We find ourselves in that time between the Holy Day seasons Fall and Spring. Have you ever noticed that most of man’s substitutions for God’s Holy Days land between the time God set apart? Have you also notice that God’s Holy Days deal with Growth and therefore require light but man’s substitution days are at the darkest time of the year. It is a striking difference, isn’t it. Growing up in the church there was a big emphasis on the growth in the church and it seemed that it was a matter of time when everyone you knew would find out about the truth of a world deceived by Satan. Satan has convinced people that Christ is not returning to earth but the few chosen by God who are good enough would go live with God in Heaven. When I was a kid in the church you rarely heard about other churches in the world discussing the end of the age or any plan of God outside of accepting Christ and looking forward to going to Heaven. Nowadays, it is quite common to see different shards of God’s truth here or there and even in pop culture. It’s like Mr. Dick said in a feast sermon a few years ago that the Church of God used to be the only place you heard the truth about the plan of God but that is no longer the case. And while the truth that is out there is fragmented half-truths or missing vital elements to fully make sense, we still need to be weary of Satan’s attempts at deception. If we are not careful we can allow ourselves to be fooled by him and he would like nothing better than to deceive one of the very elect. The title of the Sermon today is a question: Are You Good Enough Now this might seem like an odd question but knowing the answer is vital for our salvation. Believe it or not, Satan wants you to ask this question of yourself and he is there to help you answer it. Remember what we are told in Rev 12:9 Revelation 12:9 9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Now, it is easy to think of someone else being deceived but not us. We think that we cannot be fooled but we can be if we lower our guard. Especially at this time of year when Satan’s world is on parade, literally. Satan lets his light shine every Christmas. Now some might think that is a little harsh. But it is dead on accurate. This is the time of year where everyone tries to be better. Everyone tries to be nicer, everyone tries to get along. That doesn’t sound very evil. Peace on Earth, Goodwill toward Men This is the season for trying to make the world a better place. What’s wrong with that? Now you could also look at the fact that this is also the time of suicides, loneliness and depression but we can’t blame that on Christmas can we? You can study this time of year and see lots of good and lots of bad. Why is that? Each year we keep the feast of Tabernacles. It is a time of real joy where family is all around and peace is more than a slogan. It’s not a time of depression, loneliness or unhappiness. But Christmas is. Have you thought about that? I knew so many people in the Church of God who let themselves be deceived and left and now embraced Christmas with both hands. Now I don’t want to spend much time going over the many, many examples of the origins and customs of Christmas. I can make the point without doing that. Christmas is a Lie for the whole purpose of deception Now some people are quite happily deceived and don’t want to hear about origins of customs and the purpose of the day. And the lie is much bigger than most people realize. Have you ever started telling people the truth about Christmas only to have them tell you they not care? They say, I know all that but I just focus on family, friends, and the good things. If Christmas is a lie, then what’s the reason for the lie? With all the lies that make up Christmas, what is the big lie? Lies about Christmas 1. Christ was born on or near December 25th. 2. Christmas customs originated the worship of Christ. 3. Christmas celebration is in the bible 4. Santa Clause. No word scramble with Santa(Satan). Santa has god’s abilities…. You would have to be omnipresent to get all over the world in one night or at least freeze time. 5. You simply need to be good enough for Christmas (You better watch out, You better not cry, you better not pout I’m telling you why, cause Santa Clause is coming to town. He knows when you are sleeping, he knows when Your awake, He knows when you’ve been bad or good so be good, for goodness sake. Now while these lies about Christmas are big, they are not the big lie. The big lie is much more devious The big lie is that you can replace God’s righteousness with man’s good. Christmas is filled with good things. Good things that make people feel good. Pretty lights and music and lots of decorations everywhere. Friendly people wishing you well and often times giving gifts. Christmas is the biggest holiday this world has and it is filled with good, or at least tries to balance the evil that is also in this world. But is Christmas good enough to replace what God ordained? God gave us the way He wants to be worshipped. He told His people not to look after what the other people do to worship their gods. Deuteronomy 12:29-32 29 " When the LORD your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land, 30 "take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, 'How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.' 31 "You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way; for every abomination to the LORD which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods. 32 "Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it. This is the way that Christianity spread around the world. Constantine had a vision of a Cross and told his legions that in this sign he would conquer. Just like the Children of Israel who conquered Canaan and wrongfully adopted their customs of worship. The Catholic church wrongfully adopted the pagan customs of the people conquered by Christianity. He said He hates that form of worship. Yet man has decided in his heart to replace what God gave through His righteousness and replace it with goodness. The reason is simple. Man took the easy way out. He figured it was good to compromise and let people and customs live and remain as it kept the peace. Good therefore is easier than righteousness. Man has figured it was good enough. Man looked over the fence to what his neighbor was doing and began to covet. If it is