Has The Grinch Stole Your Christmas?

Has the Grinch stole your Christmas?

Matthew 1:18-21

We all have probably seen the Jim Carey version or the original, “How the Grinch stole Christmas”. We all know that he attempted to do so by taking all the presents. He thought by doing so, he could stop Christmas. And in just one more day we will be opening our presents. But I imagine that there will some presents opened today, if not already. But I read the other day about the real top 10 Christmas wishes.

10) A new SUV that would fit in my stocking

9) Two words: Batteries Included

8) No Payments until 2050

7) To Get Christmas Cards out by Easter

6) To complete Christmas shopping at the dollar store

5) Gifts shipped on December 23 will arrive on time

4) To find a string of lights that work

3) No Assembly Required

2) The kids would say, “Hey, let’s sleep in.”

1) A note that says, “Paid in Full”

But what about the gifts God gives to you, the ones not under the tree. A few weeks ago we began by looking at how to prepare our hearts for Christmas. Then we went to talking about putting His name on your list, talking about the different things that we can give Him for Christmas. So we will talk about why we should do all of the above. Because of what He wants to give us, we should do everything we can in our power to please Him, because He ultimately gave the greatest gift of all.

But we have someone far much more wicked than any Grince. His name is Satan. And he wants to steal the gifts that God gives to us. So this morning I want to talk about the things that God gives us with His gifts in order to make sure the Grince does not steal our Christmas or any of the gifts God gives us.

The first gift and the most important one is…

The gift of Salvation

John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

This is the most important and the greatest gift. It is important that everyone have the opportunity to receive this gift. Unlike many things you receive, it is an eternal gift. Most things we receive will either brake and we get rid of it, or we lose it, or give it away. But this gift is eternal.

There are two things about it to make it eternal. One is that we will live forever in the presence of God, “Eternal life”. Notice where I said we would live forever. Some have the impression that those who have been saved, when they die will go to Heaven to be with God and those who are not saved will simply die.

We all will live forever. Where we live will be a matter of choice. And the choice that I pray that you will make is that you accept Him as your personal Savior. And there is one way to do that. It is not by living a good life and being a good person. It is not about how much money you give; you can’t buy your way to heaven.

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me”.

So we receive eternal life. Then the second thing that makes it eternal is that you can never loss it. You didn’t do anything to earn it and you cannot do anything to loss it after you have truly accepted it.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is a GIFT of God, not of works, least anyone should boast.

I know some people who believe that you can lose your salvation. How, they believe you do is by continual sinning. Well, continual being good does not get you saved so how can continual sin make you loose it. And who determines which one of the sins that you commit after your saved breaks the camels back. When do you cross the line and lose your salvation. It is a gift. Not like any other gift; it is undeserving. We didn’t do anything to deserve it and we cannot do anything to lose it.

The next gift and the rest of the gifts have to do with gifts that you receive after you receive the first and most important one, salvation, is…

The gift of joy

Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!