What's Really Scary

        Three Christian martyrs are in heaven, looking down at earth on Halloween.  Let’s listen in to their conversation.

Jim Elliot:  “Gentlemen, welcome to the M&M.”

Saturas:  “Awesome, where is the candy?”

Pastor Kim:  “I don’t think it’s that kind of meeting.”

Jim:  “Quite correct.  M&M stands for meeting of the martyrs.  I don’t think we have been formally introduced.  I’m Jim Elliot. I was speared by headhunters in Ecuador in 1956 for sharing the Gospel.”

Kim:  “I am Pastor Kim. 26 members of my church and me were run over by a steamroller in Communist North Korea in 1950.”

Saturas:  “I am Saturas.  2 others and I were thrown into an arena 200 years after Christ and were torn apart by wild animals for telling others about Jesus.  Does that make me a martyr? ”

Jim:  “Oh yes.  The word 'Martyr' means 'witness.'  In Acts 1:8, the apostles were called to be witnesses, or Martyrs to what they had seen.  And Martyrs often die for their faith. ”

Kim:  “Let me lighten the mood a bit. That is a great view of earth.”

Saturas:  “What are those kids doing?”

Kim:  “They seem to be going door to door begging for food.  I feel sorry for them.”

Saturas:  ”Well, a skeleton seems to be fighting with a princess over a pumpkin holding something.”

Jim:  “Those are children wearing costumes.”

Kim:   “Oh no! The children are not only poor but they are thieves. The 21^st century is worse than ever.”

Jim (laughing":  ”No, No.  They are having an evening of fun.”

Saturas:  “It looks like they are having a great time.  And they should celebrate, but aren’t they a day early.”

Kim:  “I thought the good people of earth celebrated us on November 1^st.”

Jim:  “November 1^st is the correct day, although they call it 'All Saints Day', which isn’t really accurate.”

Saturas:  “I thought all Christians are saints.”

Jim:   “You are quite right. But church history has come up with the name so we are stuck with it.”

Kim:  “Someone should tell the kids down there.”

Jim:  “Sadly, they are not celebrating 'All Saints Day.'  They call this celebration  'Halloween.'”

Saturas:  “So they are using the old word for saint or reverent, 'Hallowed', like in the Lord’s prayer.”

Kim:  “They celebrate the day before, so it is 'All Hallow’s Eve.'”

Jim:   “You gentlemen are quite right. I’m afraid they have done the same with Christmas.  The entire month is dedicated to shopping, Santa Claus and mistletoe.  Our Master in the manger barely makes an appearance.”

Kim:  “Easter is the same way.  The empty cross and tomb are replaced by bunnies and eggs.”

Saturas:  “Bunny’s don’t lay eggs. I thought these folks had discovered biology.”

Jim:  “And these celebrations are usually done the day before or instead of church.”

Kim:  “But they have parades on the 4^th of July, not the day before.”

Saturas:  “They have Veterans Day memorials on the day, not the day before.”

Kim:  “Why do they remember the less important holidays on the day, and forget the vital holidays?”

Saturas:  “I think people have always done that.  Plus, it’s not so much the day itself, but in remembering what we as martyrs suffered and died for.”

Jim:  “Actually, it’s who we suffered and died for.  We are honored in Revelation 6 under the 5^th seal.  We suffered and died for sharing Jesus Christ when it wasn’t popular or even legal.  And we paid the same price Christ did.  Only He paid it for all our sins.”

Kim:  “Those kids do look like they are having fun.”

Saturas:  “I just wish they had the candy when we were alive.”

Jim:  “Okay, we can change the name of the meeting.  M&M candies are better anyway!