"UNWRAPPED PRESENTS"
TEXT: LUKE 2:8-14
It’s hard to believe that it’s almost Christmas, but it is. Let me give a top 10 list about the closeness of Christmas...
YOU KNOW CHRISTMAS IS ALMOST HERE WHEN:
10) There are more pine needles on your carpet than on your tree
9) The credit card is smoked along with the turkey and ham.
8) It’s A Wonderful Life has been shown for the 13th time
7) A trip to the mall and back is more challenging then the Indy 500
6) The Salvation Army bell ringers start accepting credit cards
5) You are pulling an all-nighter because of the words
"Some Assembly Required"
4) Your Christmas list is written in black while your check book balance is written in red.
3) Santa’s belly is not the only thing shaking like a bowl full of jelly.
2) The NFL referees are not the only ones giving away games
1) The infamous fruitcake returns from it’s 12 months of hiding.
ARE YOU ALL READY FOR CHRISTMAS? CHRISTMAS IS AN EXCITING TIME AND IT IS REALLY THE ONLY TIME OF THE YEAR WHEN PEOPLE AS A WHOLE THINK ABOUT GIVING... THE TRAFFIC AND THE CROWDS AT RETAIL STORES BACK THIS TRUTH UP.
I’D LIKE TO TELL YOU A STORY ABOUT A MAN NAMED BILL.
BILL REALLY LOVES CHRISTMAS -- HE LOVED CHRISTMAS AS A CHILD WHEN HE WOULD WAKE HIS PARENTS UP AT THE CRACK OF DAWN TO OPEN HIS PRESENTS.... AND BILL LOVES CHRISTMAS TODAY AS AN ADULT... AS A MATER OF FACT BILL PROBABLY LOVES CHRISTMAS MORE TODAY, BECAUSE BILL JUST LOVES TO GIVE PRESENTS TO HIS CHILDREN.
AND HE HAS A REAL KNACK FOR KNOWING EXACTLY WHAT EACH OF HIS 5 CHILDREN WANT AND NEED. BILL SPENDS THE ENTIRE YEAR SHOPPING, BUYING, HIDING AND WRAPPING PRESENTS. (NOW STAY WITH ME LADIES, EVEN THOUGH THAT IS PROBABLY NOT WHAT HAPPENS AT YOUR HOUSE... WHAT DAD HASN’T SAID, "O’ IS THAT WHAT WE GOT THEM?") BUT BILL IS DIFFERENT HE DOES THE CHRISTMAS SHOPPING... HE LOVES IT; AND HE IS CERTAIN THAT WHAT HE HAS PURCHASED WILL BRING HIS CHILDREN GREAT JOY....
AND WHEN CHRISTMAS EVE COMES AND THE LITTLE ONES ARE ALL NESTLED IN BED (VISIONS OF SUGAR PLUMBS...) BILL GRABS ALL THE PRESENTS OUT OF HIDING AND VERY NEATLY PLACES THEM UNDER THE TREE.... AND WITH A WAVE OF EXCITEMENT BILL GOES TO BED... AND AS DOSES OFF TO SLEEP HE FEELS GOOD, HE IS CONVINCED THAT ALL THE EFFORT AND THE SACRIFICE WILL BE WORTH IT TOMORROW; BECAUSE BILL KNOWS HE HAS BOUGHT HIS CHILDREN GIFTS THAT WILL BRING THEM HAPPINESS AND JOY...GIFTS THEY NEED
AND FINALLY THE SUN RISES AND IT IS CHRISTMAS MORNING... HIS CHILDREN GET UP, HUG HIM AND WISH HIM A MERRY CHRISTMAS... THERE IS FRESH FALLEN SNOW ON THE GROUND AND ON THE BARE BRANCHES OF THE TREE IN THE FRONT YARD; A WARM GLOWING FIRE IS CRACKLING IN THE ROOM AND THERE’S CUPS OF HOT CHOCOLATE WITH MARSH MELLOWS FOR EVERYONE....
