All I Want/Need For Christmas Is? Series

All I Want/Need For Christmas Is…?

In our final week of Advent we have finally come to the first coming of JESUS in the birth of JESUS. Today, we are not going to look at the traditional story of JESUS coming as a babe in a manger because there was no room at the inn for HIM. I believe Christmas is so much more than just a babe and we get gifts from family and friends. Christmas is a time that we must reflect of JESUS and JESUS alone. Last week I asked you if you were prepared for Christmas and today I have titled this sermon all I want for Christmas is…? I mentioned last week that being prepared for Christmas was not having you gifts bought, wrapped and under the tree or even being ready to receive your friends and family but rather being prepared for Christmas is having a pure and repentant heart.

I understand that there are many needs people have: places to stay, to be delivered from drugs, alcohol, abuse, and money problems. People have martial problems that are taking them to their graves. We are depressed, deserted and dying. We have health problems that are not getting any better. There are so many things in this world that is bringing us down and we ask for jewelry, money, new clothes or time with our families. We are more concerned with our lives here on earth that we have lost the perspective on life.

In the world today we cannot display the nativity scene, say merry Christmas or mention the reason for the season. In a world that has forgotten JESUS we look more to the world to give us what we want than to JESUS to give us what we need. Look with me today and the book of John chapter one verses one thru eighteen and see if what you want/need for Christmas is in these verses.

We could read the beginning of Matthew’s gospel or Luke’s gospel to find the origin of Christmas but I do not think that they give us what we need for Christmas. In verses one thru four five we see that want I want/need for Christmas is life and light.

The Gift of Life and Light (1-5)

In verse one we see the term word, which is really the Greek term for logos, which is another name for JESUS. The English term word is defined as an action and is not a good definition for logos. It would be better defined as the word of the LORD. John, here takes us back to Genesis one verse one with the creation story. When GOD created the world HE spoke it into existence. This is how we can better understand this term word. Also if you will turn with me to the book of Psalms 107:20 and Isaiah 7:3 we see the word of the LORD. The first part of verse one would be better understood as in the beginning was the spoken, action, word of GOD, and, the spoken word was with GOD, being a separate entity, but also the spoken, action, and the word was GOD. This is John’s way of explaining the deity of JESUS.

If we go down a couple of verses we see that nothing was created without the word, JESUS. You and I or anyone else would not be here today if it were not for JESUS. JESUS created everything and everyone. If it were not for JESUS we would not have houses, clothes, mothers, fathers, loved ones or any other material possessions you have. HE created things, positively and HE is absolutely the creator of everything. The world will tell you that there are no absolutes and that we just came into existence. Let me ask you a question: if your house was built without a purpose would you live in it? Lets see there are doors that do not lead you to any room that has a purpose, windows that do not allow you to see the outside, a roof that does not protect you from the elements. There are studs in the walls that do not have nails that hold the sheetrock, and the electrical outlets do not have power they are only there for the looks. There is a building on the campus of Ohio State University that was built without a purpose, the builder had no plans for it, and he just started building it. There were steel beams that were not attached to anything, stairwells that did not lead to a room or place. Does your life seem to be like this building or the house I just described?

In the next verse, verse four, we see the creator of life, JESUS. JESUS is life and HE created it for a purpose. Life was created to be enjoyed and fulfilling. Life was created to be one that was not depressed or captive to sin. Life was created not to have a ending to it. Life is to be lived for eternity. Unlike the world what the world says we are created with a purpose. You are here not because you woke up this morning and stumbled here by accident. You are not like the dog that goes around doing what ever you feel or desire. There are no accidents in GOD’S book. There is no uh oh’s in GOD’S vocabulary. JESUS was made flesh to give you and I life. JESUS became flesh to show us how to live life the way it should be lived. HE lived to show us that we no longer needed to be held captive to sin, death and hell. If JESUS did not come to earth in flesh in blood we would not be living we just would be breathing and some of us here today are doing just that, breathing. Some of you here are just surviving and not living. I am here to tell you that if you are waiting on your next life to live you may not want to live there either. This is your only chance to live life. You may want to know how to get this gift of life, let us look at the next verse.