INTRODUCTION
Time is close! Down to the last few moments – “The Final Preparation” for Christmas?
What do YOU HAVE YET TO DO to prepare for Christmas?
In MY HOUSE, Deb has a certain formula for preparing for this special season. In fact, of all the special times of the year, this the one she enjoys most. And while SHE MAY KILL ME, the way SHE PREPARES for this special season is my sermon today!
3 Steps in Preparing For Christmas at My House!
1. First Is The Cleansing
First, you have to get everything ready for the Christmas Tree. But the placement of the Tree, TO DEB ANYWAY, gives her the excuse to REDORATE the entire room!
You have to move furniture. And when you move that furniture, it exposes all the covered up dust and dirt and Grandchildren toys. So the FIRST thing that takes place at my house as you get ready for the Tree is a REAL CLEANSING!
Not only for the tree in the Great Room, but Fireplace, Windows, and the Table!
2. Now The Re-Decorating
Now the RE-DECORATING of the house! The fireplace becomes a stocking holder. The windows become candle light holders! The tablecloth becomes the Christmas Tablecloth you don’t use! The tree goes up, the lights go on, the ornaments go on, and then the grandchildren add the final touches! Close to the big day!
3. Finally, Christmas Day & The Exchange of Gifts
This is Deb’s favorite part As she buys presents during the several weeks up to Christmas, you begin to see that special gleam in her eye. As she wraps the gifts, she gets more and more excited. She’s like a child that won’t quit even after the parents threaten!
C. Does it sound like your Christmas Preparation?
Well, actually, my sermon this morning shows that just as we prepare for Christmas, Christ wants to prepare us for Himself! And since Deb is gone, I’m using her for my main illustration of HOW GOD WANTS US TO PREPARE for the real Christmas – when we see Jesus face to face!
1. A Cleaning of the Heart
2. The Decorating of the Heart
3. The Exchange of Gifts
I. THE CLEANING OF THE HEART Matthew 5.8
First, Deb gets ready for the Christmas Tree by doing a thorough cleansing. Jesus wants to do the same thing.
READ MATTHEW 5.8
3 Parts To This Verse:
1. “Blessed” = from the Grk - mak-ar’-ee-os—it’s meaning is to be fortunate – to be happy
So Jesus begins by saying “Happy is the pure in heart”
2. “Pure” – means to be cleansed! But it describes an on-going Cleansing!
One is spiritually cleansed at the moment of salvation. But that’s only the beginning.
Notice how John describes it in…
1 John 3:2-3 (NIV)
“2 … what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 Everyone who has this hope in him purifies (CLEANSES) himself, just as he is pure.”
As we are cleansed we become like Jesus and the more like Him we are, the more our thoughts, our desires, our actions and our prayers agree with His thoughts, desires, and actions – His will. And the closer to Him we become, the more we are able …
3. “they shall see God” – The promise!
Through the eyes of faith, they shall SEE God!
Listen to:
Ps 51:10 “create in me a pure (clean) heart O God, and renew (a ongoing process) a steadfast spirit within me”
Like David teaches, we can’t do this cleansing. God has to. But we allow Him by making Him Lord of all. “Happy are the cleansed in heart. Through eyes of faith, they shall see God”
II. THE REDECORATING OF THE HEART (Exekiel 36:25)
As God CLEANSES the heart He is now able to REDECORATE THE HEART with things of God – a NEW HEART full of things of God.
READ VERSE 25 (Again it begins with a cleansing)
READ VERSE 26
1. “I will give you a new heart”
New appetites – new desires – new passions. And like the cleansing – it’s a process that is ongoing!
2. “will put a new spirit within you”
I will renew your minds, also enlighten your understanding, your judgment, and your will, so that you shall have a new spirit from within.
3. “remove the stony heart”
A stony heart of coldness – one that is hard and un-teachable.
Do you possess a TEACHEABLE heart with God.
ILL: In 30 + years of ministry, I have seen staff (administrative and ministerial), leaders, and workers come and go because of a lack of teachable spirit!
4. “give you a heart of flesh”
One that experiences feeling and excitement; One that can feel love from God and learn to express love towards others. One that is available and ready for God to possess.
SUM: God decorates our heart by gutting the old and creating something new. (Like moving the furniture, cleaning the area up, and finally putting the tree in place and decorating it. He wants to MAKE YOUR LIFE MORE BEAUTIFUL like the CHRISTMAS TREE when it’s all decorated. He eagerly awaits your permission to begin His work DECORATING YOUR HEART FOR CHRISTMAS. Will you let Him?
III. THE EXCHANGE OF GIFTS
The EXCHANGE OF GIFTS is the special finish. Debbie does all the cleaning, the decorating and finally to watch her give the gifts to others – she’s like a child. So exciting to watch.
God’s Exchange of Gifts are just as exciting! As He CLEANSES you, He then REDORATES you with the GIFTS AND TALENTS you need to do the task He’s prepared JUST FOR YOU! Just like at Christmas you receive that special gift BOUGHT OR PURCHASED JUST FOR YOU!