good enough for his neighbor then it is good enough for me. So you might ask yourself: When did good become good enough anyway? Good became good enough about 6000 years ago in a little place called Eden when a man and a woman deceived into believing that good was good enough. Two Trees in the Garden Genesis 2:9 9 And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. You ever wonder why the two trees weren’t the tree of life and the tree of death? In a way they were since those titles fit the outcome of eating them. God created this tree that gave you knowledge of good and evil and told them to leave it alone. Why? The reason is that He wanted them to have righteousness character before they would have to deal with the difference between good and evil. But Satan offered them something that God said no to. What do you think that did to their human nature? You can have good, he tells them, You can have it all now, so why wait. So Eve tells the Serpent that if they eat of that tree they will die. So we read the first lie recorded in the bible. Genesis 3:4-6 4 Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. 5 "For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Here Satan introduces the idea that good is good enough. You don’t have to do what God wants as long as your good, then your good enough. I was talking to some guys at work about how proud I was at my girls during this season that we don’t celebrate that when they have required concerts that had Christmas music in it they simply walked off stage when the choir sang holiday music and back on again afterward. That takes a lot of guts. One of the guys said, wow, I don’t know that I have ever felt that strong about anything to put myself out there like that. When I was their age it was easier to just get my mom to write a note excusing me from the performance. But they are making a statement and not shying away from letting their light shine. I would like to go back to that question I asked in the title, Are you good enough? Satan would love to help you answer that because whether you answer Yes, or No, you lose. Let’s say you answer yes. After all, a lot of people left the church over our lifetimes and we stayed loyal. That’s gotta count for something right? Revelation mentions 144,000 and if you do the math, your odds have drastically improved over the last few decades. You see, if you start thinking that you have made it you are allowing Satan to deceive you. You have him saying to your conscience when you realize a mistake or fault, he says “its OK, your only human” besides, your good enough already. On the other hand, what if you answer no? You have Satan telling you you’re never going to make it. You can never be good enough so why even try. To be a saint you have to be extraordinary but you are only simple and weak. Santa was somewhat modeled after a man called Saint Nicholas. Legend has it that he performed many miracles including raising people from the dead, giving money to the poor, and especially giving gifts to children. You see, Satan would have you believe that you have to get to that level to be a saint but what does the bible say? Turn to Acts 26:10. Here Paul is talking about some of the horrible things he did to Christians before his conversion. Acts 26:10 10 "This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. We see here that Paul is referring to the Church of God in Jerusalem. He is not talking about spirits but people who he calls saints that were thrown into prison and even killed for their faith. So who are the saints, they are those that are called by God and follow His Son Jesus Christ. They are set apart for a purpose of helping His Son bring about the Kingdom of God. What can be more important than that? But do you really have to do everything that God says? Satan would have us believe that we don’t have to do everything we have been taught. As long as you love God, he would say, you can keep whatever holidays you like and worship God anyway you like. Satan might point to some other church or someone is very devout and try to deceive you into giving up what you have been given for something that he would say is good enough. Turn to 2Cor11. What does Paul warn us about in regard to this. 2 Corinthians 11:3-4 3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted -- you may well put up with it! Let’s look at another passage this time Paul talking to the church in Rome. Romans 16:17-19 17 Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. 18 For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple. 19 For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil. Evil can be simple and good. Because if good causes you to miss the mark, then it is better than making someone evil. Satan does not have to make the world evil to win. He only needs God’s plan to fail. Even a small fail is a complete victory for him. There are people that are wonderful examples at how to live their lives in the service of others and when you compare yourself to them you might not feel you measure up. There are stronger people than us in this world but God did not call the strong but the weak. God has not revealed His plan to them and their eyes and ears are closed to the calling that we have. John tells us in 1 John 2:20 that we have something very special and we have to hold onto it and 1 John 2:20-21 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth. Down a few verses John gets to the heart of the matter on what we should be focusing on and not to let ourselves become deceived. 1 John 2:26-29 26 These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. 27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him. 28 And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. 29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him. We are to set our sights so much higher than good enough. We are to set our sights on God’s righteousness and strive to obtain that. We are not here to decide for ourselves a good life full of good things. We are here to build righteous character and overcome this world. That means fighting human nature and the whiles of the Devil until Christ returns and teaches the whole world about righteousness. We never want to be good enough in this life. Good enough means giving up on growth, good enough means settling for Satan’s world. Good enough, is simply, not good enough for me.