No matter what this past year has looked like for you (or in Scrooge’s case, the past evening of adventures through space and time!), ultimately, the heart of Christmas is this: hope. It’s a hope that can’t be found in a pretty package, a house full of family, the assurances of a politician, or the promises of a loved one. A living, breathing hope can only be realized through a living, breathing Savior, born among us as a baby all those years ago.  

He is the living Hope we celebrate.

“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger” (Luke 2:11-12).

Even though we will probably never experience a Christmas Eve as eventful as the one Scrooge just lived through (at least we hope not!), we can choose to wake up Christmas morning and live our lives differently. Actually, we can choose to wake up every morning and live differently. 
We can choose generosity toward others. We can choose to pursue joy in every circumstance. We can choose contentment over complaint. We can choose the mercy of judgment.

How?

By embracing the One who embodies all of those qualities, by embracing Jesus. The hope Jesus offers through his birth is a “today” hope and an eternal hope. It never ends and it never changes. If we choose to accept his saving grace and be forgiven—in ways that far exceed Scrooge’s transformation—we can be made wholly new. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Will you accept that transforming hope this Christmas?

Maybe you were walking with Jesus a long time ago but you’ve fallen away in recent years. Maybe this is your first time hearing about a hope that can change everything. Whatever your circumstance, choose today to say yes to Jesus.

Like Scrooge, we’re called to come face to face with our shortcomings, admit to God we are sinners, turn to Jesus who paid the price on the cross, and willingly walk towards the new life offered through him.

It’s as simple—and life-changing—as that.

In this season, we have a reason to rejoice that transcends mere circumstances. The favor of God has been extended to us through His son, Jesus. Tiny Tim famously said it best: “God bless us, everyone!” And God does just that.

________________________________________

Day 5 Question: How can Christmas inspire a sense of newfound hope in you? Have you received the hope of forgiveness and a new life from Jesus by simply asking him? What are some ways you can pass on that eternal hope to everyone you meet?

For Reflection: Ephesians 2:4-10

________________________________________

Jump into the world of Scrooge: A Christmas Carol by listening to episode 1 of the companion podcast on The Bridge Podcast Network here! 

Do you have questions about Jesus? Please explore our CONNECT TO JESUS video and resources on The Bridge. 

Additional Scrooge Resources:

• 
  Scrooge: A Christmas Carol Podcast

  Be entertained and inspired by a fresh retelling of the Christmas classic. You know the story of A Christmas Carol, but you’ve never heard it like this. Get drawn into the powerful story of forgiveness and redemption in this all-new audio experience starring Hollywood pros like Sean Astin, John Rhys-Davies, and Juliet Mills.

• 
  Be a Scrooge - Sermon Series Guide

  This Christmas, discover the transformative power of Jesus through the unlikely story of Ebenezer Scrooge. In this three-week sermon series, we'll explore the biblical themes of redemption, forgiveness, and hope found in A Christmas

• 
  Be A Scrooge - Worship Playlist

  Worship ministry ideas to accompany Be a Scrooge: A Christmas Carol Sermon Series. Songs that invite your congregation into a journey of heart transformation, much like Scrooge’s, moving from a place of darkness and despair into the light of grace, renewal, and celebration.

• 
  Be A Scrooge - Children's Sunday School Guide

  Four complete Sunday School lessons to share scripture for life with young people through the lense of Scrooge: A Christmas Carol.

• 
  Be a Scrooge - Family Discussion Guide

  Three weeks of guided family discussion and application of scripture to life, through the lense of Scrooge: A Christmas Carol.

• 
  Be A Scrooge - Family Activity Pack

  This fun Family Activity Guide will help you make the most of the podcast experience. Each of the four Scrooge episodes has an interactive object lesson to guide your family into meaningful discussions through fun activities.

Sure, according to the Proverb, love can cover a multitude of sins, but it can also feel like some wounds cut too deep to be forgiven. And the thing about the holidays is, the person you’re struggling to forgive might be sitting right across the table.