- Stockings to be filled with GIFTS TO EQUIP us for something special!
- Table Cloth ready for the BEST FOOD - Food that will last teaching you and preparing you to be more like Jesus! Equipped and ready!
- And an EXCHANGE OF GIFTS you can’t possibly imagine!
Notice God’s Exchange:
A. GOD’S GIFT TO US – GRACE! READ John 1:12-13
Let’s Pick Apart verse 12 to see some TRUTHS RE GOD’S GIFT TO US!
1. “who received Him”
John speaks of those who “received Christ”. The meaning behind the word “received” means to welcome or to accept. But what’s interesting is that it not only describes something that took place but is taking place.
It’s not only “received” but “receive”
Not only “obtained” but “obtain”
Again, it’s a process. We receive Christ as Savior at the moment we invite Him into our heart. But that begins a process of Lordship that takes a Lifetime!
2. “believed in His Name”
a. “Believed” is actually “believing” and comes from a word that means “to commission into something”.
b. “in” – Grk. Is pronounced “Ace” and its meaning is “Continually”
c. The call here is an active faith – One that is constantly producing fruit.
3. “to those … he gave the right to become children of God”
a. “to those” who are commissioned continually – to those who because of God’s Constant Spiritual Cleansing - To THOSE…
b. “… gave the right to become children of God”:
A child trusts in his/her parents totally and completely. Your child doesn’t pick and choose the areas he trust his parents. It’s a complete trust.
B. ENABLES OUR GIFT TO HIM! (2 Corinthians 5:14-15)
Because of His Gift to us, HIS ONLY SON – HIMSELF, we are able to GIVE TO HIM – OURSELF! A gift that could not happen without the teaching of His love.
READ VERSES 14-15
a. “for Christ’s love compels us” (14)
- To love Himself and each other. Free for the receiving BUT to those WHO RECEIVE this gift, the RESPONSIBILITY OF THE GIFT requires EVERYTHING which IS OUR GIFT TO HIM.
b. “no longer live for themselves” (15)
God gave the greatest gift to us, His ONLY SON. But Jesus did not come as a King expecting to be served but rather in the opposite way – TO SERVE OTHERS.
Matt 20:28 “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Jesus set the example in the way HE GAVE HIMSELF! And we are to do the same. It is because of His love that we are able to LOVE OTHERS AND GIVE OF OURSELF!
ILL: Last year, Deb told all the family that instead of giving her a gift, she would prefer that we take whatever amount of money we were going to spend on her and spend it on someone in the hospital or the nursing home.
In fact, every Christmas Day, she and the kids bake up several batches of cookies and cakes and deliver them to the nursing homes.
THAT’S THE GIFT THE LORD JESUS WANTS US TO GIVE TO HIM!
To anyone who says, “well he’s just tooting Deb’s horn” I say, “no, I’m tooting the Lord Jesus’ horn for giving her the heart He has giving her” and then I say “well yes, actually, I am proud of the heart He has produced in her!”
SUM: God’s gift to us cost Him everything. Our gift to God should cost us everything – OURSELVES. Have you EXCHANGED GIFTS WITH THE MASTER? Are you PREPARED TO DO SO?
IV. SUMMARY
The Final Preparation for Christmas reminds us of the Gift of God This Christmas.
Because of the gift of God’s Son, you have the privilege of receiving Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. In receiving Christ into our heart, you and I do not receive a gift to be given once per year!
Because of the Lord’s love, you and I alike receive Christmas every day of the year:
1. A Spiritual Cleansing – A daily, constant, cleansing preparing you for Jesus! A cleansing that constant removes the junk of the world.
2. A Re-Decorating of the Heart –Equipping you for a life of victory; A heart that is no longer controlled by stones but instead by love, joy, and peace!
3. An Exchange of Gifts that as He gives and equips you with the Fruits of the Spirit, you in return learn to love others as He loves you!
Q: What is it that God wishes to do today in your heart? What is it that He has exposed to you that needs to be removed? Something that you need to let go and give to Him. He wants to replace it with something of God.
Prepare for Christmas by Preparing for Christ’s Cleaning! Right now!
ILL: Let me close with an excerpt from Sharon Jaynes’ book, “Celebrating a Christ-centered Christmas”:
An African boy listened carefully as his teacher explained why Christians give presents to each other on Christmas day. "The gift is an expression of our joy over the birth of Jesus and our friendship for each other," she said.
When Christmas day came, the boy brought the teacher a seashell of lustrous beauty. "Where did you ever find such a beautiful shell?" the teacher asked.
The youth told her that there was only one spot where such extraordinary shells could be found. When he named the place, a certain bay several miles away, the teacher was left speechless
"Why ... why, it’s gorgeous ... wonderful, but you shouldn’t have gone all that way to get the gift for me."
His eyes brightening, the boy answered, "Long walk part of gift." God came from heaven to a manger, from a manger to a cross, from a cross to the grave and from a grave back to heaven.
And we ask, "Why all this trouble, God?" And God would say to us, "Long walk part of gift."
INV: As we enter this time of invitation, the question becomes, “what have you done with the gift of Christmas”?
