Kathryn Z. Johnston Movies at the Manger Luke 1:39-56 December 2, 2018 A Muppet Christmas Carol Jeremiah 33:14-16

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1 Kathryn Z. Johnston Movies at the Manger Luke 1:39-56 December 2, 2018 A Muppet Christmas Carol Jeremiah 33:14-16 Jeremiah 33:14-16 The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: The LORD is our righteousness. Luke 1:39-56 In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord. And Mary said, My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever. And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home. This is the Word of the Lord 1 Movies at the Manger: A Muppet Christmas Carol, Rev. Kathryn Z. Johnston

2 A On December 19, 1843 a small novel was published A Christmas Carol - by Charles Dickens. Since then the story has been told, re-told, and referenced in countless ways from Masterpiece Theater to musicals to Bill Murray. Adaptations have been offered by Dr. Who, Disney s Scrooge McDuck, Jim Carrey, and George C. Scott. My favorite, besides the book itself, is The Muppet Christmas Carol; B starring Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge, Kermit the Frog as Bob Cratchit, Gonzo as Charles Dickens, and Fozzie the Bear, not as Fezziwig, but of course, as Fozziewig. What I appreciate about the Henson Productions version is that they follow the storyline closely, and although there are plenty of Muppet antics, there are many times when Gonzo, as Narrator, and the other characters say the words from the original text, including the opening line: Marley was dead, to begin with. The lead character is, of course, C Ebenezer Scrooge a name perfectly fitting for a man described by Dickens as a tight-fisted hand to the grindstone, Scrooge! A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner! Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secreted, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster He carried his own low temperature always about with him; he iced his office in the dogdays; and didn t thaw it one degree at Christmas. i A A Christmas Carol Title Card B Muppet Christmas Carol C Ebeneezer Scrooge (Michael Caine) 2 Movies at the Manger: A Muppet Christmas Carol, Rev. Kathryn Z. Johnston

3 Before 1843 the word scrooge meant squeeze. Now, of course, if you call someone a Scrooge most will know exactly what you mean. The word Ebenezer is Hebrew for the stone of help it s found in First Samuel 7:12 when one of the judges of Israel sets up a stone as a monument in remembrance of God s special help. It was a help-stone a marker that reminded the Israelites of God s care. In the hymn, Come Thou Fount, we sing Here I raise my ebenezer for the longest time I envisioned a champagne flute, but really it s a marker: Here I raise my Ebenezer, Here there by Thy great help I ve come And I hope by Thy good pleasure, Safely to arrive at home. Dickens uses the name sparingly in the text, we don t hear it until Marley s ghost appears explaining to his former partner that he has no comfort to bring. Then he uses it again to explain his purpose to mark his purpose: I am here to-night to warn you, that you have yet a chance and hope of escaping my fate. A chance and hope of my procuring, Ebenezer. ii The last time the name is used is when Scrooge sees it engraved on a literal ebenezer his gravestone. This time of year is filled with plenty of ebenezers of its own. In fact, we often complain when the markers of the season show up too soon flying inflatable Christmas dragons were spotted at Home Depot in September this year D too soon, too soon (I hear his name is Gary). D Inflatable Dragon 3 Movies at the Manger: A Muppet Christmas Carol, Rev. Kathryn Z. Johnston

4 This congregation, steeped in the Reformed Protestant tradition as it is, often adheres to the proper markers of the season. It s Christ the King Sunday, then four Sundays of Advent, and then Christmas. This year you will note that while we will dutifully recognize Advent hope, peace, joy, and love each and every Sunday, we are also leaning into Christmas as every Sunday will move from Advent to Christmas. We have our reasons, and I m willing to answer any questions at a special meeting we re having about the matter on December 32 nd on the third floor. Many of us have personal markers for the season. My family likes to watch certain movies at certain times. In the past, Elf has been for the weekend of Thanksgiving, and A Muppet Christmas Carol waits until Christmas Day or later. This year, however, thanks to this sermons series our tradition has been upsot. I may have missed the intended spirit of our Movies at the Manger sermon series by picking one of the creepier clips from the Muppet Christmas Carol. I am a sucker for Statler and Waldorf, and in this movie they play Jacob and Robert Marley, who both come from the grave and visit their former business partner to warn him of the chains that will bind him in the afterlife, made from avarice and greed. Let s watch: E We're Marley and Marley. Avarice and greed We took advantage of the poor. Just ignored the needy We specialized in causing pain, spreading fear and doubt E Movie Clip ( 4 Movies at the Manger: A Muppet Christmas Carol, Rev. Kathryn Z. Johnston

