Christmas Is Jesus
John 3:16
Luke 2:1-20
Do you have family traditions at Christmas time? When our children were at home we read the Christmas story before opening presents.
Last week at L.A. Fitness I asked several people if they read the Christmas story on Christmas Day. One gentleman said he didn’t, so I suggested he check out the story in Luke chapter 2.
Another man said he hadn’t read the Christmas story since his children were at home years ago. A third man said, “What is the Christmas Story?” I explained to him it was about the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. The other gentleman who said he hadn’t read the story for years chimed in and helped me explain the Christmas story to the gentleman who was in his late 60’s.
Christmas is about God so loving this sinful world that He gave His only son, Jesus as a Savior to all who will turn to Him for salvation.
Ever since the Advent of Jesus and wise men visited him in a house in Bethlehem presenting gifts of gold, incense and myrrh; Christmas has been about giving.
Christmas is Jesus – God’s Gift to Us
The Apostle Paul declared in 2 Corinthians 9:15, “Thanks be unto God for His indescribable gift.”
God so loved He gave His one and only Son. “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God.” John 1:1 “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” John 1:14
It’s hard for us to understand and comprehend the meaning of Philippians 2:5-8, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient to death, even death on a cross!”
The Incarnate Son of God submitted himself to human form and took on the flesh and blood of man. He was obedient unto death. He did not lose his own Divine powers, but held them in control. As a man, Jesus was tempted in every form as a man, yet was sinless.
Jesus came as the incarnate Son of God. Jesus became man by a miracle of God – born of a virgin – the only person fully God and fully man. Jesus didn’t have his beginning in a stable in Bethlehem, He stepped out of haven to become a human being and reveal the character of God and the truths of God. If you want to know God look to Jesus.
Lowly Shepherds watching sheep near Bethlehem were the first to get the news that Jesus was born. (Luke 2:8-14)
God’s gift came on a mission. Jesus came seeking. Jesus came seeking all who are confused, all who are searching for truth, and meaning to life. God not only gives you the greatest gift, Himself, He also gives you the gift of salvation.
Luke 19:10, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”
God’s gift of His Son provides a new start in life for all who believe and follow Jesus. Regardless of how bad or dark your past you have the opportunity to start anew. God specializes in giving second changes. The prophet Isaiah declared, “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord. Thought your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; through they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” Isaiah 1:18
If someone came up to you on the street and asked you, “What do you think about Jesus?” What would you say?”
I asked a postal worker in a post office, “What do you think about Jesus.” He answered, “I don’t know,: and softly said, “I don’t Care.”
Other responses by people on the street gave various views about Jesus:
“Jesus means nothing to me!”
“Jesus was a good man.”
“Jesus Christ is a myth.”
“I could care less.”
“He was a real cool cat.”
“He was a prophet.”
“He is the Son of God.”
When you come to Jesus you can be assured He understands your situation. As a human person Jesus had feelings and emotions and personality.
Jesus experienced sorrow. Jesus took Peter, James and John with him to the Garden of Gethsemane and said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep me watch with me.” Matthew 26:37
Jesus experienced normal physical growth. “And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.” Luke 2:40
Jesus experienced hunger, “Forty days Jesus was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.” Luke 4:2
Jesus became weary and needed sleep. “As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.” Luke 8:23
Jesus had a physical body Jesus said, “Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see, a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”
Luke 24:39
Jesus understands how you feel. He knows your sorrow, He knows your loneliness, your poverty, and He alone can meet the deep needs of your heart and life.
Christmas is God’s gift to us is the birth of His Son Jesus.
Christmas is A Call to Give Your Best Gift to
God - Yourself
God so loved He gave His one and only Son, “whosoever believes shall not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Jesus called out to people, “Come after me and I will make you fishers of men.”
Your best gift is to say “yes” to Jesus and follow Him.
It’s fun to purchase gifts at Christmas for family. A couple weeks ago we went shopping for grandchildren, Learning Express, Target, and Toy-R-Us. I also do on-line purchases.
A couple Sundays ago when Jason Leadingham gave data that Americans spend 450 billion on Christmas I was amazed at that figure.
