Jesus Christ: Our Response To His Gift

“Jesus Christ: Our Response to His Gift”

Matthew 26:6-13

Intro:

“Who of you has ever said to someone, “I owe you one”? Most of us have been in that position. Someone, a close friend or family member, helped you out of a tight spot and you felt grateful for the help and let them know that you plan on repaying them somehow. To help illustrate my point let me tell you the story of 2 young men who found themselves having that type of conversation, but that’s only part of the story.”

illustration: story of Johnny and Billy

(note - this is a completely fictional story and should be changed as needed)

*Billy moved in 3 houses down from Johnny when they were only 6

*they were immediate friends and spent as much time together as possible

*from summer camps, to every other weekend sleepovers, and everything in between they never were separated.

*they went to school together all the way through high school and took as many classes together as possible.

*they played the same sports, dated the same type of girls, and sometime even the same girl. they were always competing with one another but it never got in the way of their friendship. Are you getting the picture yet?

*after high school, Billy decided to stay in their home town and get a job a the local factory, but Johnny decided to go off to college and pursue grand adventures.

*Billy quickly settled down by finding a wife a before too long he had a couple of kids and a nice house just 2 blocks from his childhood home where his parents still lived

*Johnny excelled at school and graduated with honors. He moved to the big city with dreams of starting his own business, and before too long his dream came true.

*a few quick years later Johnny’s business began to fail and he sat on the edge of bankruptcy. He decided to make a long overdue trip back home to get his mind off of things.

*As Johnny and Billy spend one evening on the back porch of Billy’s house, Johnny began to talk about his problems.

*Without being asked for it, Billy gave Johnny as much money as he could knowing how tight it would make things around his house, but he did it out of love.

*Johnny took the many and said “I owe you big time”. He returned to the city and used the money to get his business back up and running and turned it into a profitable success.

*Johnny got so busy with his life and career that he neglected to keep up with his family and with Billy even though he had saved his business. He neglected Billy’s gift.

Read: Matthew 26:6-13

1. Acceptance of a gift

A. the best gifts come out of love

1. gifts for Christmas and birthdays are nice, but a gift given in the attitude

love is the best kind to receive.

a. personal illustration - I love it when my wife comes home and tells me

that she got a little present for me for no reason. Those usually make me

feel better than any birthday present ever can.

2. no one can tell me that Christ going to the cross for my sins wasn’t done

out of love.

a. John 3:16 (paraphrase)

B. you must choose to take it

1. sometimes a gift can seem to big to be able to accept

a. if I tried to hand you $50,000 with seemingly no reason you might

not feel right accepting it. Others of you would grab it and run.

2. most of you have already accepted the gift by receiving Christ

a. to deny the gift of accepting Jesus Christ is to forfeit your chance at

an eternity in Heaven. There is no other way accept Christ.

b. John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to

the Father accept through me.”

2. Remembering the giver

A. dedicate what you do to the giver

1. in other words, show them your thanks for what they’ve done for you.

a. if one of my friends gave of their time and energy to help me pass a test,

I would make sure to recognize them when I told others about my success

2. God loves to hear how thankful you are for Jesus Christ.

a. let Him know about it in you prayers

b. let others know about by how you live your life.

B. don’t separate yourself from the giver

1. don’t forget the person or persons who got you to where you are

a. always remind yourself of the love through which it was given

2. don’t ever forget Jesus Christ

a. don’t neglect reading the scripture or having a daily quiet time