Yesterday was our final “At the Movies” message, and I hope everyone walks away this week with a deeper understanding of the Bible! During this last message, we explored how the concepts in Miracle on 34th Street relate to what the Bible says about faith. We see a young girl, Susan, putting up with Christmas rather than believing in and enjoying it, something she gets from her mother. While she meets the real Santa, her lack of belief in Santa at all prevents her from recognizing him for his true self. She’s kind and responsive to him, but with the preconceived idea that he’s only taking on a fictional role as a seasonal employee at the department store her mother works for.
I mentioned on Sunday that there are three important elements to faith. The first is that faith brings salvation (Ephesians 2: 8-9). It is faith in Christ (and acceptance of Him) that leads to salvation. Without faith—without believing in something—salvation wouldn’t be the freely given gift that it is. While I’m not trying to make the point that Santa is real, I amtrying to make the point that when we have a gift right in front of us, we don’t always recognize what it is. We simply miss out on the joy that comes with it. If Susan had believed in Santa sooner, she would have had greater joy in knowing him and being able to experience Christmas.
The next element is that faith brings answers to prayer (Matthew 21:22). Since we’re to pray for our daily bread (Matthew 6:11), faith is the key to our material provision. In the movie, Susan expresses the desire to “complete her family” by having a father, siblings, and pets. If only we had that childlike faith Susan eventually gets when she makes wishes (which end up coming true for her). She gets a home and a family toward the end of the film, and it’s her faith that leads her to make these wishes.
Lastly, faith brings all the benefits of salvation into our lives. This includes healing, prosperity, the Fruits of the Spirit, deliverance…People sometimes feel like there is something missing from their lives. This is understandable considering that without faith, there is nothing to live for. Have faith this season, and trust that God has your best interests at heart, even if the road seems rough right now. Walk in faith.