IT LOOKS JUST LIKE A NORMAN ROCKWELL PAINTING; I MEAN THIS CHRISTMAS MORNING WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY PERFECT EXCEPT FOR JUST ONE THING.... BILL’S CHILDREN SIMPLY REFUSE TO OPEN THEIR PRESENTS... (ANY OF YOU EVER HAVE THAT PROBLEM?)
HIS CHILDREN SIMPLY WALK UP, TAKE A HOLD OF THEIR PRESENTS -- THEY SAY "NICE BOX DAD, SURE PRETTY WRAPPING THIS YEAR.." -- BUT THEY NEVER UNWRAP THEM.
AND AS THE SCENE FADES YOU SEE BILL WITH TEARS IN HIS EYES AND A KNIFE IN HIS HEART AS HIS CHILDREN WALK AWAY LEAVING THEIR UNWRAPPED PRESENTS SITTING UNDER THE CHRISTMAS TREE....
NOW, "BILL" IS JUST A FACTIOUS FATHER, ONE THAT I MADE UP....
BUT THERE IS FATHER THAT I KNOW OF, HE IS A HEAVENLY FATHER; HE IS A FATHER WHO HAS SACRIFICED GREATLY FOR ALL OF HIS CHILDREN IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THEM WITH A GIFT THAT HE KNOWS THAT THEY REALLY NEED.... A GIFT, THAT LIKE A DIAMOND SPARKLING IN THE SUN HAS MANY FACETS...
BUT TRAGICALLY LIKE BILL -- OUR HEAVENLY FATHER WATCHES WITH TEARS IN HIS EYES AND A KNIFE IN HIS HEART; AS HIS CHILDREN SAY "NICE BOX, PRETTY PAPER", BUT THEY NEVER UNWRAP THE PRESENTS HE HAS BOUGHT FOR THEM THROUGH HIS SON...
WHY WON’T THEY UNWRAP THEM?
WHY DO SO MANY,
FOR SO MANY YEARS,
LEAVE THEIR GIFTS FROM GOD UNWRAPPED LYING UNDER THE TREE...?
THE ONLY REASON I CAN SEE FOR THIS HAPPENING IS
BECAUSE THEY DON’T KNOW HIM?
LET ME TRY TO EXPLAIN... WITH AN ILLUSTRATION
SUPPOSE YOU HAVE 2 AUNTS THAT LIVE ACROSS THE COUNTRY -- THEY USUALLY NEVER VISIT FOR THE HOLIDAYS, BUT THEY ALWAYS SEND GIFTS...
NOW AUNT SALLY IS A GREAT GIFT GIVER, SHE SEEMS TO ALWAYS KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO GIVE YOU.... AND SHE PUTS A LOT OF THOUGHT AND EFFORT INTO HER GIFT GIVING.. THROUGH OUT THE YEAR SHE CALLS AND WRITES TO YOU; AND EACH YEAR NO MATTER HOW OLD YOU GET -- SHE ALWAYS GIVES THE GIFT YOU WANT...
NOW AUNT MATILDA ON THE OTHER HAND, IS NOT A GOOD GIFT GIVER... SHE DOESN’T SEEM TO THINK ABOUT YOUR GIFT TOO MUCH.... SHE DOESN’T SEEM TO PUT MUCH EFFORT INTO IT EITHER... CERTAINLY NOT MUCH CREATIVITY... YOU NEVER HEAR FROM HER UNTIL CHRISTMAS WHEN SHE SENDS HER GIFT WITH A CARD ON TOP... AND FOR THE LAST 14 CHRISTMAS’ SHE HAS SENT YOU ONLY SOCKS AND SCOBBY DOO UNDERWEAR....
NOW LET ME ASK YOU, IF AUNT SALLY AND AUNT MATILDA WERE YOUR AUNTS WHICH PRESENT WOULD YOU OPEN FIRST...
