Eternal Gifts Of Christmas Series

Title: Eternal Gifts of Christmas

Theme: What Will You Find at Christmas

Series: Grasping the Truths of Christmas

Introduction: There are eternal gifts for those who grasp the truths of Christmas with their hearts. Understanding those gifts and walking in the free grace by which these gifts come will completely change a person’s attitude toward the season which we now celebrate.

Proposition: I would propose to you that there are wonderful benefits for those on whom God’s favor rests. Most people including church attendees quote only part of the angel’s message from the Lord in Luke 2:14, “Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace to men…” However, the Holy Spirit leads the Children of God to understand the rest of the verse, “…on whom His favor rests.” It is Christians with a heart after God that are the ones that express a life that walks in the grace and mercy of God.

Pastor Rick Warren was 100% correct when he said, “You are going to find what you are looking for this Christmas.” For those who have the heart of Pharaoh, He is going to give them that hard heart they so want. (Exodus 8:15; 9:15; 10:1,20,27; 11:1; 14:8; Joshua 11:20; 2 Chronicles 36:13) For those who want to believe the lies of those brought forth by the devil, the Lord will cause them to believe those lies. (2 Thessalonians 2:11; 2 Timothy 3:3-4)

However, there is something different for those who have the heart of David after his sin was exposed by the prophet Nathan, who wrote, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” (Psalm 51:10-12)

To these types of spiritual hearts God will cast His favor in great amounts. Those who have the favor of God upon their lives will live a life that expresses God’s forgiveness, peace of mind, and eternal life found in Christ Jesus.

Interrogative Sentence: The Holy Spirit has this question for all today, “What will you find this Christmas? What will be the expression of your life for all to see?”

Transitional Sentence: There are many benefits for those who grasp the truths of Christmas, one being forgiveness.

Acts 10:43 says, “All the prophets testify about [Jesus] that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.” (Acts 10:43)

A little boy wrote Santa Claus saying, “Dear Santa, there are three boys who live in our home. Jeffery is two and he is good some of the time. David is four and he is good some of the time. Norman is seven and he is good all the time, I am Norman.” (Rick Warren, Christmas Message)

The Bible tells one truth that must be grasped there are no Normans in this world. If we could tap into the brains of Christians and recall all they thought and did this last year and project it upon our big screen there would be some extremely embarrassed Christians. There are no Normans in this world. Thus, even today we are in great need of God’s forgiveness and mercy both available in Jesus’ Name.

A Christmas card sent to Pastor Rick Warren said, “If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent an economist. If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent an entertainer. But our greatest need was forgiveness so He sent a Savior.” The greatest need for all of mankind is forgiveness and the greatest need for Christians is the continued forgiveness that can be found in Jesus’ Name.

“Forgiveness” (apheseoes) in Acts 10:43 means to release one’s sins from the sinner. This required Jesus’ coming as man so the sins of the world may be cast upon Him. Thus He can take on the punishment of sin upon Himself. He did this because His Father sent Him, and He came voluntarily. The reason this forgiveness needs to be a continual forgiveness is because the children of God are not delivered from the presence of sin when they get saved. Thus, Christians will slip into sin. However, sin will not have dominion over them because the Holy Spirit will convict them of sin and draw them to repentance. In Jesus’ Name they will be forgiven. (The Complete Word Study Dictionary; 1 John 1:8; Hebrews 8:24 )

1 John 1:8 says, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8) Christians who think that they no longer sin deceive themselves.