Like Scrooge on the last leg of his Christmas reckoning, this time alongside the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, the holly jolly season ahead may force us to come face-to-face with the very people who have hurt us the deepest. For Dickens’ unmerciful miser, the ones he hurt the most were those he spent his life short-changing: his servants now looting his house, poor old Bob Cratchit, and his nephew Frederick.

Who in your life has caused similar scars to the ones Scrooge etched?

Maybe it’s a parent whose actions broke your family apart.

A friend choosing selfishness over friendship.

A child walking down a destructive path.

Hurt runs deep, especially when it’s inflicted by the people in our lives who are supposed to love us. Incredibly, those Scrooge wounded the most—Frederick and Bob Cratchit—chose not to hold onto bitterness and instead forgave this man who had wronged them at every turn. In doing so, they showed Scrooge the power mercy can hold—how it frees not only the wrongdoer but also the person who was wronged.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy, right? (Matthew 5:7). Forgiving those who have hurt us lets them off our emotional hook—and lightens our emotional baggage. We set them loose, refuse to let them live rent-free in our heads, and as a result, free not only them but ourselves.

________________________________________

Jesus is the perfect example of showing mercy and practicing forgiveness towards people who don’t deserve it—namely you and me! And he asks us to do the same, even when it’s far from easy.

“So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free. There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you” (James 2:12-13). When done authentically, forgiveness brings freedom—a freedom that satisfies more than holding a grudge ever could. Who are you being called to forgive this Christmas? Chances are they’re just a trip down the hall or a phone call away. Will you go there?

________________________________________
Day 4 Question: Forgiveness is such a difficult thing to practice, made even harder when the person who hurt us is a family member or close friend. Who do you need to forgive this Christmas season? What’s one step you can take today to extend mercy to them and find freedom for yourself?

For Reflection Colossians 3:12-17

________________________________________

Jump into the world of Scrooge: A Christmas Carol by listening to episode 1 of the companion podcast on The Bridge Podcast Network here! 

Do you have questions about Jesus? Please explore our CONNECT TO JESUS video and resources on The Bridge. 

Additional Scrooge Resources:

• 
  Scrooge: A Christmas Carol Podcast

  Be entertained and inspired by a fresh retelling of the Christmas classic. You know the story of A Christmas Carol, but you’ve never heard it like this. Get drawn into the powerful story of forgiveness and redemption in this all-new audio experience starring Hollywood pros like Sean Astin, John Rhys-Davies, and Juliet Mills.

• 
  Be a Scrooge - Sermon Series Guide

  This Christmas, discover the transformative power of Jesus through the unlikely story of Ebenezer Scrooge. In this three-week sermon series, we'll explore the biblical themes of redemption, forgiveness, and hope found in A Christmas

• 
  Be A Scrooge - Worship Playlist

  Worship ministry ideas to accompany Be a Scrooge: A Christmas Carol Sermon Series. Songs that invite your congregation into a journey of heart transformation, much like Scrooge’s, moving from a place of darkness and despair into the light of grace, renewal, and celebration.

• 
  Be A Scrooge - Children's Sunday School Guide

  Four complete Sunday School lessons to share scripture for life with young people through the lense of Scrooge: A Christmas Carol.

• 
  Be a Scrooge - Family Discussion Guide

  Three weeks of guided family discussion and application of scripture to life, through the lense of Scrooge: A Christmas Carol.

• 
  Be A Scrooge - Family Activity Pack

  This fun Family Activity Guide will help you make the most of the podcast experience. Each of the four Scrooge episodes has an interactive object lesson to guide your family into meaningful discussions through fun activities.

Jittery.

Foot bouncing up and down.

Checking your phone for no reason other than just to check it.

An inability to focus on any one thing for more than a couple of minutes.

We’re not content people, and it shows.

Even though our culture is all about “living in the present” and “soaking in the moment,” in reality we’re anything but. The present isn’t always a place where we want to live, and neither did Scrooge. As this second ghost shows him around his present-day Christmas, Scrooge simply scoffs at everything going on around him: his nephew Frederick’s Christmas party, the destitute pedestrians waiting in line for soup, the simple merriment of Bob Cratchit’s home.

