Make It Count
GNLCC 12/25/2005 Ecclesiastes 11:9-10 John 3:16-21
How many of us today received gifts from other people. Our gifts are an indication that somebody loves us and somebody wants to invest our lives.. Many parents and grandparents and uncles and aunts and cousins and friends, have made a sacrifice today, so that our hearts and our lives might be encouraged. They gave us a gift in order to help us find joy in our lives our lives. Did anyone have someone come up and say, “I’m giving you this gift that cost me a lot in order to make your life miserable.” Know we give generously because we love.
What do we do we do when receive a gift? Some of us said before Christmas, “ Mommie, if I get so and so for Christmas, you’ll never have to ask me to do my chores again.” Some of us made up our minds when we opened our gifts, that from now on we are going to change our behavior. Well now that we have received our gifts, how are we going to make that gift count. Is it really going to change our way of living.
Although the giver of the count wants to make sure the gift counts, it is actually up to the person receiving the gift that has the ability to make it count. You see a person who is grateful can make a $5 gift count, and a person who is ungrateful can make a $50,000 gift go to waste. It’s not the value of the gift, as much as it is the response of the receiver. For instance you can receive the gift of a $100,000 four year scholarship to college, but only you can make it count.
We celebrate Christmas because God wanted to give the world a gift. There is this strange notion about God, that somehow God wants to rob us of having a good time in life. We think that if we get close to God, life will become boring. But did you know that God created you to have a good time. Who do you think put the desire within you to dance, to listen to music, to eat, to play sports, to attend plays and concerts? God has never been opposed to His people having a great time.
In our Old Testament reading, God said, “Young people enjoy your life while you have it, you’re only going to live once. Just remember though you are going to have to give an account to God for the decisions you make in terms of what you choose to enjoy.”
How many of you know there are some things that can be fun, but they can also be very destructive to your life. I want you to know that God did not sit in heaven and say, “what kind of gift can I give to people that would make their lives miserable and boring.”
No God had something completely opposite in mind. God looked at each one of us and said, “I love you all so very much. Let me give you a gift that can change your life and give you something that really counts in the end. Something that can challenge you to live for something far greater than yourself.
The gift that God chose to give us was Jesus Christ. Jesus is the reason for Christmas. Jesus is the gift God gave to us. Now to understand the gift, you need to know that Jesus means to save us. God sent Jesus to save us. But what did Jesus need to save us from.
First of all we needed to be saved from ourselves. How many of you, have ever gotten you in trouble? You did it all by yourself, without having any help from anybody. You just did something dumb or stupid or selfish and brought trouble into your life that you didn’t need to bring.
Well brace yourself, because you’re going to do a lot more dumb and stupid and selfish things as you continue to live. It’s not because you’re going to want to do them, it’s because it is in our nature to do what we want to do. We were born with it. A two year old is dependent on everybody to take care of him or her, and yet the first word most of them learn is “no. I’m not going to do it.”
That same spirit grows up within us and it destroys all kinds of relationships. How many of you like to be around selfish people who got to have it their way. Some of us are already upset this Christmas because something didn’t go our way. Jesus is the Savior who sets us free from having to have things our own way.
Second we need to be saved from powerful forces around us that we cannot see. The Bible teaches that there is a world of spiritual beings all around us that we cannot see unless they choose to make themselves known. The Christmas story is full of angels and heavenly beings announcing God’s gift to the world. When Jesus becomes an adult, the bible makes known all of the demonic and evil spirits which also affect our lives. The king of these demons and evil spirits is Satan or the devil. Satan’s goal is to kill, cripple and destroy people’s lives. Have you ever had a temptation pop in your head that was the furthest thing from you mind and so out of character? Where did that come from. That’s the devil sowing seeds.
The bible teaches, he goes throughout the world as a roaring lion seeking someone to eat alive. Most of the time, he comes though offering as a simple little pleasure. We have no idea there is a plan and a trap behind the pleasure.
We go from that was fun, to an all out addiction. Addictions will often have a spiritual or satanic stronghold behind them. That’s why you can’t just walk away from some things that you know are destroying your life. You want to quit, but you don’t have the strength to do it. Jesus is the Savior who breaks addictions, because Jesus said, “I have come that you might have life, and have it joyfully to the full.”
Third we need to be saved from the judgment that is awaiting all of us. The death rate is currently running at 100%. We are all going to die. We are all going to give an account to God for the decisions we have made in life. Now there is a false notion that we can earn our way into heaven by being good. The reason God gave Jesus as a savior is because all of us have done wrong and all of us had earned the right to go to be punished for our sins.
When you do a crime, and go before a judge, you expect to be sentenced. There are some sentences that last a month, some a year, some 20 years and some a lifetime, and some end in the death penalty. We know before we commit a crime what sentence we are possibly facing. We also know there is justice in the punishment we receive.
God’s word tells us that not only are we all facing the spiritual death penalty. We have already been found guilty and are simply waiting to begin serving our sentence. The only way out of having to pay the time for our crime, is to find someone who is willing to pay our sentence for us.
God loved us so much, that God took on the form of Jesus Christ and came into the world as a babe in a manger. That was our gift on Christmas. Jesus grew and lived as we lived on earth, but never did any sin. He was the only perfect person to have lived because He was fully God and fully human at the same time.
The only way He could pay for our wrong doing was to voluntarily give up His perfect life as a sacrifice for us. He died by being severely beaten, then nailed on a cross and then having a spear stuck in his side. by , on what we call Good Friday. His death meant that we would not have to worry about the wrong we have done. He was dead for three days, and after that He rose from the dead on what we call Easter or Resurrection Sunday, proving that no power, not even death could keep Him from coming to our aid in our times of need.
