Christmas,,,not what it used to be,,, no nativity,,, it is all about marketing,,, used to be Merry Christmas,,, now it is Happy Holidays
( illustration, I heard on the news of fights in stores,,,,, two ladies over radio,,,, .
Christmas is about the love of God....Jesus is the greatest gift of all,,,,read song.
The bible tells us why Jesus came to earth, to die on the cross, to take our place--Luke 19:10 10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. and also Matt. 1:21-23
21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.
22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
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The story of Christmas, is the greatest love story ever told.
Read Rom 8:31-39 (esv) 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be[a] against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.[b] 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ephesians 3:17-19
That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God
God’s love is DEEP! And, God’s love has nothing to do with you! Others may love you because:
· You’re cute,------ cuddly---------- and adorable.---Your rich--fun to be with
But, not God! God loves you simply because He WANTS to love you … He CHOSE to love you … He DECIDED to love you. God loves you because “God is love”
We’re all familiar with HUMAN love. There’s “puppy” love,--- Grand-parent love, ----“first” love---, a love for the arts----------, a love of chocolate, ---and much more.
We have all kinds of friends … “fair-weather” friends, --“long-distance” friends, --“new” friends, --“old” friends, “former” friends, --“close” friends. This is HUMAN love, and HUMAN love is fickle, temporary, and conditional.
BUT, God IS love, and His love is unconditional, constant, and perfect.
You can’t influence God’s love, because God IS love.
Jesus didn’t go to the cross because of any love you had for Him … for any influence you placed on Him. Romans 5:8 – But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
” Jesus must have really loved you to do what He did for you, because, your sins put Him there.
We look at some people … they have money, a good job, good health, live a good life, have a good family and marriage. We think, “God must really love them … look at how much He has blessed them!”
Or, we look at others … they have problems, are sick, poor, have lost their job, or are plagued with family or marital problems. We think, “God must not really love them … look at all the problems they have!”
NONSENSE! Forget those thoughts. Circumstances have nothing to do with God’s love. When everything seems to be going wrong, God still loves you.
When everything seems to be going right, God still loves you. If you want a gauge of God’s love … a yardstick to measure His love … don’t look at circumstances, look at the cross!
God's love is unconditional,,,,
human love is fickled,,, people fall out of love,,, someone will say, I just don't love you any more,,,,,songs,, he stopped loving her today,,,today I started loving you again,
God love for us is everlasting.. He loves us even when we don't deserve it.... Someone said,, you can't do enough good things to make God love you more, or enough bad things to make Him love you less
What do we need to do to EXPERIENCE God’s love? Just RECEIVE it. Why? Because … nothing can separate you from God’s love.
Look at how Paul leads up to this statement.------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In Romans 8:28 we read the familiar “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
This is a demonstration of God’s love, that ALL THINGS, all circumstances, all problems, all blessings, EVERYTHING that comes our way, is a demonstration of His love for us.
Paul then gives us a series of questions, leading up to 8:35.
8:31 – “What then shall we say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”
That’s a good question … one we’ve probably asked … only in another form. Maybe we have asked, “With everybody and everything against me, where is God?” We all face opposition:
· From our BODIES … sickness, disease aches & pains.
· From PEOPLE … hard to get along with, will hurt your feelings, disappoint you.
· From CIRCUMSTANCES … things don’t always go our way.
But, this question has God’s love in mind. So, the question is NOT “How can I handle all that life throws at me?”, but the question is “Can GOD handle all that life throws at me?”
Because, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” While I may have problems with life’s difficulties, God isn’t fazed. God is greater than anything life throws at you. Is there a problem God can’t handle? No! That’s how much He loves you!
The question, often, is NOT, “CAN God handle my problems?”, but “WILL God handle my problems?” Paul answers that question in 8:32.
8:32 – “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
God, in His love, gave you everything you need to meet life’s problems. GOD loved you so much that He sent His Son to die on the cross for you. JESUS loved you so much that He was willing to die on the cross for you.
So, if God and Jesus loved you so much to do this for you … will they forget all about you now?--- In your time of need? No way! God has too much love invested in you to just walk off and forget about you now.
But, then, we ask … “How could God love ME, when I’m so unworthy of His love? He sees my life … knows how I live … knows me inside and out … knows when I fail Him, and fail to live up to His love. There’s too much sin in my life for God to love someone like me. So, how could God love ME?” Paul answers that with the next question.
8:33 – “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God;s elect.”
Once God accepts you for who and what you are, and loves you anyhow … who else’s opinion matters?
People might criticize you, condemn you, gossip about you, cheat you, find fault and nit-pick about you, berate or belittle you, accuse you.
Revelation 12:10 even says that that’s exactly what Satan is doing right now before God.
Rev 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
God, … did you see what Roger did today? … Did you hear what he said? … Did you tune in to those thoughts he had? And he calls himself a Christian … even a preacher at that! Shows you how much he loves you! And, after all you’ve done for him!”
God looks at him and says … “I’m sorry, but I don’t see Roger,,,,Satan replies … “Right down there … you see him … right down there!” God answers … “Sorry, I didn’t see Roger. When I look at him, all I see is my Son, Jesus.”
So, let’s read Romans 8:33 again. ---33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth
God loves you so much that He doesn’t even see your sin. All He sees is His Son, Jesus, who “justified” you before the Throne of Grace. Jeremiah 31:34 – “For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more."
God loves you so much that nobody else’s opinion matters but His. No one can sway God’s opinion of you … 8:34.
34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
8:35 – “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?”
Now the biggie! If any of these things come your way … does it mean that God doesn’t love you?
No! 8:37 – “Nay in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”
Nothing can drive a wedge between you and God’s love for you.
Still not convinced? 8:38-39 – “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Paul was “persuaded” … convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt. None of the circumstances mentioned here, or any other circumstance (he just about covers them all), can separate you from God’s love.
You have never lived a day, a minute, a second, when God didn’t love you.
· You may have hidden in shame from God, like Adam & Eve in the Garden of Eden … but God still loves you.
· You may have deserted Him like the disciples, when they fled when Jesus was arrested … but God still loves you.
· You may have denied Him like Peter, when they asked him about his relationship with Jesus … but God still loves you.
· You may have doubted Him like Thomas … but God still loves you.
In it all, through thick and thin, good times and bad times … God still loves you!
You never leave His mind, His thoughts, or His sight. He sees the worst in you, and loves you anyhow.
Jeremiah 31:3 - "Jeremiah 31:3 – “The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.”
· When you sit at the bedside of a loved one who is racked with pain or disease … God still loves you.
· When you sit at the graveside after losing one who has touched your heart and life … God still loves you.
· When you weep because your financial burdens seem too heavy to bear … God still loves you.
· When you see your family torn apart, or your marriage heading for disaster … God still loves you.
· When your heart aches because of a great sin you’ve committed, and you feel that God could never forgive you … God still loves you.
God could never love you any more than He already does. And, God could never love you any less than He already does.
We think that God will love us more if we cuss less, ----drink less--,sin less.
We think that God will love me more if I pray more, study my Bible more,----- attend church more,---- live a better life.
While these things might be an indicator of your love for God … they don’t impact or change God’s love for you one bit.
Why? 8:39 – “ …nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
God’s love isn’t based on YOU … it’s based on JESUS … “which is in Christ Jesus our Lord”. God
will always love you as much as He loves His son Jesus! Why? Because you are “in Christ”.
Have you received His gift, His Son Jesus?
Never forget John 3:16 – “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.”