AUNT SALLY’S RIGHT; SHE KNOWS YOU -- YOU KNOW HER, AND THROUGH THE YEARS YOU HAVE BECOME CONVINCED THAT SHE IS A GREAT GIFT GIVER... SO YOU CAN HARDLY WAIT TO OPEN IT UP, YOU KNOW THERE’S GOING TO BE SOMETHING GOOD INSIDE.
BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE DON’T KNOW GOD; THEY DON’T REALIZE THAT HE IS A GREAT GIFT GIVER THE BEST EVER (HE LEAVES ALL THE AUNT SALLY’S OF THIS WORLD IN THE DUST) -- THEREFORE THEY NEVER GET AROUND TO UNWRAPPING HIS GIFTS...
INSTEAD, THEY SPENT THEIR LIVES UNWRAPPING THE GIFTS THAT THIS WORLD OFFERS -- AND THEY NEVER GET WHAT THEY REALLY NEED -- BECAUSE ALL THIS WORLD CAN EVER GIVE US IS SOCKS AND SCOOBY DOO UNDERWEAR.
AS I SAID EARLIER THERE ARE MANY FACETS TO THE GIFT OF CHRIST.... THERE ARE NUMEROUS PRESENTS UNDER OUR CHRISTMAS TREES ALL BECAUSE OF WHAT GOD DID THROUGH CHRIST’S BIRTH, DEATH AND RESURRECTION...
TODAY I WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT JUST 9 OF THOSE GIFTS (THERE’S A WHOLE BUNCH MORE) ... GIFTS THAT ARE UNDER YOUR TREE TODAY... PLACED THERE BY A FATHER WHO KNOWS AND LOVES YOU... A FATHER WHO KNOWS JUST WHAT YOU NEED...
SOME OF THESE GIFTS YOU MAY HAVE OPENED -- BUT PERHAPS THERE ARE STILL SOME LYING THERE UNWRAPPED COVERED BY YEARS OF DUST......
THE GIFT OF SALVATION
THE FIRST UNWRAPPED GIFT OF CHRISTMAS IS THE GIFT SALVATION
IN LUKE 2 THE ANGELS TOLD THE SHEPHERDS; "TODAY IN THE TOWN OF DAVID A SAVIOR HAS BEEN BORN TO YOU, HE IS CHRIST THE LORD..."
MAN HAS A PROBLEM
YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS 18 I HAD A PROBLEM, EDDIE WEBER AND I ROWED A BOAT OUT TO THE MIDDLE OF RIVER IN MARYLAND - JUMPED OFF TO SWIM BOAT GOT FURTHER AWAY. BOAT PICKED ME UP I DIDN’T ARGUE, I JUST GOT IN.
EVER SINCE MAN FIRST SINNED IN THE GARDEN HE HAS BEEN IN NEED OF SAVIOR - BECAUSE HIS SIN HAS SEPARATED HIM FROM GOD. THE BIBLE SAYS IN ROM 3:23 THAT ALL HAVE SINNED AND HAVE FALLEN SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD. YES ALL HAVE SINNED AND IN ROMANS 6:23 GOD SAYS THAT THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH/ETERNAL SEPARATION FROM GOD.
NOW THAT’S A BIG PROBLEM TO BE A SINNER/TO BE SEPARATED FROM GOD.... AND IT’S A PROBLEM WE ALL HAVE.
AND AS IF THIS WASN’T BAD ENOUGH - TO MAKE MATTERS EVEN WORSE WE CAN NEVER DO ANYTHING ABOUT OUR SIN, WE CAN NEVER BE GOOD ENOUGH TO EARN FORGIVENESS, WE CAN NEVER PUT IN ENOUGH OVERTIME TO PAY FOR OUR SIN.
MAN HAS A PROBLEM HE IS A SINNER - AND HIS SIN HAS SEPARATED HIM FROM GOD....
GOD HAS A SOLUTION
JESUS IS THE WAY BACK TO THE FATHER, "I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME."
