Obstacle or Opportunity

October 29, 2017
Obstacle or Opportunity          NOTES NOT EDITED
Romans 14:1-12

SIS: This particular holiday offers the perfect backdrop to display the Light of Christ’s love to the world!

Each year about this time a question surfaces in regard to Christians and the Halloween holiday.  I usually bring out an old sermon that reminds us why we, at First Baptist Church, provide a “HolyWeen” celebration for our community.  Since an entire year has passed, I’m sure most of you have forgotten what I said two years ago, and some of you were not here two years ago, so, this will be a new sermon for all of us.

As dark and sinister as this holiday is with all the references to

witches, goblins, ghosts, and gore, it is actually one of the most holy days of the church.  About 1200 years ago (835 AD) the RCC declared November 1^st to be a holiday to honor all the unnamed saints in the church.  It was called, All Saints Day.  October 31^st, the eve before All Saints Day was called “All Hallow’s (Holies) Eve.”  It was shortened to hallow’s e’en – hence, Halloween.  So, the word itself is associated with something good, not something evil.  So, is it OK for a Christian to participate in Halloween?

Let me begin with a short history of this holiday that is celebrated by

thousands of children all over the world.  There is ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBT that this holiday was originally part of something evil and satanic – more correctly, pagan.  October 31^st is the last day of the pagan year.  November 1^st is a day set aside by pagans (nature worshippers) in Ireland and Scotland to honor the god, Samhain (sawan).  Samhain was the “god of the dead” (the Grim Reaper).  Druids who were the priests in this pagan religion served Samhain as a god.  It was a Druid belief that on the eve of the new year that all manner of evil spirits (ghosts, goblins, feeries, witches and elves) came out to harm people.  People would dress up as these spirits so that the spirits would be tricked into thinking they were one of them and would not harm them.  To appease these spirits you would have to leave food (treats) on the doorstep.  There is absolutely no doubt that this ancient, pre-Christian celebration is evil and celebrates evil.

About 325 AD.  as a matter of policy, Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity – he in fact declared all people of the kingdom to be Christians.  This meant that all manner of evil crept into the church as these new “christians” (little “c”) entered the church but kept their pagan practices.  It created a lot of trouble for the church.  Especially, the worship of Samhain and the Druids.

To counter these pagan practices the church instituted their own holidays to coincide with the pagan holidays.  It was hoped that this would deter Christians from participating in the pagan celebrations.  This is how the church approached three major pagan holidays– Christmas, Easter, and Halloween.  The pagan counterparts for Christmas and Easter were overshadowed by the Christian celebrations and they drifted into the dust of history.  All Saints Day was not as successful and many of the pagan influences of October 31^st remain to this day. 

Halloween is here to stay.  It was brought to our country by Scotch/Irish immigrants and has been celebrated since about the early 1800's.  The Irish sometimes call it I “Pooky Night,” because one of the mischievous spirits making the rounds on this evening was called “pookah.”  So, what is a Christian supposed to do about this day of the year?  Is Halloween and “obstacle to faith,” or an “opportunity for evangelism.”  I think that the Apostle Paul has some words of wisdom that may be helpful for us today.  Stand with me as we read from Romans 14:8-12.  Confronting culture was something early Christians had to deal with on a daily basis as the Light of Christianity pressed deeper into the darkness of a fallen world.

As you decide how you will deal with this holiday—because holiness is a personal issue in this regard—there are three considerations you should keep in mind:

1.  Consider the OBSTACLE Halloween poses (vv 1-7)

Halloween does pose serious questions concerning matters of conscience. The Devil is very real, and should not be trifled with.

14 Accept anyone who is weak in faith, but don’t argue about doubtful issues. ² One person believes he may eat anything, but one who is weak eats only vegetables. ³ One who eats must not look down on one who does not eat, and one who does not eat must not criticize one who does,  because God has accepted him.  ⁴ Who are you to criticize  another’s household slave? Before his own Lord he stands or falls. And he will stand. For the Lord is able  to make him stand. ⁵ One person considers one day to be above another day.  Someone else considers every day to be the same. Each one must be fully convinced in his own mind.  ⁶ Whoever observes the day, observes it for the honor of the Lord.  Whoever eats, eats for the Lord, since he gives thanks to God;  and whoever does not eat, it is for the Lord that he does not eat it, yet he thanks God. ⁷ For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.

