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There was once a man name Victor. He was a smart guy and gifted in science. He had a noble dream to improve the world by building a better man. He set out to bring life but all he managed to do was create a monster. This is the tale of Dr. Victor Frankenstein.
Frankenstein, an 1813 Novel by Mary Shelley still stands today as one of the truly scary horror stories. …But we often only remember the Boris Karloff 1931 film. A flick, that while ground breaking for it’s day, really missed the point of Mary Shelley’s tale.
When we say the name Frankenstein, you probably think of the monster… But Frankenstein is the Doctor Victor Frankenstein. The monster is his creation that went very wrong.
Sometimes we set out to do things, to make things, to live a certain life… and it goes terribly wrong. Often we feel that our creation becomes a monster with it’s own set of demands.
The life we truly want can be found, but we have to find the true source of life. A power source so strong, it can remove the monster.
Creature Feature 2 – Frankenstein
Sermon notes by Chris Fluitt
**Bumper Video –
Creature Feature Title
Welcome back to week 2 of the Creature Feature series. Last week we talked about the Blob… the intergalactic gelatinous goo that tried to eat the world. If you missed it please go check it out on redemption-church.com/sermons..
You are at Redemption Church. I am Chris Fluitt, I am the lead Pastor here and I welcome you..
Last week we asked Do you believe in monsters? We had a lot of you write in and I was surprised to see Freddy Krueger be the horror character we would least like to run into… we might have to do a Nightmare on Elm Street sermon series one October…
Today we are going to talk about Frankenstein
What do you think of when you hear the name Frankenstein?
Large Lumbering Monster
Bolts in its neck
Made from a bunch of dead body parts
Not very smart
The majority of people, when they hear the name Frankenstein, think of the 1931 Boris Karloff Movie. It is a horror movie classic. Not many know that it is based on the 1813 novel by Mary Shelley…
In 1813 Mary had a competition with her friends, Percy Shelley (who would become her husband), Lord Byron, and John Polidori to write the scariest horror story. When they read Frankenstein they all agreed, Mary Shelley won the competition.
Mary Shelley’s 1813 Novel is very different from the 1931 Boris Karloff movie.. and public perception.
Let’s start here… Frankenstein is not the name of the monster… Frankenstein is the doctor… The novel centers on the doctor. The monster is correctly referred to as Frankenstein’s Monster
And it was not madness that led Victor Frankenstein to create the monster. Instead he was driven to madness by his own creation
Mary Shelley’s Monster was designed to be beautiful and was alert, fast, strong, and eloquent in his speech. Upon animating, his beauty became a sick mockery of what the Doctor had intended, and the Monster was described as ‘hideous’. This is far different from Boris Karloff..
There is no hunchback assistant… The story centers on Dr Frankenstein and the struggle of dealing with what he had brought to life…
Dead Things
And it is weird to say “Brought to life” when it comes to Frankenstein’s Monster, because although it is animated… it moves, talks, breaths… it is made of dead things.
To make the monster the doctor went to grave yards and dug up dead bodies and used them as spare parts to create the creature. If you had recently died, the doctor was going to open your casket and see what he could take from your corpse and use on his monster.
With science and a lightning bolt spark he was able to bring life to what was dead… or so Victor thought…
Although he had brought life to the dead amalgamation of parts… the more Dr Frankenstein was around his creation, the more he was sickened by what he had created. He ends up abandoning his creation, realizing it was a mistake…
Dead things + Dead things = Dead things
The scene in the Boris Karloff movie where the Lightning strikes and the mad scientist declares “It’s alive”… It simply isn’t true. Just because something moves, doesn’t mean it is alive.
The Doctor set out to make a better man… But dead things plus dead things does not equal a more noble creation. Dead things don’t build a better man. Dead things only bring more death!
It’s Not Alive! It’s dead!
Are we adding dead things to our life? Have created a monster?