-- JN 14:6
JESUS CAME TO THE EARTH TO BE OUR SAVIOR - BABY JESUS WAS BORN FOR ONE REASON >>> TO DIE FOR YOUR SIN AND MINE. THAT IS WHY HE CAME.
YOU SEE GOD’S JUSTICE DEMANDED THAT SIN BE PUNISHED IT COULD NOT SIMPLY BE OVERLOOKED OR IGNORED, BUT GOD’S LOVE PROVIDED A SAVIOR TO TAKE THE PUNISHMENT FOR US, IT IS BY HIS WOUNDS THAT WE ARE HEALED.
"GOD MADE HIM WHO HAD NO SIN TO BE SIN FOR US, SO THAT IN HIM WE MIGHT BECOME THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD." 2 COR 5:21
"GOD DEMONSTRATED HIS OWN LOVE FOR US IN THIS WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS, CHRIST DIED FOR US." RM 5:8
"GOD IS ON ONE SIDE AND ALL PEOPLE ARE ON THE OTHER SIDE, AND CHRIST JESUS IS BETWEEN THEM TO BRING THEM TOGETHER, BY GIVING HIS LIFE FOR ALL MANKIND" 2 TIM 2:5 (LB)
WE HAVE A DECISION
WILL WE OPEN THE GIFT.
SALVATION IS AVAILABLE TO ALL (FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE HAVE HIS ONE AND ONLY SON SO THAT WHOSOEVER.....).
BUT NOT ALL (ROAD IS NARROW FEW FIND IT) WILL ACCEPT IT (FREE FRY DAYS).
WE RECEIVE THE GIFT (5 FINGER; H-B-R-C-B)
JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON
SALVATION IS THE REASON FOR JESUS
W/O CHRIST IT IS JUST MAS
W/O OPENING THE GIFT OF SALVATION YOU ARE NOT CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS.
BUT THERE ARE MORE GIFTS UNOPENED.
THE GIFT OF THE CHURCH
"NOW I REJOICE IN WHAT WAS SUFFERED FOR YOU, AND I FILL UP IN MY FLESH WHAT IS STILL LACKING IN REGARD TO CHRIST’S AFFLICTIONS, FOR THE SAKE OF HIS BODY, WHICH IS THE CHURCH." - COL 1:24
"ALTHOUGH I HOPE TO COME TO YOU SOON, I AM WRITING YOU THESE INSTRUCTIONS SO THAT IF I AM DELAYED, YOU WILL KNOW HOW PEOPLE OUGHT TO CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN GOD’S HOUSEHOLD, WHICH IS THE CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD.."
THE CHURCH IS THE BODY OF CHRIST AND THE CHURCH IS THE HOUSEHOLD OF GOD...
PERHAPS THERE ARE SOME HERE TODAY HAVE NOT YET UNWRAPPED THE GIFT OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST/OR HAVING ONCE UNWRAPPED PUT IT BACK IN THE BOX...
AND THEREFORE THEY ARE NOT EXPERIENCING THE BEAUTY OF BEING A PART OF THE BODY OF CHRIST.
FOR SOME >>> CHURCH, CHURCH PEOPLE AND CHRISTIAN LIVING ARE A CHORE NOT A BLESSING... SO THEY WELCOME ANY EXCUSE TO NOT BE WITH THE BODY.....
AND MANY OTHERS ARE JUST TOO BUSY WITH OTHER THINGS, (NOT NECESSARILY BAD THINGS, JUST "OTHER" THINGS) AND THEY JUST DON’T HAVE TIME TO BE INVOLVED IN A REAL WAY WITH THE BODY OF CHRIST...
THEY JUST DROP IN WHEN THEIR SCHEDULE ALLOWS... THEY ARE THE ONES CC WILLIAMS HAD IN MIND WHEN HE WROTE THE 2ND STANZA OF HYMN 465, "HAVE YOU ANY ROOM FOR JESUS?"
