Showing posts with label Halloween. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Halloween. Show all posts
Friday, November 05, 2010
Sermon Audio: John 8: 31-47
On Sunday evening we took a break from our Ten Commandments series and preached a special sermon for Hallowe'en night, entitled The Truth About the Father of Lies. This is what it sounded like.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Halloween Alt
It's the day of darkness, All Hallow's Eve, Hallowe'en. The whole country seems to go mad for fireworks, bangers, dressing up and trick-or-treating. So what can the Church do in the midst of all this? Do we lie down and accept the widespread wickedness?
Rather than our children and young people missing out on parties and fun, many churches organise a Halloween alternative. This morning we had our Bright Lights Party (although I missed it as I'm on holidays). Party games, party food, crafts and a reminder that we don't have to fear the darkness or the devil, because Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12).
This afternoon there was some street evangelism, distributing UCB Bags of Hope with a gospel outline, a tract, and also some chocolate!
What other ideas do you have for Christian Halloween alternatives?
Rather than our children and young people missing out on parties and fun, many churches organise a Halloween alternative. This morning we had our Bright Lights Party (although I missed it as I'm on holidays). Party games, party food, crafts and a reminder that we don't have to fear the darkness or the devil, because Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12).
This afternoon there was some street evangelism, distributing UCB Bags of Hope with a gospel outline, a tract, and also some chocolate!
What other ideas do you have for Christian Halloween alternatives?
Friday, October 02, 2009
First Fireworks
It's Harvest Thanksgiving weekend in St Elizabeth's, with a special Harvest Gift Day for Building for the Gospel on Sunday. The weekend began tonight with a Harvest Supper in the Burton Hall. Over 100 people packed in enjoying good fellowship over great food and scrumptious desserts! One of my Curate predecessors, Jim McMaster, recently retired Rector of St Nicholas' Carrickfergus, gave an epilogue. Between the courses there was also musical entertainment on the piano and violin.
Right at the end of Grieg's Nocturne, we heard the first firework (banger) of the year, just outside the hall. The timing was impeccable. A humorous moment, but also an ominous sign of the loud bangs and explosions between now and Halloween. Johnny (Youth Leader) and myself went outside to see what was happening, and to their credit, the local police patrol was just turning in the church carpark having chased them towards the Moat Park.
Will there be as many illegal fireworks in Belfast this October? Let's hope not, but I'm surprised that the first firework wasn't heard until the 2nd of October. Maybe we're in for a quieter autumn.
Right at the end of Grieg's Nocturne, we heard the first firework (banger) of the year, just outside the hall. The timing was impeccable. A humorous moment, but also an ominous sign of the loud bangs and explosions between now and Halloween. Johnny (Youth Leader) and myself went outside to see what was happening, and to their credit, the local police patrol was just turning in the church carpark having chased them towards the Moat Park.
Will there be as many illegal fireworks in Belfast this October? Let's hope not, but I'm surprised that the first firework wasn't heard until the 2nd of October. Maybe we're in for a quieter autumn.
Monday, November 03, 2008
Blast from the Past - Satan the Defeated Foe
I was looking for this last week, but couldn't find it. Now I have, just a few days after Hallowe'en. This was a talk I did at a joint Youth Fellowship meeting of Groomsport and Dromore YFs on 24th October 2004.
Tonight we’re meeting just a week before Hallowe’en, and I want us to think about the spiritual world, and especially Satan. We’re going to find out a wee bit about him, who he is, and what we can do about him.
When I say the word ‘devil’, what images come to your mind? Probably things like a red guy, with horns and a tail, holding a big fork, who lives in hell. But this image isn’t true. The devil, also known as Satan, exists, as surely as God exists, but is God’s sworn enemy.
Satan was one of the chief angels, who was in charge of leading worship in heaven. But that wasn’t enough for him. He didn’t want to be a worshipper… but to be worshipped. So he set himself up as God, in the place of God, and led a rebellion against God. In this he was supported by one third of the angels. These angels became the demons, which affect people even to this day. Thus Satan began a war, which continues even now, between God and Satan.