Romans 7:5 For when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death.(NIV)
When he was in the flesh… when he was getting life from something other than God… it bore fruit for death. The language here suggests that he gave birth to death… he brought for a creation… that is death.
When we are looking for life… a lightning bolt spark… from something other than God.. it will give birth to a monster.
The addict that keeps adding dead things to dead things… That is no way to build a better creation. Instead we see a monster emerge. And sooner or later that monster starts to call the shots. What started as an attempt to have a better life ends up destroying that life. Dead things plus Dead things!
In attempt to find a better life outside of God we create a monster… a collection of dead parts. A destructive devouring force that can’t be satisfied.
Frankenstein is a reminder that life doesn’t always turn out like we plan. The life we try to create can become a burden..
The monster was created but didn’t turn to the creator and say “thank you for creating me.” The creature looks to the creator and demands more. The monster asks for a bride and when Victor Frankenstein refuses, the monster retaliates by killing the Doctor’s wife.
Dead things + Dead things = Dead things
Want to know why marriages are dying to divorce? We are adding dead things?
Want to know why our children are dying to rebellion & hatred?
Want to know why you feel dead inside? You are looking for life in grave yards…
You are seeking the best this life has to offer… but the best this world has to offer ends in a graveyard.
Dr Frankenstein searched the tombs for the best parts to build his creation. The strongest arms, the smartest mind, the sturdiest muscles… But even though he found the best of the best… it was still dead.
The best this world has to offer is a little spark of life before you are buried.
We have created a monster…
Romans 7:24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?(NIV)
Who will rescue me…? Who will recue me for the monster?
If you are seeking a spark of life, let me tell you where it comes from!
Life comes from God
In Genesis 2 it says God breathed into man the breath of life.
1 John 5:11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.(NIV)
1 John 5:12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.(NIV)
John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.(NIV)
John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.(NIV)
John 1:4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men.(NIV)
God is the only one who can rescue you from the monster! Life is only found in His son Jesus Christ!
But I know that… I know that life is found in God… Oh do we? Then why are we looking for life in other places?
Do you know what we do with dead bodies? We bury the dead
In Acts 2 there was a crowd of people who had chosen death instead of life. These people after hearing about the source of true life, Jesus Christ, ask “WHAT CAN WE DO!?”
I AM HAPPY TO TELL YOU THAT THERE IS A GOOD ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION!
Acts 2:38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.(NIV)
The 1st thing you do is Repent. You have to turn away from the graveyard. You have to turn away from the monster.
Turn away from the thing that is trying to kill you. Turn away from the thing that will never be satisfied. You shouldn’t need to be talked into this situation..! It’s turning away from Death.
Hebrews 6:1 tells us about repenting from DEAD WORKS.
The dead things you were looking to get life from, turn away from them… AND TURN TO JESUS
Believe that He is the life you have always wanted. Believe that He has the power to raise you back to life. Believe that He loves you. Believe that He can defeat the monster.
Acts 2:38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.(NIV)
1st you repent. You reject the Monster and Turn to Jesus.
2nd you get baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of your sins.
It’s not enough to turn away from sin… you need to do something with the dead body. We bury the dead
Baptism is a burial.
Romans 6:4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.(NIV)
We turn to Christ in repentance and we are baptized into Christ
Romans 6:6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin–(NIV)
The body of sin… the monster… is done away with. You want to defeat the monster of death and sin? You need to be baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins.
Has anyone been baptized in Jesus name? Anyone here excited that their sins are remitted… washed away by Jesus?
MUSICIAN
Have you been baptized? If you haven’t you need to be. What are you waiting for?
If you want to talk to us about baptism TEXT us at 214 856 0550. We have a baptism Sunday next week. Get baptized.
Acts 2:38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.(NIV)
#1 Repent
#2 You get baptized in Jesus name for the remission of sins
#3 You shall receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost!
You turn from the monster. You bury the monster. And now life comes through the Spirit!
John 6:63 The Spirit gives life..
Do you want life today? Do you want to be free the monster of sin?