In some matters of faith, there are no definitive answers.  I think

this is true in regard to the matter of Halloween.  I read several sermons and articles on this matter in preparation for this sermon.  The majority, I must say, were very much against any participation in the activities of Halloween at all.  One writer said, “To me it makes no more sense for a Christian to participate in Halloween as it would be for a Russia to celebrate the 4^th of July.”  I think it is very clear why someone would say this about Halloween.

It is ABSOLUTELY A PAGAN celebration that predates Christianity.  It is definitely a time of year that is overrun with evil themes.  Horror films will clutter the airways and blood, guts and gore will be a major theme in many costumes. 

Halloween is rooted in pagan, satanic rituals.  Of that there is no doubt. So, it would seem to be a slam-dunk as far as answering the question: “Should a Christian celebrate Halloween?” 

The answer is a resounding: NO, or is it a resounding YES? It is a “matter of conscience” according to Romans 14.  How we regard

this day is up to each individual family.  There is Scriptural support for having nothing at all to do with this day.  There is Scriptural support that justifies “locking the door, turning out the lights and refusing to answer the door-bell.”  This is absolutely a justifiable position in regard to a day so clearly associated with pagan worship.  The Bible says,

“Avoid every kind of evil.”  (1Thess. 5:22).   Eph. 5:11 says, “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather, expose them.”

There are many other Scripture passages that would justify the position that a Christian should have nothing at all to do with Halloween.  The evil associated with Halloween poses an OBSTACLE that could justifiably prohibit any Christian from participating in any way.  But, is there also Scripture that would suggest ways in which a Christian could participate in this holiday – or perhaps Scriptures that suggest a Christian SHOULD participate in this holiday in some way that is redemptive in nature?  I think this is another CONSIDERATION Christians face in regard to Halloween:

2.  Consider the OPPORTUNITY

We can be light in the darkness.  The theme of this message is simply this: Halloween offers the perfect backdrop against which we as Christians can display the Light of Christ’s love.

Have you ever noticed how a jeweler displays his fine, exspensive

wares?  Most often, fine jewelry like diamonds and precious gems, will be displayed on black velvet.  The black backdrop accentuates the shining brilliance of a diamond or fine piece of jewelry.  The darker the backdrop, the brighter the piece of jewelry shines.

I think a Christian can look at Halloween as just such an opportunity.

Against all the blackness of the celebration, the Light or Christ will shine even brighter.  This is something I think we as Christians in the 21^st century must consider.

In fact, this type of “cultural engagement” is exactly what Paul

has in mind.  Look again at verse 1.  Literally it reads:

Accept anyone who is weak in faith, but don’t argue about doubtful issues.

In modern translations like the CSB, the train of Paul’s thought is

somewhat obscured.  What we call chapter 14, is actually an extension of Paul’s thought in the preceding chapter, verses 11-15.  What has been designated as 14:1 begins with a small, yet important, word.  That is the conjunction, “de,” or in English, “but, besides, and or “therefore,” among others.  It is a “conjunction” connecting two thoughts.  Paul is describing in chapter 13:11-15 how we should “engage” the darkness of our culture.  Look at those verses:

11 And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 

Paul is instructing the Church to be forceful (put on armor) and engage the darkness in the culture around us.  The darkness, though it presents some danger, is the perfect backdrop against which a Christian can and should display the light of Christ.  In Chapter 14, Paul is giving us the freedom to engage the darkness of our culture, rather than seek to escape from it. 

What Paul is teaching, I think, is this: rather than run from the darkness all around us, like Halloween, we should put on the armor of light, and bring the gospel into our communities.  Paul dismisses disputes over the reason for the darkness, but rather dispatches the church into that darkness as “warriors of light wearing the armor of Christ.”   Cursing the darkness is no solution to the darkness–
lighting a candle is.  Keep your finger here in Romans and join me in a few other Scriptures that speak about letting our faith shine in a dark world.