5 And if you could not pay the rent, we simply threw you out We're Marley and Marley. Our hearts were painted black We should have known our evil deeds would put us both in shackles Captive, bound, we're double-ironed, exhausted by the weight As freedom comes from giving love so, prison comes with hate Doomed, Scrooge! You're doomed for all time! Your future is a horror story, written by your crime Your chains are forged by what you say and do So, have your fun; when life is done, a nightmare waits for you We're Marley and Marley and now it's time to part To go back where they keep our kind The wretched and the heartless The news we shared has got you scared We're glad that we got through So make amends And make some friends The future's up to you! iii 5 Movies at the Manger: A Muppet Christmas Carol, Rev. Kathryn Z. Johnston

6 Everybody okay? F This story is set at Christmas, but ultimately it s a story about conversion. When we get a glimpse of the chains we are wearing chains we all wear will we do what we can to get them off? You are fettered, said Scrooge, trembling. Tell me why? I wear the chain I forged in life, replied the Ghost. I made it link by link, and yard by yard; I girded it on of my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it. iv Our own chains cannot be seen, but how many of us are captive and need to be freed from greed, from fear, from lack of empathy, compassion or offering of forgiveness and reconciliation? And what if unbinding ourselves from some of those chains, helps others become unbound as well. One of the things that happens in divorce is you lose the other side of what has become your family - even the ones you like G. (Introduce kids in slide) Will s father has four brothers, there are close to 20 nieces and nephews, 5 of whom I was incredibly close to. Four of them were there the day I had my hand accident, 19 years ago. Sadly, even though those five live in this state, I never saw them again after the divorce in F Marley and Marley G Ryan, Jani, Jack, & Jason 6 Movies at the Manger: A Muppet Christmas Carol, Rev. Kathryn Z. Johnston

7 A couple of months ago a woman popped her head into a meeting I was in here in the Conference Room, and it took me a moment, but I finally realized it was the Mom of the oldest of those five saying that she admitted the changes in my life had thrown her and she didn t know what to do, but the bottom line was that she loved me and missed me and was sorry and wanted to reconnect. Needless to say I went back into that meeting in the good kind of shock and tears. In October we all met up - me, Martha, Will, Cheryl (the Mom), Dave (her husband), Ryan (my sweet nephew who Will has always reminded me of) and his fiancée. Nervous hugs started the evening, big amazing hugs at the end of the evening - a promise to keep in touch (we ll see them next Saturday) and one little piece of a broken heart back in place. I am so thankful that Cheryl threw off whatever chain was holding her back, and not only that, had enough determination to walk into this building and poke her head into a meeting. Because of her act of courage and reconciliation, I have been gifted with family and love, and a nephew who is old enough now to meet me at Troegs! And Martha has a nephew, and Will has another cousin, and hopefully we can continue to throw off the chains that hold us back from loving one another, and rebuild those family connections. 7 Movies at the Manger: A Muppet Christmas Carol, Rev. Kathryn Z. Johnston

8 H Christmas is an ebenezer a marker - on our culture that shows up every year. There are so many layers to it religious, secular, sentimental, romantic, commercial. It s easy to get lost in it. But what if instead of getting lost, we used it as a way to become found. What chains are keeping us bound? What family member or friend would we like to see back on the Christmas card list? What can we do to get on the path of conversion? The last words we hear from Scrooge are the last words we hear from Dickens: May it always be said of you that you know how to keep Christmas well. May that truly be said of us, and all of us! And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God bless us, Every one! v Amen. i Charles Dickens. A Christmas Carol. Kindle Edition, p. 6 of 103. ii Ibid, p. 22. iii The Muppet Christmas Carol. Marley & Marley Music and Lyrics: Miles Goodman, Vocals: David Goelz, Jerry Nelson. iv Dickens, p. 22. v Dickins, p H Muppet Christmas Carol Dinner 8 Movies at the Manger: A Muppet Christmas Carol, Rev. Kathryn Z. Johnston