There’s a flaw to be found in everything he beholds—nothing is good enough.

Though it may be hard to admit, how often do we find ourselves sporting the same attitude?

Whether it’s feeling disappointed that we don’t have room in the budget to get that new gadget as a gift, or simply being annoyed that we have to attend yet another Christmas party, feelings of discontentment seep out this time of year. Our discontent is only second to how disengaged we tend to be when we’re actually in the moments that should make the season meaningful. It might be in the midst of a candlelight church service, watching our kids open presents, or sharing a meal with people we haven’t seen in a while that we find ourselves worrying about the next thing, thinking about what else needs to get done, or checking our notifications.

But if the Ghost of Christmas Present is telling Scrooge (and us) anything, it’s this: contentment isn’t found in looking ahead or behind, but through embracing what you have been given today.

Cherish the gift before it is gone.

________________________________________

It doesn’t matter if restlessness comes in the form of wanting more or simply not appreciating the present moment for what it is—God makes it possible for us to be content in all things. A man named Paul discovered that and shared it in a letter to others needing the same. 
“I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:12-13).

As the ghost challenged Scrooge, God challenges us: where can we be content this season? Sure, we may not have everything we want, or things might not look the way we planned, but how can we take the current circumstances we’re facing and find contentment—find His hand—in the way things are today? When we open our eyes to all that’s around us, it’s hard not to see God at work. Even though he chose to ignore it, Scrooge saw it too—the merriment at Frederick’s party, the camaraderie in the soup line, and above all, the simple happiness of Bob Cratchit’s family. 
Blessings are there for us, but only if we make the effort to be present and pay attention.

________________________________________

Day 3 Question: Where do you often find yourself restless or discontent? Why do you think that is? How can you practice the gift of presence and contentment this season?

For Reflection: 1 Timothy 6:6-10

________________________________________

Jump into the world of Scrooge: A Christmas Carol by listening to episode 1 of the companion podcast on The Bridge Podcast Network here! 

Do you have questions about Jesus? Please explore our CONNECT TO JESUS video and resources on The Bridge. 

Additional Scrooge Resources:

• 
  Scrooge: A Christmas Carol Podcast

  Be entertained and inspired by a fresh retelling of the Christmas classic. You know the story of A Christmas Carol, but you’ve never heard it like this. Get drawn into the powerful story of forgiveness and redemption in this all-new audio experience starring Hollywood pros like Sean Astin, John Rhys-Davies, and Juliet Mills.

• 
  Be a Scrooge - Sermon Series Guide

  This Christmas, discover the transformative power of Jesus through the unlikely story of Ebenezer Scrooge. In this three-week sermon series, we'll explore the biblical themes of redemption, forgiveness, and hope found in A Christmas

• 
  Be A Scrooge - Worship Playlist

  Worship ministry ideas to accompany Be a Scrooge: A Christmas Carol Sermon Series. Songs that invite your congregation into a journey of heart transformation, much like Scrooge’s, moving from a place of darkness and despair into the light of grace, renewal, and celebration.

• 
  Be A Scrooge - Children's Sunday School Guide

  Four complete Sunday School lessons to share scripture for life with young people through the lense of Scrooge: A Christmas Carol.

• 
  Be a Scrooge - Family Discussion Guide

  Three weeks of guided family discussion and application of scripture to life, through the lense of Scrooge: A Christmas Carol.

• 
  Be A Scrooge - Family Activity Pack

  This fun Family Activity Guide will help you make the most of the podcast experience. Each of the four Scrooge episodes has an interactive object lesson to guide your family into meaningful discussions through fun activities.

Maybe Christmas was just that—wonderful—when you were a kid, but as your life has unfolded, it’s probably become a lot less wonderful and a lot more stressful.

Why is that? Where has the magic of Christmas gone?

For so many of us, Christmas is the exact opposite of joy. Like we said yesterday, we’re busier than ever this time of year. As a result, our lives are lacking the key factors that make this season special: wonder, innocence, and peace.

