The Greatest Story Ever Told & The Garbage Pail Kids

Heading for the check out lane at WalMart on Christmas Eve day I glanced at a display rack of DVD’s.

“All Movies $9.99″.

On the top row in the middle was “The Greatest Story Ever Told”, an epic film from 1965 about the life of Jesus Christ. From His miraculous virgin birth to His sacrificial death on the cross, and His resurrection from the dead to ascension into heaven. A three hour and 17 minute masterpiece that can’t begin to record all the works that Jesus did for our good and His glory.

Right next to that DVD in the slot to the left was “The Garbage Pail Kids Movie”. The plot summary for this forgettable 1987 flick is, according to Volker Boehm,

“Seven disgusting kids but nevertheless of interesting personality are being made of the green mud coming out of the garbage can. Once alive their master gives them rules to obey although they think that life is funnier without following stupid regulations like no television or no candy. Naturally, this will cause some conflicts.”

Naturally.

On this night before Christmas Eve, those two DVD’s side by side well illustrate the reason for the season. Jesus Christ, the greatest story ever told, comes into our garbage pail world to clean us up and make us whole. It’s not an easy task. Because we Valerie Vomit’s and Foul Phil’s and Messie Tessie’s (add Terrible Todd’s) think that life is better without following our Master’s regulations. Left to our own desires, we’d rather live in our green mud. It’s bound to cause some conflicts. We are not very loveable people.

Which makes Christmas even more amazing.

Jesus Christ willingly left the glory of heaven to be born into our muddy world. And as He lived He didn’t hold His nose while walking through our garbage. He drew near to us. To hug and to heal. To dine and to drink. To talk and to touch. To seek and to save. Instead of avoiding our mess He waded into it.

When you think about where He comes from, it doesn’t make any sense. Moving from the Ritz on Park Avenue to the dump outside of town? How can “downward mobility” ever make sense? But Jesus loves us. So much that He came our direction. He took on human form to experience everything that we do. In doing so He became our perfect advocate before God the Father. “Dad, I know what they are going through. I’ve been there.” In short, when it comes to the hard life we live, Jesus can relate.

This Christmas you, like me, may not feel worthy of God’s love. If you don’t, you’re not alone. The Bible says that all of us have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) The fact is, we aren’t worthy of God’s love. That’s the miracle of Christmas. The sinless Christ born for sinful us.

Jesus loves us. And not because it’s in His job description. He loves us willingly, joyfully and with no limit. There’s nothing you could do to make Him love you less and no great accomplishment you achieve could make Him love you more. Jesus loves you for who you are right now in this moment. We may think we need to clean up before we can come to Him, we may think we need to scrape off the mud and find some cleaner clothes before we talk with Him. But Jesus says, “I showed my love for you in that while you were yet sinning, I died for you.” (Romans 5:8) That’s the definition of unconditional love.

This Christmas I hope your “greatest story ever told” is how Jesus came into your muddy world and showed you His unconditional love. If you’ve never experienced that or if you have questions about much Jesus loves you, please contact me. I’ll be happy to point you to the God who absolutely delights in you. The God who loved you so much He came into your world to pull you out of your mud and into His arms.

Jesus Loves You. This I know.

Merry Christmas.

“God showed His love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” - Romans 5:8

“And the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid! For behold I bring you good news of great joy which shall be to all people. Unto you this day in the city of David is born a Savior, which is Christ the Lord!” - Luke 2:10-11

Christmas . . . I Believe

I believe in Christmas. I believe that God sends light into the dark corners of our lives. That in the lonely and cold moments, God comes with a message of good news.

I believe that God’s good news sweeps away all of the world’s bad news like a broom sweeps away dust. God brings hope in the midst of despair. God brings healing in the midst of illness. God brings peace in the midst of strife and solace to the mourning. God brings power to the weak. God brings companionship to the lonely and family to the forgotten. God brings justice for the oppressed and liberty for the captive. Most of all, God brings new life in the midst of death. In a word, God brings what we need.

I believe in Christmas. I believe that God continues to work in my life today through this story of Christ’s birth so long ago.

I am a shepherd, startled to hear the good news of the angels, but eager to go and see for myself. I am Mary, aware that somehow God is using me to accomplish things too big to imagine. I am Joseph, not understanding fully that which God calls me to do, but following as faithfully as I can. I am the innkeeper, busy and frazzled, but making some room, somehow, for God to be born. I am the Wiseman, on a journey of discovery, bearing my gift to be given to glorify God. And yes, I am the angel, proclaiming in my own life, the glorious good news that God has come into the world and we shall never be the same.

I believe in Christmas and with my life, today and throughout the year to come, I will proclaim that Christ is born, that Christmas is here, that God is with us! Amen.