There is no controversy about Halloween
Today, I want to talk to us about a very controversial subject.
2015. More than 157 million Americans planned to celebrate Halloween, with eight in 10 millennials saying they were planning something fun with their friends. Total spending in 2015 was expected to top $6.9 billion, with the average American celebrating planning to spend $74 on decorations, candy, costumes and more. National retail federation
2016 More than 171 million Americans plan to celebrate Halloween this year, spending an average $82.93, up from last year's $74.34. Total spending is expected to reach $8.4 billion, an all-time high in the history of NRF's annual survey conducted by Prosper Insights.
Halloween Headquarters | National Retail Federation
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2017: Halloween spending to reach record $9.1 billion. With more than 179 million Americans planning to partake in Halloween festivities, up from 171 million last year, spending is slated to reach a record high in survey history. This year, consumers are expected to spend $9.1 billion, up from $8.4 billion in 2016.
Trumped by Halloween, Easter is known as the second best-selling candy holiday in the nation. Americans spend an average of $2 billion on Halloween candy, $1.9 billion on Easter candy, $1.4 billion on Christmas candy and $1 billion on Valentine's Day candy.
There is no controversy about Halloween, it is for real!
-You may say I am not going to acknowledge or participate in Halloween therefore it will go away, wrong.
-You don't have to acknowledge satan but he still exists and you will eventually have to figure out how to fight him.
The controversy is not about Halloween, it is about wether or not you are going to be light on a dark day!
It is about being "The Light of the world".
-Do you know why Halloween is so dark? Because christians are not doing our job.
Matthew 5:14 ¶ "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 "Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
-Scripture never says not to be light to the world.
-Scripture does say you are to be light everyday, including Halloween.
The reason there is so much darkness on Halloween is because christians choose not to be light on one of the darkens days of the year.
More and more christians shun Halloween because it is evil and dark but have we forgotten that light is seen better in the darkness.
Luke 11:33 No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light.
The closer it gets to Halloween the more we scurry around gathering supplies to lock ourselves behind our sanctified doors so that no evil can get us!
1 John 4:4 ¶ You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
-We have no problem shinning at Christmas and Easter because they are "good holidays" full of God, full of Light.
Matthew 9:11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, "Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"
12 ¶ When Jesus heard that, He said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.
-I am not in anyway suggesting that every child or parent that comes to your door has a demon or is being led by satan.
I am not in any way advocating or promoting Halloween, I am however wanting us to let our light shine in to a dark world!
-We can view Halloween as something to run from or view it as a great opportunity to be a beacon, a bright shining light into one of the darkest days of the year.
-God is and was the God of October 31st long before it became dark! If we say we are christians, do you think we should be taking some of this stolen territory back for christ?
-If we are going to put our light under a lampshade on Halloween then we must put it under a lampshade when it comes to abortion, (which I spoke about last week), homosexuality, fornication, infidelity, drunkenness, lying, stealing, envy, jealousy etc. because this is darkness as well.
-The reason I am speaking this message today is to give you time to be creative before Halloween on how we can be light into a dark world without being part of the darkness!
-Jonah-
Matthew 5:14 ¶ "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 "Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.