Hope of Redemption: Lessons from Ebenezer Scrooge

In the first sentences of A Christmas Carol we learn that, Marley was dead (Dickens further elaborates that he was as dead as a doornail...) Mr. Dickens then goes on to explain that this is important or nothing that follows will seem woundrous.
The description of Scrooge that we get from Mr. Dickens is that he was a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, couvetous, old sinner... oh my...
We've seen many depictions through the years of this story, but one of my favorites is The Muppets Christmas Carol... (Yes, I know, it's the muppets and there is singing and dancing... often at the same time *gasp*) The reason I like this version so much (is addition to Kermit being in it) is that the words of the songs ring true to this very day (but I'm getting ahead of myself and there will be more on this later in the month).
Michael Caine's depiction of Scrooge, despite being surrounded by muppets, is brilliant. His Scrooge is a hard and shrewd businessman who seems to have no heart at all.
We are witness to one scene with his nephew where he states: ...every idiot who goes about with Christmas on his lips, should be boiled with his own pudding and buried with a stake of holly through his heart.

Ouch!

So, all in all, not a very nice guy... but that very evening, his old business partner, Marley, comes for a visit... now you remember that he was dead right? I believe the phrase was "dead as a doornail"... for seven years, to be exact.
So, Marley visits and during the interaction, Scrooge notices the heavy chains that his friend is carrying. Marley explains that he forged these chains while he was yet living and that Scrooge is following that very path.
Scrooge begs his friend to speak comfort, but he has none to give... before he leaves, he tells Scrooge that he's here to warn him. He tells him that he has a chance and hope of escaping the same fate... redemption.
He then tells Scrooge that there will be three more ghosts haunting him, starting at one in the morning...
Scrooges then asks if this is the hope Marley mentioned, when Marley says that it is, Scrooge balks. Marley tells him that without these visits there is no hope of redemption for Scrooge... Marley leaves.
Scrooge then encounters each of the ghosts in turn, the ghost of Christmas past, present and Christmas yet to come.
During each interaction, we see more of the heart of Scrooge emerging... and by the third ghost, he knows that he must change in order to escape the chains that await him.
I will honour Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all year round. I will live in the past, present and future. [...] I will not shut out the lessons that they (the ghosts) teach!

At the beginning of the story, Marley warns Scrooge of the chains that await him... as sinners, we have chains binding us to the sin in our lives and we are dragging it around with us... I speak metaphorically, but we are, in fact, slaves to sin.
Like Scrooge, we are trapped by the chains, luckily there is hope... Scrooge, in seeing the error of his way, repents of his evil and changes his ways. He is saved from the horrible fate of his friend Marley.
When Christ died on the cross, he took all of our sins on Himself that we might be saved. He was born to save the world! When we accept that gift of salvation, we are redeemed... we are freed from the chains that once bound us to sin.
Our sins are paid... our debt is cleared. By accepting this free gift of salvation, we let go of our old lives and change our ways... this salvation doesn't give us free reign to do what we want, instead once we are saved, we are called to serve God.
This Christmas season, as we celebrate the hope of Christ's birth... the salvation of our souls, celebrate the hope you have in your redemption... John 3:16 reminds us that God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son (what a great Christmas gift!) that no one should perish but have everlasting life.
The greatest gift you can give this year is the hope of redemption! Don't forget that we are called to be a light in a dark world this holiday season (and beyond)!
Have a blessed Monday!