Our good friend Scrooge probably knows those feelings of joylessness better than anyone, but what we learn from his run-in with the Ghost of Christmas Past is that his signature sour attitude wasn’t always his calling card. In fact, there was a time when Scrooge wasn’t so Scrooge-y, a time when he was simply Ebenezer, or Eben, as his sister Fan called him.

But Eben—like too many of us—didn’t hold onto that childlike innocence. Instead, he had a father whose irresponsible choices landed him in debtor’s prison, blaming the excesses of the holiday for his predicament. Perhaps predictably, Eben lost his sense of innocence and wonder. (Side note: if too much Christmas shopping is the reason for ending up in a prison of debt, you probably have some bigger issues to work through.)

Though our own crossroads might not be as black and white as Scrooge’s were—hate Christmas forever or risk disappointing your dad—we’re all confronted with choices in life: the choice to choose others, kindness, and wonder, or the opposite: to choose ourselves, selfishness, and bitterness. 
And that choice isn’t always an easy one to make—no matter how many cookies we bake, family members we get together with, or Hallmark specials we watch.

Christmas isn’t guaranteed to be joyful.

But maybe that’s the point. As we get older, joy becomes less circumstantial and more of a choice we have to make, despite the circumstances.

________________________________________

James, the half-brother of Jesus, says it best in the first chapter of his letter to the church: “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.” (James 1:2-3 NLT).

We’re called to consider even the most disappointing events as an opportunity to choose joy, a chance to develop our character and grow in our faith. What a relief to know that joy can be experienced even when our situation is not ideal!

Maybe there’s someone in your own life who forced you to come face-to-face with the reality of the world much too soon, like Scrooge’s father did for him. Maybe it wasn’t a person, but a circumstance you had no say over. Whatever happened, or will happen, in your life, we all have that same freedom Scrooge did: we can choose to preserve our wonder, or we can succumb to the disillusionment the world has to offer. Which will it be for you?

________________________________________

Day 2 Question: What circumstances are you facing today that aren’t “ideal?” How can you arrest your cynicism, and look instead to how your character, faith, and knowledge of God can grow you through this situation? Where might you find joy after all?

For Reflection: 1 Peter 1:3-9

________________________________________

Jump into the world of Scrooge: A Christmas Carol by listening to episode 1 of the companion podcast on The Bridge Podcast Network here! 

Do you have questions about Jesus? Please explore our CONNECT TO JESUS video and resources on The Bridge. 

Additional Scrooge Resources:

• 
  Scrooge: A Christmas Carol Podcast

  Be entertained and inspired by a fresh retelling of the Christmas classic. You know the story of A Christmas Carol, but you’ve never heard it like this. Get drawn into the powerful story of forgiveness and redemption in this all-new audio experience starring Hollywood pros like Sean Astin, John Rhys-Davies, and Juliet Mills.

• 
  Be a Scrooge - Sermon Series Guide

  This Christmas, discover the transformative power of Jesus through the unlikely story of Ebenezer Scrooge. In this three-week sermon series, we'll explore the biblical themes of redemption, forgiveness, and hope found in A Christmas

• 
  Be A Scrooge - Worship Playlist

  Worship ministry ideas to accompany Be a Scrooge: A Christmas Carol Sermon Series. Songs that invite your congregation into a journey of heart transformation, much like Scrooge’s, moving from a place of darkness and despair into the light of grace, renewal, and celebration.

• 
  Be A Scrooge - Children's Sunday School Guide

  Four complete Sunday School lessons to share scripture for life with young people through the lense of Scrooge: A Christmas Carol.

• 
  Be a Scrooge - Family Discussion Guide

  Three weeks of guided family discussion and application of scripture to life, through the lense of Scrooge: A Christmas Carol.

• 
  Be A Scrooge - Family Activity Pack

  This fun Family Activity Guide will help you make the most of the podcast experience. Each of the four Scrooge episodes has an interactive object lesson to guide your family into meaningful discussions through fun activities.

Let’s jump into the familiar story, full of friendly (and not so friendly!) ghosts, kind-hearted Bob Cratchit, and good old Tiny Tim to find out if there’s anything new we can glean about our present-day selves from this beloved Christmas story.

