1 Corinthians 15:12-19

Less than a month ago we were celebrating Christmas.

It seems that everyone loves Christmas.

Even if you don’t love to celebrate Christmas generally people love their own idea of Christmas.

Which is where my pet peeve comes in-

In this country we have taken Jesus Christ right out of Christmas

The VERY reason for the holiday has been removed.

Just look at the top 5 grossing Christmas movies of all time:

Home Alone (1990)

A boy trying to get back to his family at Christmas

2. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

Acceptance and love

3. The Polar Express (2004)

Young boy not believing in Santa Claus

4. Home Alone 2 (1992)

More shennanigans and comedy

5. Elf (2003)

Buddy the Elf finding his real Dad and finding himself

In case you are not convinced, look at the top 5 grossing Christmas songs of all time:

5. Brenda Lee- Rockin’ Around the Christ Tree

4. Justin Bieber- Mistletoe

3. Trans-Siberian Orchestra- Christmas Eve

2. Frozen- Do you Want to Build a Snowman

Mariah Carey- All I want for Christmas is You

WHERE did Jesus go in all of the movies and music that is so iconic with CHRISTMAS TIME??!!

And It is not just Christmas that society is trying to hijack

Easter has had it’s fair share of misconceptions such as the Easter Bunny aka Peter Cottontail

When we forget or ignore the gravity of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection we are foregoing some of the most vital aspects of our Christian faith.

We are in the process of reducing the celebration of Christmas into a feel good, all about family, gift giving, peace and love festival that informs NO ONE about the critical importance of Jesus’ incarnation (birth as a fully functioning human being whilst retaining Godhood)

SO THAT from the moment of his birth he would begin his journey to the cross to be crucified and die for the sins of disobedient, sinful people

and more importantly to rise again by HIS OWN POWER AND WALK BODILY OUT OF THE GRAVE.

This is what Paul, writing to the Corinthians, had to convey explicitly and without apology.

And this is what I must convey to us today that Jesus Christ is not Lord of the dead but Lord of the living because HE WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD AND IS ALIVE!

That Jesus Christ is not Lord of the dead but Lord of the living because

If all we are celebrating and living for resides here on Earth then, as Christians, we truly ought to be pitied.

If our faith is rooted and grounded only in the love of our families or tradition or behavioral modification then we have no hope and no faith at all.