A couple years ago “Good Morning America” TV mentioned several extraordinary gifts you could give at Christmas:
To give a Jaguar 220, you need to put down your $80,000 deposit and when the car is delivered you need to pay the balance of $507,00 for the $587,000 220 Jaguar. They only make 250 a year.
If you can afford a Jaguar you might want to purchase a new car wax that promises to give an ultimate shine. It retails for $3,500 for an 8-ounce can.
Another special gift would be a $300,000 gold and silver toilet seat inlaid with precious stones. Other gifts mentioned were a $18,000 Frisbee, a $10,000 yoyo, a $12,000 mousetrap, & a $27,00 pair of sunglasses.
For the grandparent wondering what to buy a new grandbaby, there is a $28,000 pacifier?
Children in letters to Santa reveal their honest feelings.
Dear Santa Claus: “Last year you didn’t leave me anything good. This year is your last chance.” Alfred
Dear Santa Claus: “In my house there are three little boys. There is Richard. He is 2. There is Jeffrey. He is 4. There Norman. He is 7.
Richard is good sometime. Jeffrey is good sometime. Norman is good all the time. I am Norman.
# I remember one of my best Christmas presents given to me at Christmas by a medical doctor. I was in the fourth grade attending the Gypsum, Kansas elementary school.
It was late in November. Three small creeks, Spring Creek, Bull Run and Gypsum Creek, ran through or near the small town of Gypsum where I lived up through the 8th grade.
One cold day I tried walking across Bull Run creek that was frozen. Where I walked the ice was not frozen enough and I fell through the ice into water over my waist.
The following week I developed a severe cold and then flu and then pneumonia. I ended up in the hospital with double pneumonia. In my weakened condition I came down with a blood disease called Septicemia.
I was in and out of the hospital for several weeks. I had over 300 penicillin shots.
The doctor and hospital staff told my mother that they had done all they could and I could go either way. That same day a couple from the Salina FMC came to visit and had prayer with me and told my mother that Wednesday evening they would also have special prayer for me.
The next morning, the doctor told my mother that something had happened over night. My high fever broke and I was improving. God answered prayer.
The doctor came to my home to a follow up check and gave me a Christmas toy catalogue and told me to pick out any toy I wanted and he would buy it for me. I searched through the catalogue and came up with a toy – an army rifle with automatic fire.
I enjoyed playing army with the Christmas gift, but I realized the greatest gift was the healing Jesus gave me.
When we give ourselves totally to Jesus, He in turn gives us his gifts of hope, love, joy and peace.
People today are worried about having a job and financial security. They are fearful, worried and have frazzled lives.
Can you finish these sentences…”
I’m at the end of my …………. Rope.
I’m about to come un…………..Glued.
I’m ready to throw in the …………Towel.
I’m all stressed……………Out.
Jesus gives you the promise in Isaiah 43:2 NLT, “When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up.” God promises to be with you in all challenges of your life.
Ken Blanchard, author of ONE MINUTE MANAGER, and other books on leadership lost his home in the wild fires four years ago in San Diego County. Ken Blanchard and his family lost everything. He was asked how he had strength to keep going after he lost everything.
He said, “When the fires hit I was in Florida and I got a voice mail from my son at seven in the morning. The voice mail said: “The whole neighborhood’s in flames and I think your house is gone too.”
When Ken Blanchard and his wife walked up the driveway and saw where they house had been, his wife turned and said to Ken, “You know, I don’t really have any feelings toward this place because it looks like it’s been cremated.
Ken said people have asked him, “Doesn’t this really test your faith? And I’ve said, “No, it’s really put my faith to work. The best way that God has given me strength is to realize that I can put things in perspective because you’re not supposed to build treasures on earth; all the things around us are stuff. The only real important thing is the eternal things are the relationships and the love that we have with people. And that’s really what counts and that was so important to us. God made us realize what’s important in life.”
Ken said, “I have the strength to go on because I know what’s important.”
Christmas helps us focus on what’s really important in life. Christmas is about Jesus, His birth and message.
Our best gift to God is to become His follower. God wants us to give ourselves to Him unconditionally.