________________________________________

Anyone who has ever read Charles Dickens’ classic tale or seen it on the big screen (Mickey Mouse Christmas Carol, anyone?!), knows that Scrooge is the definition of greed. So much so that his very name is a synonym for the word.

But while Scrooge is obviously greedy with the one thing he loves most in the world—money—he’s also greedy with another commodity that might hit closer to home today: time.

You might be thinking, I’m not greedy with my time! Have you seen my Google calendar, especially in December? It’s full of things I’m doing for other people!

Exactly. It’s full.

We don’t have time to spare anymore.

Sure, we might think we’re doing a bunch of things for other people—holiday parties, Christmas programs, end-of-year fundraisers—but how often are we neglecting the people God has placed right in front of us in favor of the bright and shiny get-togethers of the holiday season?

Forgetting to call our grandparents to check in because our days are just too full. Being physically, but not emotionally, present with our spouse. Overlooking the many impoverished children and families in our own communities and around the world.

Like Scrooge, we greedily guard against anything (or anyone!) that would interrupt our plans or throw off our productivity. Old Ebenezer would applaud this miserable hoarding of each hour, but we’re called to be generous in all things, especially our time.

________________________________________

In a letter to some friends wanting to know how to live well, the apostle Paul writes: “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others…Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.” (Philippians 2:3-4 NLT). When we choose to be greedy with our time, we’re choosing to put ourselves above everyone else around us. The day becomes about what I want, about what I value, about what I can accomplish.

Jesus himself echoes Paul’s sentiment when he tells us to guard against every kind of greed since life is not measured by how much you own (Luke 12:15).

Greed isn’t simply limited to Scrooge counting coins in the dank offices of his firm—it’s you and me running around thinking we’re the main character in our own version of A Christmas Carol. News flash: that role wasn’t super enjoyable for Scrooge, and it won’t be for us either unless we choose to release the vise-grip we have on our time.

God invites us to a life of so much more, to be so much more than the main event. Let’s examine our own greedy tendencies this Christmas season, and choose instead to put the needs of others above our own.

________________________________________

Day 1 Question: In what areas do you struggle to be generous? A lot of us hoard our time like Scrooge hoarded his money. How can you be more generous with your time this Christmas season? What can you remove from your agenda so you’re able to truly embody that spirit of generosity?

For Reflection: Matthew 25:40-45

________________________________________

Jump into the world of Scrooge: A Christmas Carol by listening to episode 1 of the companion podcast on The Bridge Podcast Network here!

Do you have questions about Jesus? Please explore our CONNECT TO JESUS video and resources on The Bridge. 

Additional Scrooge Resources:

• 
  Scrooge: A Christmas Carol Podcast

  Be entertained and inspired by a fresh retelling of the Christmas classic. You know the story of A Christmas Carol, but you’ve never heard it like this. Get drawn into the powerful story of forgiveness and redemption in this all-new audio experience starring Hollywood pros like Sean Astin, John Rhys-Davies, and Juliet Mills.

• 
  Be a Scrooge - Sermon Series Guide

  This Christmas, discover the transformative power of Jesus through the unlikely story of Ebenezer Scrooge. In this three-week sermon series, we'll explore the biblical themes of redemption, forgiveness, and hope found in A Christmas

• 
  Be A Scrooge - Worship Playlist

  Worship ministry ideas to accompany Be a Scrooge: A Christmas Carol Sermon Series. Songs that invite your congregation into a journey of heart transformation, much like Scrooge’s, moving from a place of darkness and despair into the light of grace, renewal, and celebration.

• 
  Be A Scrooge - Children's Sunday School Guide

  Four complete Sunday School lessons to share scripture for life with young people through the lense of Scrooge: A Christmas Carol.

• 
  Be a Scrooge - Family Discussion Guide

  Three weeks of guided family discussion and application of scripture to life, through the lense of Scrooge: A Christmas Carol.

• 
  Be A Scrooge - Family Activity Pack

  This fun Family Activity Guide will help you make the most of the podcast experience. Each of the four Scrooge episodes has an interactive object lesson to guide your family into meaningful discussions through fun activities.