THE PERFECT GIFT
MATT. 1:20
I. THE TEXT
THIS TEXT POINTS TO THE PROVIDENTIAL, PROPHETIC PRE-VIEW OF THE BIRTH OF THE CHRIST CHILD. A CHILD WHO IN ONE SENSE WILL BE BORN YOUNGER THAN HIS MOTHER, AND IN ANOTHER SENSE, HE IS AS OLD AS TIME BECAUSE HE PRE-DATES TIME. JOHN 1:1 TEACHES US THAT, “IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD, AND THE WORD WAS GOD.” FURTHERMORE, JESYS STATES IN JOHN 8:58, “VERILY, VERILY I SAY UNTO, BEFORE ABRAHAM WAS, I AM.”
THE BIRTH OF JESUS WOULD CHANGE THE COURSE OF HISTORY. BORN IN BETHLEHEM, WHICH MEANS THE HOUSE OF BREAD. THE BREAD OF HEAVEN AND THE BREAD OF LIFE BORN INTO THE HOUSE OF BREAD.
THERE HAS NEVER BEEN AN INDIVIDUAL THAT HAS DONE SO MUCH FOR SO MANY LIKE JESUS. PRIOR TO THE BIRTH OF JESUS, THERE HAD BEEN NO PROPHETIC WORD FROM HEAVEN. BECAUSE OF MAN’S WICKEDNESS HEAVEN WAS SILENT FOR 400 YEARS. BUT THANK GOD FOR GALATIANS 4:4 WHICH TEACHES, “BUT WHEN THE FULNESS OF TIME WAS COME, GOD SENT FORTH HIS SON, MADE OF A WOMAN, MADE UNDER THE LAW.”
II. THE GIFT
NO OTHER GIFT IS AS VALUABLE AS JESUS BECAUSE HE IS THE JEWEL OF HEAVEN. JESUS IS THE GIFT THAT YOU CAN’T OUTGROW, HE DOES NOT WEAR OUT W/TIME, HE DOES NOT BECOME OBSOLETE IN TIME, HE DOES NOT DEPRECIATE W/TIME, THE WRITER OF THE BOOK OF HEBREWS SAYS IN THE 13: 8 THAT HE IS THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND FOREVER. THE PERFECT GIFT.
HOWEVER, MANY WOULD PREFER TO REJECT HIM THAN ACCEPT HIM. THERE ARE THOSE WHO PREFER A PHYSICAL, VISIBLE, AS OPPOSED TO JESUS. BUT LET ME MOCK TIME AND TELL YOU THAT EVERY VISIBLE GIFT IS ONLY TEMPORARY AND WILL PASS AWAY.
III. THREE POINTS
WHAT’S SO SPECIAL ABOUT THIS GIFT? ONE, CONSIDER WHO HE IS. NOT ONLY IS HE THE SON OF GOD, BUT HE IS GOD. JOHN 14:9 TEACHES, “HE THAT HATH SEEN ME HATH SEEN THE FATHER. (MAX LUCADO). TWO,CONSIDER HIS ACTIONS ACTS 10:38 ILLUMINATES THAT JESUS WAS ANOINTED WITH THE HOLY GHOST AND WITH POWER, DOING GOOD, HEALING THOSE WHO WERE OPPRESSED OF THE DEVIL; FOR GOD WAS W/HIM. THREE, CONSIDER HIS MISSION TO SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS.
IF WE HAVE ACCEPTED JESUS AS THE PERFECT GIFT, WE ARE OBLIGATED TO SERVE HIM. WE MUST LET OUR LIGHT SHINE THAT GOD MAY BE GLORIFIED.
IF YOU HAVE JESUS, SUBMISSION WILL REPLACE REBELLION, COMPASSION WILL REPLACE JEALOUSY, LOVE WILL REPLACE HATRED, JOY WILL REPLACE SORROW, PEACE WILL REPLACE CONFUSION, HOPE WILL REPLACE DESPAIR.
IF YOU HAVE JESUS, YOU HAVE………………..
· THE ROSE OF SHARON, THAT NEVER FADES
· THE BRIGHT AND MORNING STAR, THAT NEVER DIMS
· A SURE FOUNDATION THAT NEVER SHAKES
· A FAITHFUL FRIEND THAT NEVER FORSAKES
· HIGH PRIEST THAT NEVER FAILS
· BREAD FROM HEAVEN THAT NEVER MOLDS
· HE IS THE WAY THAT NEVER LEADS ASTRAY
· TRUTH THAT NEVER LIES
· LIFE THAT NEVER DIES