ROOM FOR PLEASURE, ROOM FOR BUSINESS; BUT FOR CHRIST THE CRUCIFIED -- NOT A PLACE THAT HE CAN ENTER, IN THE HEART FOR WHICH HE DIED..
THERE ARE ALSO THOSE WHO ARE JUST TOO PROUD/SELF SUFFICIENT TO REACH OUT TO THE BODY IN COURAGE AND HUMILITY... AND THEY TOO NEVER EXPERIENCE THE BEAUTY...
DESPITE IT’S FLAWS AND IMPERFECTIONS BECAUSE IT IS FULL OF IMPERFECT PEOPLE, I LOVE THE CHURCH; AND I HAVE EXPERIENCED TIME AND TIME AGAIN -- THE BEAUTY OF BEING A PART OF THE BODY OF CHRIST (THE FRIENDSHIP/SUPPORT/FELLOWSHIP/COMFORT/LOVE/...) AND I AM NOT ASHAMED TO ADMIT THAT I NEED THE CHURCH.... THAT THE CHURCH IS MY LIFE; AFTER ALL THE BIBLE SAYS THE CHURCH IS THE BODY OF CHRIST...
AND HOW BEAUTIFUL IS THE BODY OF CHRIST
WHAT A GIFT....
HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED THE UTTER BEAUTY OF THE BODY OF CHRIST?
FOR YOU; IS CHURCH A BLESSING OR A BUST?
IS CHURCH WHERE YOU WANT TO BE? CAN YOU HARDLY WAIT TO BE IN GOD’S HOUSEHOLD?
REAL, AUTHENTIC, LIFE SUSTAINING CHURCH IS NOT JUST FOR SOME -- GOD OFFERS THIS GIFT TO EVERYONE...
UNWRAP THE GIFT OF CHURCH THIS CHRISTMAS, IT HAS YOUR NAME ON IT!
THE GIFT OF JESUS FIRST
NOW, THIS GIFT, IS A GIFT THAT MANY ARE AFRAID TO OPEN.... "IF I OPEN UP THIS BOX WHAT HAPPENS TO ME, TO MY NEEDS."
MANY THEREFORE PICK UP THIS BOX, THEY EVEN BEGIN TO UNTIE THE BOW -- THEN THEY STOP -- THEY SHAKE IT, PUT IT DOWN...AND WALK AWAY IN ORDER TO DO WHAT THEY WANT TO DO -- TO LIVE A "ME FIRST" LIFE.
YOU SEE, IT JUST DOESN’T MAKE ANY SENSE TO THEM TO UNWRAP THIS BOX... "WHAT KIND OF GIFT IS THIS, IT CAN’T BE FOR ME IF IT’S NOT ME FIRST."
BUT THOSE WHO DO, FIND INSIDE THIS BOX AN INCREDIBLE GIFT -- AND THEY FIND THE WORDS OF JESUS TO RING TRUE IN THEIR LIVES.
"SEEK FIRST HIS KINGDOM AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS AND ALL THESE WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU AS WELL." MT 6:33
"I TELL YOU THE TRUTH NO ONE WHO HAS LEFT HOME OR WIFE OR BROTHERS OR PARENTS OR CHILDREN FOR THE SAKE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD WILL FAIL TO RECEIVE MANY TIMES AS MUCH IN THIS AGE AND IN THE AGE TO COME, ETERNAL LIFE." LK 18:29,30
HAVE YOU, IN YOUR LIFE -- HAD THE COURAGE TO REALLY UNWRAP THE BOX OF "JESUS FIRST" THAT IS LYING UNDER YOUR TREE -- A GIFT PLACED THERE BY GOD HIMSELF?
OR HAVE YOU BEEN AFRAID THAT IF YOU DO UNWRAP THAT SOMEHOW YOU’LL BE SHORT CHANGED IN LIFE?
YOU WON’T! UNWRAP THE GIFT!!