God cast him out of heaven, and threw him to the earth. Ever since, he has tried to get people to join him in his rebellion, telling lies and seeking to tempt people. He succeeded with Eve and Adam, which meant that we all are sinners.
There are those who are interested in the devil, and even seek to worship him. And at times like Halloween, it seems that they have more power, with so much bad stuff going on. So what can we do about all that? Should we fear Satan, and his demons?
The answer is that we should not. Satan is like a dog on a leash. He can’t do anything without the permission of God, and he can’t do more than God allows. The story of Job shows us this. Job was a rich man, who had a strong faith in God. But Satan argued with God, and said that the only reason he had faith was because God had blessed him with a big family, and money and herds.
But just because he’s on a leash, and has limits doesn’t mean that he can’t still do us harm. Just as he deceived Eve in the Garden of Eden, so he can deceive us, and get us to exchange the glory of God, and his salvation, for a lie.
However, there is hope for us. 1 Peter 5:8-11 shows, if we resist the devil, he will flee from us.
1 Peter 5:8-11
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
10And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.
Satan may seem powerful, as the prince of his kingdom. But we must not forget that there is a much more powerful kingdom. God controls Satan, and sets limits for him. So if the world seems to be interested in Satan and his power, we should therefore concentrate all the more on God and his kingdom.
Satan’s kingdom is that of darkness and sin. But God’s kingdom is that of light, and life, and Jesus brought light and life to the world. As John 1:1-9 tells us:
John 1:1-9
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning.
3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
6There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.
The message for you tonight is that if you think that Satan is attacking you, to stand firm. Just because Satan prowls around like a lion, doesn’t mean he is going to succeed against you- if you trust in God, and are part of his kingdom.
How do we do this? Resist him, standing firm in the faith! As John tells us: ‘Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world’ (1 John 4:4). The Light of Jesus shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. Think about a dark room. If you light one candle, suddenly, it isn’t as dark… light always wins!
Satan has many methods of attack. He might present sins as something attractive, or suggest to you that God doesn’t exist, or that the devil doesn’t exist. Or he might whisper to you that your sins aren’t actually forgiven. But if you are trusting in Jesus, to take away your sins through his death and resurrection, then your sins are forgiven indeed. So if Satan reminds you of your past, remind him of his future.
Hell is not a place that Satan lives in, where there’s a party atmosphere, and where Satan punishes people for their sins. God created hell for Satan and his angels to punish them for their rebellion. Satan isn’t there yet. But he will be sent there one day, for ever, as will those who do not believe in Jesus. Revelation 20:7-10.
Jesus himself tells that that place will be miserable. It is a place of ‘darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth’ (Matt 8:12), a ‘fiery furnace’ (Matt 13:42).
So tonight, I want to leave you with a choice. As I said near the start, we’re in a war. In this conflict, there is no neutrality, there is no sitting on the fence. You must choose whether you will serve God or Satan.
Satan may have some power now, and he can deceive you with what looks attractive, but is actually rotten. But his kingdom will come to an end, and will lead to hell. You can, if you want, serve him, and stay in your sins.
But there’s another option. You can join up to the Kingdom of Light, and serve the king of kings, who can take away your sins, and promise you eternity in heaven. It won’t always be easy. Hard times come. The battle is difficult, which is why we need the armour of God, found in Ephesians 6.
Ephes. 6:10-18
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled round your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
Have you ever tried to avoid hearing the result of a football or rugby match? You’re going to watch it later on TV or video, and don’t want to know what happens? Well, the result of this war is already written down. God’s side wins, and Satan is finally and completely defeated. Which side will you be on?
Tonight we’re meeting just a week before Hallowe’en, and I want us to think about the spiritual world, and especially Satan. We’re going to find out a wee bit about him, who he is, and what we can do about him.
When I say the word ‘devil’, what images come to your mind? Probably things like a red guy, with horns and a tail, holding a big fork, who lives in hell. But this image isn’t true. The devil, also known as Satan, exists, as surely as God exists, but is God’s sworn enemy.
Satan was one of the chief angels, who was in charge of leading worship in heaven. But that wasn’t enough for him. He didn’t want to be a worshipper… but to be worshipped. So he set himself up as God, in the place of God, and led a rebellion against God. In this he was supported by one third of the angels. These angels became the demons, which affect people even to this day. Thus Satan began a war, which continues even now, between God and Satan.
