes…

The story progresses to show Buddy the Elf as he sets out to discover where he came from and who he truly is!!!!

SHOW VIDEO CLIP 1 - 10:40-14:40 - Buddy learns the truth...

1. Who Am I?

You know this question is a HUGE DEAL THESE DAYS!!!

It seems like the struggle to figure out who we are, what do we identify with has grown from inclusions in the rebel group to now changing genders, adapting unnatural sexual behavior and other extremes...

A week or so ago I watched the story the Green Book about a phenomenal Concert Pianist - African American and an Italian from Brooklyn on tour --- much of was around the sense or lack of identity the pianist had as he felt he did not fit into the American Black culture nor in the white culture...

People are struggling to figure out where they fit in...

The reality is that people are not finding their TRUE IDENTITY IN CHRIST!!!!

When we take the Lord out of our lives, families and identity we come up EMPTY!

Genesis 1:27 NLT

27 So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

We did not just happen - we were created by God! Created for purpose and destiny...

Jeremiah 1:5 NLT

5 “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”

Jeremiah 1:7 NLT

7 The Lord replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you.

Not only as the HUMAN RACE - but as individuals - the Lord says - I FORMED YOU IN YOUR MOTHER’s WOMB ...

This also agrees with

Ps 139

Psalm 139:13–18 NLT

13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. 15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. 16 You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. 17 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! 18 I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!

God knows our complete life!!!!Every moment of our lives are numbered… think about that...

He is not controlling our lives, but He knows the choices and decisions we will make and what our future holds.

1 Corinthians 12:12–27 NLT

12 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. 13 Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. 14 Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. 15 If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? 18 But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. 19 How strange a body would be if it had only one part! 20 Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. 21 The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.” 22 In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. 23 And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, 24 while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. 25 This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. 26 If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. 27 All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.

God also has a part for each one in HIS BODY - the FAMILY OF GOD - the CHURCH!!! We all have a role to play and a part to do… we are HIS WORKMANSHIP

Ephesians 2:10 NLT

10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

How do we come to allowing our true identity - the person God has truly designed us to be to come forth and fulfill all its potential --- by surrendering our will to God’s will and allowing Christ to live in and through us!

Galatians 2:20 NLT

20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

are greatest purpose is to Worship God - to serve him… we are created to show HIM his WORTHSHIP!!

Revelation 4:11 NLT

11 “You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.”

We cannot begin to understand who we are until we come to know Jesus!

The creator of the universe made us, formed us, has a plan for us - if we are running in our own direction trying to do our own thing and create our own identity we are probably so far from the right mark we will never be fulfilled in life, but simply live life empty.

Relationships, Job Performance, Talents, Achievments, — all this won’t matter if we miss the mark in surrendering to Christ!!!

Like Buddy the Elf we can go on a whole heap of journeys trying to discover who we are and where we came from - but we really only have to discover that to be in Christ is to be fulfilled!!!! The movie Elf showed the fulfillment of family for Buddy ---

The reality is becoming a part of the family of God!!!

2. What are My Gifts

SHOW VIDEO CLIP 2 from Movie 8:56-1-:40

What has God designed me to do???

As the story of Elf opens we find Buddy struggling to keep pace with the other elves making toys --- he gets into the human realm and he is amazing - but amongst the elves he falls shorts. His talents and abilities just don't measure up. But by the end of the movie has a much greater understanding that there is more than doing three elf tasks. (making shoes while the cobbler sleeps, baking cookies, and making toys)

Many people are still trying to discover not just who they are, but what can I do?

Some how in our society if we are not the BEST at something - it is not good enough!

Truth is there will always be a better singer, pianist, drummer, preacher, teacher, chef, decorator, etc.

Each of us how not just one thing, but many things we can contribute into the work of God’s Kingdom and into the lives of others.

1 Corinthians 12:1–11 NLT

1 Now, dear brothers and sisters, regarding your question about the special abilities the Spirit gives us. I don’t want you to misunderstand this. 2 You know that when you were still pagans, you were led astray and swept along in worshiping speechless idols. 3 So I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God will curse Jesus, and no one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit. 4 There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. 5 There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. 6 God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. 7 A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. 8 To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. 9 The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. 10 He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. 11 It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.

1 cor

1 Corinthians 12:22–27 NLT

22 In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. 23 And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, 24 while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. 25 This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. 26 If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. 27 All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.

Romans 12:6 NLT

6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you.

1 Corinthians 13:1–3 NLT

1 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. 3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.

1 cor

Wouldn’t it be a sad world if we were all just alike?

Wouldn’t it be a sad world if we were all just alike?

The same personality

The same ability

The same look

God has made us each unique with different skills, personalities, strengths and weaknesses - so we can each be a part.

Imagine if everyone were eyes --

We could see things happen, but we could not hear to know what was said

We could see someone in need, but we could not run to help

We could see another struggle, but we could not offer a hand of assistance

God has made us each unique that when we come together as the body of Christ we all fulfill our purpose in a greater way..

Hold it, did you hear that ---

We may identify with Christ, but we are also to identify and find our place in the BODY OF CHRIST!!!!

We were not designed to be an ear or an eye, or a foot or a hand, or even a belly button onto ourselves!!!

Even greater than our talents are when all that we do is combined with the LOVE THAT COMES FROM KNOWING CHRIST!

1 Corinthians 13:1–3 NLT

1 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. 3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.

at the end, Buddy realizes he has much love to give, and being the best at anything is nothing compared to loving other people… to helping people...

LOVE is not limited to our talents - but flows out of those who are experiencing the LOVE OF CHRIST!

3. Then there is Faith

Hebrews 11:6 NLT

6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

In our story, faith in Santa Claus has gone down and the Claus o Meter is failing to create the energy needed to fuel the sleigh for Santa...

VIDEO CLIP #3 - 1.:19:37 - 1:21:30

Can I first say - that JESUS IS NOT A FAIRY TALE OR A MYTH - and this is not to put HIM in the same category as something make believe!

The reality is that FAITH IN CHRIST is waning in our world!

We near the time of the SECOND COMING OF CHRIST — and as we do the love of money has waxed cold

Matthew 24:4–14 NLT

4 Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, 5 for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. 7 Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. 8 But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come. 9 “Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. 10 And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. 11 And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. 12 Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.

When faith wanes the world returns to darkness — as Christians have lost their faith in the truth, the church has ceased to keep the light of the world shining in the hearts of men --- sin has taken over - even in the CHURCH --

We need faith to arise and keep the Spirit of Christ proclaimed over the earth!

Just like the kid believed when he saw the present Santa brought him --- many only believe when they get what they ask for from God ---

But that is not real faith!

Faith is believing what we cannot see!

Hebrews 11:1 NLT

1 Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.

2 Corinthians 4:18 NLT

18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

2 Corinthians 5:7 NLT

7 For we live by believing and not by seeing.

Faith is the foundation of Christianity… we need to get back to believing even though we do not see or understand all things!

CONCLUSION

SO, this morning let’s let ELF point us in a few directions...

Know who you are! Your true identity comes from belonging to Christ

Know that each of us has unique gifts. You don’t have to do what everyone else does well. Find and discover how God has gifted you… and remember - the love we show is still greater than our abilities can ever be

Faith in our world is dimming -we have the REAL TRUTH - not a myth — let faith arise so the light of Christ shines through us