The Living Gift He Gave - Unwrapping Christmas Series

The Living Gift He Gave – Unwrapping Christmas

Scripture: John 14: 6-11 Date: 20 December 2009

Purpose: To share with the listener who the person of Jesus is.

All of us have had fads that we drift in and out of and my brother and I were no exception. We were “All Star Wrestling Fans.”

It came on TV on Saturday night and as he and I were glued to the program watching every move and hold of our favorite wrestlers, we would practice what he had learned during the commercials on each other.

Hollywood wrestling has come a long way since those days, or from what I can tell it has fallen to new lows. But then and now there is still a favorite theme that runs throughout the sport. There are some wrestlers who make their mark as the meanest, nastiest, person on the matt.

But many have not only made their mark on wrestling because of their temperament but also because of their secret. Have you ever noticed the masked wrestlers?

No one knows the identity of the masked wrestler. Part of their mystique is their unknown identity. Some of the best wrestling matches were the ones where the masked wrestler’s opponent would come so close to unmasking him but before he could completely get the mask off, they would somehow spring to life again, defeat their opponent and preserve their secret – his identity.

Growing up my brother and I so wanted to know the identity of the masked wrestlers. We wanted to know who they really were, what they looked like, where they came from. But their masks kept them a stranger to their fans.

This morning we conclude our sermon series entitled “Unwrapping Christmas”. Today I want to share with you the “Living Gift He Gave.”

For many people Jesus is that masked man. The similarity with a masked wrestler really ends there as Jesus is totally different. But the mystery of who Jesus is draws us to Him. There are very few people in this world who have not heard of Jesus, but knowing who He is and hearing about Him are two different things.

Christmas is truly a wonderful time of the year. It is my favorite holiday next to the first day of school. It is a special time in which we come together as friends and family to celebrate the birth of our one and only savior.

But the sad truth is that many people, non-Christians and Christians alike will celebrate this Christmas and have it really be just a worthless event that is filled with materialistic things.

VIDEO: “Worthless Christmas”

How about us? Is Jesus unmasked in our lives? Is He the reason for the season in our homes this year? Who is the man behind the mask this morning? We are intrigued by those whom we do not know. For My brother and me it was some wrestlers that wore masks, but I also remember the concealed identities of Superman, Batman, Spiderman and various super villains.

Let me share God’s Word with you today. Please stand with me as I read from the book John Chapter 14 vs. 6-11.

6Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you really knew me, you would know[a] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."

8Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."

9Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.

It is important to know who Jesus is, especially during Christmas. You see Christmas is all about Jesus. It always has been and it always will be. But we are in a battle. We are battling with the world’s view of Christmas and it differs greatly from what it truly is and is all about. Let us unwrap who Jesus is and discover the Living Gift that He has Given us. Because knowing who He is will make all the difference in the world with what we do with Him and with what we are asked to do with Him.

I. First we need to know that Jesus is God! In verse 7 of our text this morning Jesus tells us “if you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen him.”