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UK News

John Lewis Christmas Ad reflects the message of the Gospel says Christian community

The festive film, made in partnership with Waitrose tells of an accident-prone dragon called "Excitable Edgar" who unintentionally sparks chaos in his village with his fiery Christmas excitement.

Edgar unintentionally sets fire to the community Christmas tree and melts a snowman in the town square.

As a result, he struggles to be accepted by his neighbours.

Edgar's one friend, a red-headed girl, helps him to feel included and gives him a Christmas pudding to take to the village Christmas meal.

Church Army - a mission focused group within the Anglican Church praised the advert saying the story mirrors the Gospel story.

A tweet posted on Thursday read: "Rejected by those he loved...How does the @jlandpartners 2019 Christmas Advert speak to you about Christmas and the birth of Jesus?

"We love #ExciteableEdgar!"

Other Christians have interpreted the new advertising campaign as a display of the sinful nature of mankind and its need for a Saviour.

Dan Rackham, a Christian film maker who makes gospel centred Christmas videos tells Premier he relates to the character of Edgar: "He can't control himself with this destructive effect of breathing out fire. In many ways that echoes my own life when I can't keep my destructive emotions inside, when I let out my anger and frustration, my greed and my envy."

He went on to say that the message of Jesus Christ coming down as a gift to save mankind is prevalent in the adverts ending.

"The dragon is given a special gift, it's a gift that is able to bare his fire breath. His destructive fire breathing habit doesn't destroy this gift and that reminds me of the best gift of all - the nativity.

"Jesus is the ultimate gift that is able to bare our sin and bring us to perfect friendship with others and with himself. So, just like the John Lewis advert, I think it's the gift that saves the day!"

Rackham who created a 're-make' of one of John Lewis' previous Christmas campaigns, to incorporate the birth of Jesus into the story says content like the retailer's latest advert gives Christians a great opportunity to speak about Jesus and share the gospel message.

Dragons seem to be a popular medium for communicating the Christmas story this year, as Christian resource company Speak Life has also incorporated one into their set of Nativity films set to launch next week.

Rackham, who worked on the project said: "In our video, the dragon stands for every power that stands against the earth and is an enemy of all that's good and true.

"Our video tells of how at the Nativity arose another player, the baby Jesus and he was the dragon slayer, he took on evil, sickness, death and triumphed over all."

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