Mt. 5:16  In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Eph. 5:8  For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light

2 Cor 4:6  For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

The Christians of Paul’s day knew what it meant to live in the midst

of all kinds of pagan darkness.  Rome was well-known for its excesses and its tolerance for almost any religious practice in the world.  The meat sold in most markets in Paul’s day were first used as sacrifices to idols.  Paul’s instructions come against the black backdrop of paganism – not that much different with what we see at Halloween, today.

Halloween is proof positive that our world needs light!  Halloween does not need to be an OBSTACLE to sharing our faith but may be a great OPPORTUNITY for sharing our faith.  This brings me to my third consideration:

3.  Consider the OBJECTIVE of participating in Halloween (7-8)

⁷ For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.  ⁸ If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

We must concentrate on the WAY we participate, not the DAY.

In the matter of Halloween, as in living the Christian life in
general it is all about our OBJECTIVE – that is, our PURPOSE.  We
should live our lives in such a way as to demonstrate without question that we are “children of Light;” servants of the Most High God.

Verse 6 talks about some who eat meat and some who don’t. Verse 6 talks about some who regard one day as the right day of worship and some who regard another day.  Paul was probably talking about the various “feast days” that Jews observed, but that Gentiles did not.  Paul’s admonishment to them on these NON-essential matters applies also for us in our day in regard to how we treat Halloween. Paul does not say which group is right.  What Paul emphasizes is not the DAY, but the WAY that a person worships.  Paul talks about PURPOSE.

Our purpose or objective should be to “honor God in all we do.”  As

Paul says, “if we live, we should live to the Lord and if we die we should die to the Lord.”  IT’S ALL ABOUT HIM – NOT US! 

Our whole purpose in life – whether at Halloween or any other day – should be to point out to as many people as we can that there is a judgement coming.  The ghosts, goblins, witches, and gore that seems so innocent at Halloween points to the reality of what awaits someone who dies without accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.  We should use Halloween (and every other day) as an opportunity to warn others of the judgement to come.  That is our “objective.”  Look at verse 11:

¹¹ For it is written: As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to Me, and every tongue will give praise to God.

The Christian’s objective at Halloween should be to help others

prepare for the coming judgment.  Rather than “lock our doors, turn out the lights, and ignore the children ringing our door-bell,” we should seek to use this day as an OPPORTUNITY to be “light in the darkness.”  With that objective in mind let me give you some suggestions on how to BE LIGHT AT HALLOWEEN TIME.

1.  First and foremost, have nothing whatsoever to do with anything that promotes evil or the occult (things involving witchcraft, etc.)

2.  As you put candy in the bags of children, also put in some information about our church.  We have some flyers printed up that you can take with you today and use tomorrow.

3.  Dress your children in Biblical costumes.  Get them to tell their friends why they don’t dress in costumes with “evil” themes.

4.  Play Christian music really loud and decorate your home with       Christian themes

5.  Get a pumpkin and carve a “cross” in it.  The candle can represent      Jesus as Light of the World.

6.  Most importantly: PRAY!  Use this as a time to offer special prayers against the evils of our community: drugs, alcohol, etc. Pray for each home you visit. Be ready to give a witness to your faith.

7.  Be creative and come up with more ideas.

I hope you will take these considerations and do what you feel in your own heart will bring glory to God.  Halloween is not going to go away.  As Christians, we must address the issues.  The evil that is “up front” at Halloween is very real.  The darkness in our world is very real.  We need to share our light.

One of the pagan traditions as I mentioned earlier was to dress up

like one of the evil spirits so that they would not recognize you and harm you.  I see too many church folk that are doing that today.  They are talking like the devil, partying like the devil, and wearing a Christian costume to church once per week thinking that they are going to fool God.

God will not be fooled.  If the Light of Jesus Christ is not burning in

your heart through the Holy Spirit, then you can expect to spend all of eternity celebrating Halloween – only, you will be on the “trick” side, not the “treat” side.  If you die without accepting Jesus Christ, you will not escape judgement – you WILL spend eternity in the abode of demons – the place the Bible calls hell.

You can escape that fate by accepting Jesus Christ today. Don’t spend eternity in a Halloween nightmare. Come to the light – so you can share the Light.

Halloween presents us with either an obstacle, or an opportunity – faith makes the difference.