by Jeffrey W. Hamilton<\/p>\n\t
I. What is your reputation like?<\/p>\n
A. As Christians, you are a city set on a hill, whose light cannot be hid – Mt. 5:14-16<\/p>\n 1. We are to let our lights shine as our reputation reflects the Father and brings\nhim glory.\n
B. Phil. 2:15-16 – We hold out the light of the gospel to a lost and dieing world<\/p>\n
C. Eph. 2:8 – We must walk as children of light.<\/p>\n
D. This means we need to be careful in the things that we do and what we participate in. <\/p>\n
1. Others will look at it and think that this must be what God approves of<\/p>\n 2. You actions affects the reputation of every other Christian and God’s\nreputation.\n
II. I bring this up to discuss a holiday at the end of this month called Halloween<\/p>\n A. I have been asked a few what I think about this holiday and whether we should let our\nchildren participate in it.\n B. I’m not the final source on these matters and I don’t expect today’s discussion to settle\nthe problem in everyone’s mind. But I would like to present information that you\nshould consider while making a decision.\n
III. The origin of Halloween<\/p>\n
A. Halloween orginated as a Druid’s autumn festival. <\/p>\n
1. This holiday was celbrated to honor Samhain, lord of the dead on Oct. 31<\/p>\n 2. The Celtics believed that Samhain called all the wicked souls which had been\ncondemned within the last year to live in bodies on Oct. 31. They were\nreleased in forms of spirits, ghosts, faries, witches and elves.\n 3. Huge bonfires were lit to guide the way of these spirits and various sacrifices\nwere performed to assure a good year.\n B. The Catholic church, to counter these pagan festivals, created a holiday known as “All\nSaints Day” or “All Hallowed Day”. It was to be a day to venerate the good who had\npreviously died. They placed their holiday on November 1. Soon Oct. 31 was known\nas “All Halllowed Day Eve” and was eventually shortened to “Halloween”\n C. Many practices from the old Druid festival remains with us. Oct. 31 is still believed,\nby those who practice witchcraft, to be a special day when evil powers are greatest.\n D. Even children today keep the memories of this feast alive. As children go from house\nto house, they yell “Trick or Treat”. \n 1. It was a custom that if children did not receive a treat, they would preform\nunwelcomed tricks.\n
2. They were play-acting the part of evil spirits that had to be appeased.<\/p>\n
IV. Is there any harm in celebrating Halloween?<\/p>\n
A. Few children know the history of the holiday or what their actions represent.<\/p>\n B. Yet on the other hand, much of the association with the holiday are things that society\nholds as being “evil”\n
1. Darkness, Witches, evil spirits, and death<\/p>\n
2. The question is should Christians connect themselves to this practice?<\/p>\n
C. I Cor. 14:14-18 – Righteousness is not to be associated with evil<\/p>\n
D. Older children have often reverted back to playing tricks on this day.<\/p>\n 1. Houses egged, lawns rolled with toilet paper, and sometimes even more\nserious and damaging pranks\n 2. These are definitely things that our children should not be involved in or\nassociated with.\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I. What is your reputation like? A. As Christians, you are a city set on a hill, whose light cannot be hid – Mt. 5:14-16 1. We are to let our lights shine as our reputation reflects the Father and brings him glory. B. Phil. 2:15-16 – We hold out the light of the gospel…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[342],"class_list":["post-62646","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermon","tag-holidays"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":37837,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/do-you-know-what-is-following-you\/","url_meta":{"origin":62646,"position":0},"title":"Do You Know What Is Following You?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 17, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: I Timothy 5:24-25 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0I guess my wife and I are reaching another milestone in life. People we\u2019ve known, who are our age, are beginning to pass away. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It might sound sad, but it really isn\u2019t. I was thinking about the passing of someone recently.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":54812,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/your-sermon-shed-light-on-an-issue-we-were-facing\/","url_meta":{"origin":62646,"position":1},"title":"Your sermon shed light on an issue we were facing","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 6, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Good day brother Jeffrey, Thank you for helping me clarify some issues which I faced. I read the sermon,\u00a0Who Is Responsible? It shed some light for us here, together with an explanation of the Individual-Group distinction. I thank our God Almighty for your website. It helps so many people\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":62628,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/a-good-name\/","url_meta":{"origin":62646,"position":2},"title":"A Good Name","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 29, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Mark 14:3-9 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0During Memorial Day, this country sets aside time to remember those who have died before us. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0How do people remember those who have left this life? (Actual tombstones) \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a01.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Beneath this stone, a lump of clay, Lies stingy Jimmy Wyatt. Who died one morning\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":36002,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/i-want-to-go-to-a-good-university-but-my-reputation-as-a-student-is-poor\/","url_meta":{"origin":62646,"position":3},"title":"I want to go to a good university, but my reputation as a student is poor","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 27, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello, I want to\u00a0get into a good university but my reputation in college is terrible. I am sure the teachers will predict low grades for me and\u00a0all of them do not think of me as a good student. Now I am trying to behave as a Christian should do,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":21946,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/let-it-shine-let-it-shine-let-it-shine\/","url_meta":{"origin":62646,"position":4},"title":"Let it Shine, Let it Shine, Let it Shine . . .","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 29, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"by Edward O. Bragwell Our title is a line from a very familiar song to little folks who participate in Bible classes. Seeing them marching around, holding the imaginary light high with one hand, is a joy. The idea ultimately goes back to Jesus' Sermon on the Mount: \"Ye are\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/candle-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":44668,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/praise-the-lord\/","url_meta":{"origin":62646,"position":5},"title":"Praise the Lord!","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 15, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalms 113 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0What, exactly, is meant when someone says, \u201cPraise the Lord!\u201d? \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Do you go around saying \u201cPraise the Lord!\u201d once in a while? \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0When something nice happens to a friend, do you respond with \u201cPraise the Lord!\u201d? \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0C.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Often words and phrases are used\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62646","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=62646"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62646\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=62646"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=62646"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=62646"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}