THE GIFT OF FORGIVENESS
AND WHEN I SAY FORGIVENESS, I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT GOD’S FORGIVENESS OF US (WE’VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THAT) -- RATHER OUR I AM TALKING ABOUT OUR FORGIVENESS OF OTHERS...
"BEAR WITH EACH OTHER AND FORGIVE EACH OTHER WHATEVER GRIEVANCE YOU MAY HAVE AGAINST ONE ANOTHER, FORGIVE AS THE LORD FORGAVE YOU...." -- COLOSSIANS 3:13
FORGIVENESS IS A GIFT -- IT’S REALLY A 2 WAY GIFT; FOR THROUGH FORGIVENESS WE BOTH FREE THE OFFENDING PARTY AND WE ALSO FREE OURSELVES FROM THE ANGUISH AND TORMENT THAT JESUS TEACHES IN MATTHEW 18 IS THE LOT AND DESTINY OF THOSE WHO REFUSE TO FORGIVE...
WE CAN FORGIVE BECAUSE CHRIST FORGAVE US...
WE MUST FORGIVE AS CHRIST FORGAVE US? (DIDN’T DESERVE OR EARN)
WILL YOU OPEN THE BOX OF FORGIVENESS THIS CHRISTMAS?
WHAT BETTER TIME TO FORGIVE THEN WHEN WE CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF OUR FORGIVENESS.
THE GIFT OF PRAYER
THERE IS A LINE OF AN OLD SONG THAT CAME TO MIND AS I WAS REFLECTING ON THIS -- IT WENT LIKE THIS -- ANYTIME AT ALL, ALL YOU GOTTA DO IS CALL AND I’LL BE HERE...
BROTHERS AND SISTERS, GOD HAS PLACED UNDER THE TREE OF EVERY CHRISTIAN THE ABILITY TO CALL ON HIM AT ANY TIME, AND IN ANY PLACE... GOD HAS PROMISED US THAT HE WILL BE THERE.... THAT HE WILL HEAR OUR CRY....
"THEN YOU WILL CALL AND THE LORD WILL ANSWER. YOU WILL CRY FOR HELP AND HE WILL SAY HERE I AM." IS 58:9
PRAYER; IS COMMUNICATION WITH GOD
PRAYER; IS LETTING YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON IN YOUR LIFE AND HEART SO THAT HE CAN HELP/RESTORE YOU....
PRAYER; IS ENTERING THE THRONE ROOM OF GOD SO THAT WE MAY RECEIVE MERCY AND FIND GRACE IN OUR TIME OF NEED....
(ANY NEEDS OUT THERE?)
AND PRAYER; IS A GIFT THAT FAR TOO MANY CHRISTIANS NEVER REALLY OPEN...
AND AS A RESULT MANY SUFFER NEEDLESS PAIN AND SORROW IN THEIR LIVES ALL BECAUSE THEY DO NOT UNWRAP GOD’S PRECIOUS GIFT OF PRAYER... LOOK IT’S UNDER TREE AGAIN THIS YEAR.
THE GIFT OF THE WORD
THIS IS THE GIFT THAT ONCE IT IS OPENED -- IT REVEALS AND CREATES A THIRST AND HUNGER IN US FOR EVERY OTHER GIFT THAT THE HEAVENLY FATHER HAS PLACED UNDER OUR TREE THROUGH HIS SON JESUS CHRIST...
LISTEN TO WHAT A MAN WHO LOVED THE WORD OF GOD, A MAN WHO UNWRAPPED THE BOX OF GOD’S WORD IN HIS LIFE LISTEN TO HIM DESCRIBE WHAT HE FOUND INSIDE WHEN HE UNWRAPPED THIS GIFT FROM GOD....
HIS NAME IS EZRA AND HE WROTE PSALM 119: AND AS I READ UNDERSTAND THAT THE WORDS; LAW, WORD, COMMANDS, PRECEPTS, STATUTES ARE MEAN THE SAME THING -- GOD’S WORD...