Too often we say, someday I’m going to get serious about serving the Lord. First I must make a success in life. First I need to live the way I want to life for a while. Someday I’ll become a follower.
God has given His best Gift to you, have you given your best gift to Him. If not, this Christmas why not consider saying, “Yes” to Jesus.
Christmas is Giving to Others
When you give to others you receive joy in return. Last week I was checking out at Publix’s with groceries. A lady in front of me reached in her purse to pay her bill and told the clerk that she had the wrong purse and left her money at home.
I stepped up and told her I’d take care of the bill as a Merry Christmas gift. I slid my card and paid the bill. The woman was beside herself in giving thanks for my generous gift. She wanted my name and address so she could repay me. I told her it was a gift with no strings attached.
Christmas reminds us that it is more blessed to give than to receive. Luke 6:38 gives this promise: “Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
The more you give the more God pours out His blessings and joy into your life. When we focus only on ourselves our soul shrivels up and our life becomes very dry and drab.
People who continually take and do not give miss many blessings.
#During a New York city truck sanitation strike a Taxi-cab driver devised a method to dispose of his garbage. Every day he would wrap his garbage in a neat package – put fancy paper on it and tie a ribbon around it. He would place the package on the back seat of his taxi. Invariably one of his first riders would sneak off with the beautifully wrapped package.
John D. Rockefeller was the founder of the Standard Oil Company. He became the first billionaire in America. He began to tithe, as a teenager at age 20 became a faithful attender at the Erie Street Baptist Mission church. He followed the teachings of John Wesley the founder of the Methodist church, “earn all you an, save all you can, and give all you can.”
In his sixties Rockefeller became ill and was not expected to live many more years. He decided to give the rest of his life to Philanthropy and sold enough of his Standard Oil stock for hundreds of millions of dollars and began to give millions to various colleges and universities and medical science.
As he got involved in giving his health improved and died at age 98. While giving away his money over the years the stock left in Standard Oil continued to grow and at his death his wealth was the same as when he sold the stock years earlier.
You find joy when you give to others. Someone has written:
The more you give, the more you get-
The more you laugh, the less you fret;
The more you do unselfishly, the more you live abundantly…
The more of everything you share,
The more you’ll always have to spare-
The more you love, the more you’ll find
That life is good and friends are kind…
For only what we give away,
Enriches us from day to day…
So let’s live Christmas through the year and fill the world
With love and cheer.
I read about a father, George Smith, who lost his job.
He locked the door to his office and as he walked away he felt like he turned his back on his broken dreams. George got in his car and headed for home. He entered his house and anticipated his wife’s greeting, “Is that you dear?” He heard nothing. He walked to the kitchen and found a note, “I’ve gone shopping,. Be home late.” He sank into his cushioned chair a crushed human being.
Suddenly the door opened. It was his little girl home from elementary school. She put her lunch box on the table, spotted him and asked, “Daddy! How come you’re home so early?” He answered, “Well, honey; Daddy is changing jobs, but let’s not talk about it now, okay?”
Then his daughter jumped on his lap, hugged him tight around his neck, pressed her soft and warm face against his face and said, “Daddy, I love you so much.” Her words broke through the despair of her father. His lips began to quiver. His daughter said, “What’s wrong Daddy?: He answered, “Nothing, honey, nothing at all. There’s absolutely nothing wrong.”
In that moment he discovered what he really wanted. His whole life unfolded before him; a young fellow who wanted to be a great success in order to be recognized, in order to feel important, in order to be loved, in order to respect himself. He had want he wanted. His family. He was loved. In loving and being loved, he found his sense of self-worth, self-respect and self-dignity.
You have the assurance that Jesus loves you and as you give love to others you find your self-worth, self-respect and self-dignity.
In Christ we have a love that can never be fathomed, a life that can never die, a peace that can never be understood, a rest that can never be disturbed, a joy that can never be diminished, a hope that can never be disappointed, a glory that can never be clouded, a light that can never be darkened, and a spiritual resource that can never be exhausted.
This Christmas what will you give to Jesus. Will you receive His gift of love and salvation? Will you make Him Lord and Master of your life?