God cast him out of heaven, and threw him to the earth. Ever since, he has tried to get people to join him in his rebellion, telling lies and seeking to tempt people. He succeeded with Eve and Adam, which meant that we all are sinners.
There are those who are interested in the devil, and even seek to worship him. And at times like Halloween, it seems that they have more power, with so much bad stuff going on. So what can we do about all that? Should we fear Satan, and his demons?
The answer is that we should not. Satan is like a dog on a leash. He can’t do anything without the permission of God, and he can’t do more than God allows. The story of Job shows us this. Job was a rich man, who had a strong faith in God. But Satan argued with God, and said that the only reason he had faith was because God had blessed him with a big family, and money and herds.
But just because he’s on a leash, and has limits doesn’t mean that he can’t still do us harm. Just as he deceived Eve in the Garden of Eden, so he can deceive us, and get us to exchange the glory of God, and his salvation, for a lie.
However, there is hope for us. 1 Peter 5:8-11 shows, if we resist the devil, he will flee from us.
1 Peter 5:8-11
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
10And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.
Satan may seem powerful, as the prince of his kingdom. But we must not forget that there is a much more powerful kingdom. God controls Satan, and sets limits for him. So if the world seems to be interested in Satan and his power, we should therefore concentrate all the more on God and his kingdom.
Satan’s kingdom is that of darkness and sin. But God’s kingdom is that of light, and life, and Jesus brought light and life to the world. As John 1:1-9 tells us:
John 1:1-9
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning.
3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
6There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.
The message for you tonight is that if you think that Satan is attacking you, to stand firm. Just because Satan prowls around like a lion, doesn’t mean he is going to succeed against you- if you trust in God, and are part of his kingdom.
How do we do this? Resist him, standing firm in the faith! As John tells us: ‘Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world’ (1 John 4:4). The Light of Jesus shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. Think about a dark room. If you light one candle, suddenly, it isn’t as dark… light always wins!
Satan has many methods of attack. He might present sins as something attractive, or suggest to you that God doesn’t exist, or that the devil doesn’t exist. Or he might whisper to you that your sins aren’t actually forgiven. But if you are trusting in Jesus, to take away your sins through his death and resurrection, then your sins are forgiven indeed. So if Satan reminds you of your past, remind him of his future.
Hell is not a place that Satan lives in, where there’s a party atmosphere, and where Satan punishes people for their sins. God created hell for Satan and his angels to punish them for their rebellion. Satan isn’t there yet. But he will be sent there one day, for ever, as will those who do not believe in Jesus. Revelation 20:7-10.
Jesus himself tells that that place will be miserable. It is a place of ‘darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth’ (Matt 8:12), a ‘fiery furnace’ (Matt 13:42).
So tonight, I want to leave you with a choice. As I said near the start, we’re in a war. In this conflict, there is no neutrality, there is no sitting on the fence. You must choose whether you will serve God or Satan.
Satan may have some power now, and he can deceive you with what looks attractive, but is actually rotten. But his kingdom will come to an end, and will lead to hell. You can, if you want, serve him, and stay in your sins.
But there’s another option. You can join up to the Kingdom of Light, and serve the king of kings, who can take away your sins, and promise you eternity in heaven. It won’t always be easy. Hard times come. The battle is difficult, which is why we need the armour of God, found in Ephesians 6.
Ephes. 6:10-18
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled round your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
Have you ever tried to avoid hearing the result of a football or rugby match? You’re going to watch it later on TV or video, and don’t want to know what happens? Well, the result of this war is already written down. God’s side wins, and Satan is finally and completely defeated. Which side will you be on?
Friday, October 31, 2008
The Geese Are Getting Fat
Hallowe'en is coming and the geese are getting,
Will you please put a penny in the old man's hat,
If you haven't got a penny, a ha'penny will do,
If you haven't got a ha'penny, then God bless you!
Yes, it's Halloween again, or to give it its more proper name, All Hallows Eve - the night before All Saints Day. The rhyme above is a traditional one for those engaged in 'trick or treat' as they go round houses scrounging money, or more realistically, chocolate! So far we haven't had anyone at the door, so we may be in the clear on that front.