(9-16; 105; 129,130)
FOR SOME THE GIFT OF GOD’S WORD HAS LAID UNDER THEIR TREE FOR MANY YEARS... TO THEIR LOSE THEY HAVE NEVER REALLY OPENED IT.
THIS YEAR I PRAY THAT THEY WILL BLOW THE DUST OF THIS POWERFUL PRESENT AND UNWRAPPED THE WORD OF GOD IN THEIR LIFE.......
THE GIFT OF A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
THROUGH FAITH, PRAYER AND THE WORD WE CAN HAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ONE TRUE, ALMIGHTY, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS...
GOD WILL TALK TO US; COMMUNE WITH US AND WALK BESIDE US, IF WE UNWRAP THIS PRESENT...
YOU KNOW I DON’T THINK WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE MAGNITUDE OF THIS GIFT -- THE PEOPLE IN THE OT COULDN’T GO INTO GOD’S PRESENCE DIRECTLY -- THAT WAS RESERVED FOR THE HIGH PRIEST WHO ENTER THE HOLY OF HOLIES ONCE A YEAR...
BUT BECAUSE OF THE GIFT OF CHRIST -- WE CAN HAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD ANYTIME AND ANY WHERE... WE DON’T NEED A TEMPLE, A PRIEST OR EVEN A PREACHER -- WE JUST NEED TO COME...
DO YOU EVEN GRASP THE GREATNESS OF THIS GIFT... WHAT AN OPPORTUNITY!! WE (ME AND YOU) CAN HAVE A REAL LIVE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD...
HOW ABOUT UNWRAPPING THIS GIFT THIS YEAR!
THE GIFT OF PEACE
ONCE WHEN TALKING TO HIS DISCIPLES JESUS SAID,
"IN THIS WORLD YOU WILL HAVE TROUBLE...." AND THESE MEN WHO ALL BUT JOHN DIED A MARTYRS DEATH CERTAINLY FOUND THAT STATEMENT TO BE TRUE...
AND SO HAVE WE.... AT TIMES THERE SEEMS TO BE NO END TO THE TROUBLE THAT THIS WORLD CAN BRING OUR WAY... LIKE WAVES CRASHING AGAINST THE BEACH AS SOON ONE WAVE IS THROUGH HITTING US ANOTHER COMES RIGHT BEHIND IT.... BEEN THERE .. DONE IT AND SO HAVE MANY OF YOU..
BUT WAIT A MINUTE DIDN’T THE ANGELS WHO APPEARED IN THE SKY BEFORE THE SHEPHERDS ON THAT GLORIOUS NIGHT NEARLY 2,000 YEARS AGO... DIDN’T THEY PROCLAIM....
"GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST, AND ON EARTH PEACE TO MEN ON WHOM HIS FAVOR RESTS..."
SO WHAT’S GOING ON HERE?
IF JESUS CAME TO BRING PEACE ON EARTH WHY DO WE STILL HAVE SO MUCH TROUBLE? WHY DOES HE SAY WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE TROUBLE IN THE WORLD? WHAT’S UP WITH THIS GIFT OF PEACE?
IS THERE A CONTRADICTION HERE?
NO IT’S JUST THAT WE MISUNDERSTAND WHAT THE PEACE IS THAT JESUS IS TALKING ABOUT? HE SAID HIMSELF IN JOHN 14:27 THAT HIS PEACE IS DIFFERENT THEN THE PEACE OF THIS WORLD...
FOR YOU SEE, THE PEACE JESUS BRINGS IS NOT -- THE ABSENCE OF CONFLICT AND TROUBLE... RATHER IT IS A STATE OF MIND -- A STATE OF TRUST WHILE IN THE MIDST OF CONFLICT AND TROUBLE...