Yet isn't it strange that the rhyme talks about the geese getting fat (presumably in anticipation of Christmas), but nowadays it's more likely that the children will be getting fat. Hallowe'en trick-or-treating will normally result in chocolate. Christmas means the selection boxes and the obligatory tin of Roses or Quality Street (which one's your favourite?). Easter means chocolate eggs... are you seeing the pattern?
Why is it that the chocolate producers have such a massive hold on feasts and festivals? Is it just a sign of the over-commercialisation of our society? Or is it just because chocolate is oh so good!
Will you please put a penny in the old man's hat,
If you haven't got a penny, a ha'penny will do,
If you haven't got a ha'penny, then God bless you!
Yes, it's Halloween again, or to give it its more proper name, All Hallows Eve - the night before All Saints Day. The rhyme above is a traditional one for those engaged in 'trick or treat' as they go round houses scrounging money, or more realistically, chocolate! So far we haven't had anyone at the door, so we may be in the clear on that front.
Yet isn't it strange that the rhyme talks about the geese getting fat (presumably in anticipation of Christmas), but nowadays it's more likely that the children will be getting fat. Hallowe'en trick-or-treating will normally result in chocolate. Christmas means the selection boxes and the obligatory tin of Roses or Quality Street (which one's your favourite?). Easter means chocolate eggs... are you seeing the pattern?
Why is it that the chocolate producers have such a massive hold on feasts and festivals? Is it just a sign of the over-commercialisation of our society? Or is it just because chocolate is oh so good!
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Hallowe'en
There we are... another Hallowe'en has come, so the goose must be fat by now...
Today has been rather strange, in fact, most of this past week, with the good weather - today I was down in the city without a coat, just wearing shirt and a hoodie... if this is global warming, then is it all bad???
Hallowe'en isn't really all that important for me... I've never, I confess, been at a fancy dress party. Never! The closest thing to a fancy dress thing were probably the fireworks nights in Dromore years ago, organised by the Dromore Civic Group (I can't mind their real title)- where there was a dressing up competition, a parade through the Square and then fireworks - at the Fire Station, appropriately enough, so the fire fighters wouldn't have too far to go if there was a problem! And even then, dressing up was a 50p witch mask and a 10p bin liner... hardly pushing the boat out! Glenn and me even made it onto the front page of the Dromore Leader one year in our costumes...
In more recent times, my only fancy dress experience was Lynn's 'big' birthday the other year, when it was 70's gear all the way...
Oh, and I might as well say it before someone wisely comments on my dressing up as Cilla Black at the BB Display about 4 years ago... I'm not sure that any photos exist - I hope not anyways!
But Hallowe'en this year for me is going to be leading the Sung Compline service in Chapel at 9.15pm. And I suppose I get dressed up for it - if you'll allow the cassock to be considered dressing up!
Today has been rather strange, in fact, most of this past week, with the good weather - today I was down in the city without a coat, just wearing shirt and a hoodie... if this is global warming, then is it all bad???
Hallowe'en isn't really all that important for me... I've never, I confess, been at a fancy dress party. Never! The closest thing to a fancy dress thing were probably the fireworks nights in Dromore years ago, organised by the Dromore Civic Group (I can't mind their real title)- where there was a dressing up competition, a parade through the Square and then fireworks - at the Fire Station, appropriately enough, so the fire fighters wouldn't have too far to go if there was a problem! And even then, dressing up was a 50p witch mask and a 10p bin liner... hardly pushing the boat out! Glenn and me even made it onto the front page of the Dromore Leader one year in our costumes...
In more recent times, my only fancy dress experience was Lynn's 'big' birthday the other year, when it was 70's gear all the way...
Oh, and I might as well say it before someone wisely comments on my dressing up as Cilla Black at the BB Display about 4 years ago... I'm not sure that any photos exist - I hope not anyways!
But Hallowe'en this year for me is going to be leading the Sung Compline service in Chapel at 9.15pm. And I suppose I get dressed up for it - if you'll allow the cassock to be considered dressing up!
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