THERE IS A PAINTING TITLED "PEACE." IT DEPICTS ANGRY WAVES CRASHING AGAINST JAGGED ROCKS. IT PORTRAYS THE VIOLENCE OF A CRUSHING STORM. IT SEEMS ANYTHING BUT PEACEFUL. BUT DOWN IN A SMALL CORNER OF THE PAINTING, TUCKED AWAY IN THE ROCKS, IS A SMALL BIRD SITTING ON HER NEST TOTALLY OBLIVIOUS TO THE RAGING STORMS THAT SURROUND HER... THAT IS PEACE...
WE TOO WILL FIND PEACE WHEN WE SEEK SHELTER IN THE ROCK OF AGES...
"COME UNTO ME, ALL YOU WHO ARE WEARY AND HEAVY BURDEN, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST...." -- MATTHEW 11:28
IF YOU’VE NOTICED IN OUR OUTLINE I PUT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD BEFORE PEACE... BECAUSE THAT IS HOW IT IS.. AND IF YOU EVER FEEL YOUR PEACE SLIPPING AWAY -- IF YOU WANT IT BACK JUST REOPEN YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND PEACE WILL RETURN...
BEEN THERE -- DONE IT...
THE GIFT OF NEW LIFE
"I HAVE COME THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE; AND HAVE IT THE FULL.."
GOD SENT JESUS TO GIVE US A NEW LIFE A BETTER LIFE... A LIFE WHERE WE ARE ACCEPTED, LOVED AND CARED FOR BY GOD... NO MORE TRYING TO LIVE UP TO AND PLEASE MEN...
NO MORE STRUGGLING AND TRYING TO GAIN THIS WORLD’S TREASURES FOR WE HAVE FAR BETTER ONES WAITING FOR US...HEAVENLY ONES...
NO MORE PUTTING OUR HOPE IN THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD THAT ARE ONLY SINKING SAND.
AND NO MORE WORRYING ABOUT THE PAST AND FEARING THE FUTURE, BECAUSE GOD THROUGH CHRIST HAS CLEANED UP OUR PAST AND GUARANTEED OUR FUTURE...
YES JESUS CAME TO GIVE US LIFE AND GIVE IT TO THE FULL...
YET MANY STILL WALK IN THE WAYS OF THE OLD LIFE... THEY WALK IN DARKNESS, THE LIVE IN THE WAYS OF THIS WORLD... AND THEY LIVE IN MISERY, SADNESS, HOPELESSNESS AND DESPAIR... THE OLD LIFE ISN’T REALLY THAT GREAT IS IT? PAUL SAID IT WAS AN EMPTY AWAY OF LIFE... BECAUSE THAT’S HOW IT LEAVES YOU....
UNWRAP THE GIFT OF THE NEW LIFE.... THAT’S WHY JESUS CAME...
CONCLUSION
ISN’T IT GREAT ON CHRISTMAS MORNING TO HAVE YOUR CHILDREN OR SOMEONE ELSE YOU HAVE GIVEN A PRESENT TO OPEN IT, AND AS YOU DO YOU SEE THE JOY AND EXCITEMENT THAT THE GIFT BRINGS THEM... IT MAKES YOU FEEL SO GOOD....
IT REALLY IS MORE BLESSED TO GIVE THEN RECEIVE....
WELL THIS YEAR IF YOU WANT TO MAKE YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER FEEL GOOD. OPEN THE GIFTS HE PLACED UNDER YOUR TREE... AND HE WILL BE BLESSED AS HE SEES THE JOY, PEACE AND EXCITEMENT HIS GIFTS BRING TO YOU...
DON’T LEAVE THIS GIFTS OF: CHURCH, JESUS FIRST, FORGIVENESS, PRAYER, THE WORD, RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, PEACE AND A NEW LIFE.... UNWRAP YOUR GIFTS....
AND IF YOU NEVER UNWRAPPED THE GIFT OF SALVATION THAT JESUS CAME TO BRING -- YOU CAN UNWRAP THAT GIFT TODAY..