God has a given us a gift that will save us from ourselves, from the spiritual forces around us and from the judgment that is certain to come. But it is up to us make the gift count. Nobody gets a Play station Game Center or an X-Box for Christmas, or a Platinum TV simply to leave it in the box and go tell everyone, I’ve got a Playstation or come see my X-Box or my TV. For us to appreciate the gift and make it count for all the money our parents or ourselves spent on it, we have to get involved with it. We have to use it for what it was intended.
If we try to leave Jesus in the church and serve Him only on Sunday mornings in church, it’s like leaving the Brand New TV set in the box and admiring what a beautiful box that TV came in. We make God’s gift count, by inviting Jesus into our lives.
Now Jesus does not come into to our lives, to be an advisor, or a good friend. Jesus comes into our lives to take them over and to call the shots. He has the experience of eternity behind Him, so He knows what’s best for our lives. Not only that, Jesus loves us far more than we love ourselves. He’s not going to lead us into sinful or wrong situations. You see none of us are as smart as we think we are nor as strong as we think we are when it comes to fooling around with temptation.
If you opened your gift from God today, then your Christmas Day is already going to be different. You see Jesus is going to tell you, today is the day to make it count. Let go of the unforgiveness you’ve been nursing for today is your day of freedom. You’re not punishing them, you’re being eaten up by bitterness, so let it go. Make the gift count.
To another Jesus may be saying swallow your pride and admit that you were wrong in how you handled that situation. You lost your temper. You spoke too quickly. You didn’t really mean what your said. Make the gift count by going and making things rights.
To another Jesus may be saying, Go apologize for your attitude today when you didn’t get what you expected. Be thankful for what you did have and for those who made it possible. I still love you and you still are somebody. Your value is not determined by the gift that was under the tree. Your value has always been determined by me. Make the gift of Jesus count.
Make a decision that you’re going to have to have the joy that Jesus intended for you to have today. Decide right now, I will not have a bitter or complaining spirit today. I am even going to find ways to compliment and build up others. I am going to make the gift of Jesus count. You don’t know how many more Christmases you have left together as a couple or as a family or if this is your last Christmas together. My dad and I were talking that it’s not just coincidence we all got together. It may be a special gift from God to us. So let go of the past and make a decision to bring as much joy into the life of your spouse as you can from this day forward. Make the gift of Jesus Christ count.
You know you may have been thinking only about yourself this Christmas instead of how you could be a blessing to someone else. Who do you know that could use something that you have to give, a gift, a word of encouragement, or a word of appreciation. Make the gift of Jesus count and do something for somebody else this Christmas who can’t do anything in return.
I want you to know this can be the last Christmas you will be addicted to drugs, this can be the Christmas you spoil it for everyone because of an addiction to alcohol, this can be the last Christmas of pornography eating away at your soul, or the last Christmas you’re addicted to making money at any cost. Jesus died specifically, to provide you with the power to be set free of these things if you’re willing to make Him first in your life, and make yourself available to be used by Him. Receive God’s gift and make it count. You see you not only have to come to Jesus, you have to then choose to follow Him, where He goes to discover His adventure for your life.
This can be the first Christmas, you understand what it is to know Jesus as not only the savior of the word, but the savior who is willing to give you eternal life which can begin today. God paid an awesome price to be in a special relationship with you. Receive God’s gift of Jesus, and make it count. Your life will never be quite the same again.
Sermon Outline Pastor Rick
Make It Count
12/25/2005 Eccl. 11:9-10 John 3:16-21
A. The Gifts That We Receive
1. Somebody Wants To Invest
2. Someone Wants A Good Time
3. Gifts Not Given For Misery
4. Promises We Make For Gifts
B. Who Makes The Gift Count
1. The $5 Grateful Attitude
2. The $50,000 Waste
3. The Scholarship
C. God Wants Us To Have A Good Time
1. Created Us For Fun Not Boredom
2. God’s Gift Keeps On Changing
3. Jesus The Gift That Means Savior
D. Can It Be That I Might Be The Problem
1. I Did It All By Myself
2. The Two Year Old Response—NO
3. I Want It My Way
E. Maybe The Devil Made Me Do It
1. The Realty Of The Spiritual World
2. From Angels To Demons
3. I Want To Stop But Can’t
4. Demonic Addictions
5. Jesus Came That We Might Have
Life
F. There Is A Spiritual Court Date
1. Death Rate Running At 100%
2. But I Try To Be Good
3. There Is A Sentence For A Crime
4. Guilty, But Someone Takes My
Place.
5. Christmas, Good Friday,
6. Easter/Resurrection Sunday
7. Death Not Strong Enough
G. God Has A Gift That Helps
1. Please Don’t Touch The Play
Station, The X-Box, Or TV
2. To Make It Count Engage
3. Leaving Jesus Until Sunday
4. More Than An Advisor
H. Choosing To Make Jesus Count Today
1. Help With Unforgiveness
2. I May As Well Admit It
3. I’m Changing My Attitude
4. I’m Still Somebody
5. No Complaining From Me
6. Something Positive To Say
7. Who Can I Bless
8. Good-bye Addiction
9. Here’s The Freedom
10. Never The Same Again.
John 3:16-21
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it. 18"There is no judgment awaiting those who trust him. But those who do not trust him have already been judged for not believing in the only Son of God. 19Their judgment is based on this fact: The light from heaven came into the world, but they loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20They hate the light because they want to sin in the darkness. They stay away from the light for fear their sins will be exposed and they will be punished. 21But those who do what is right come to the light gladly, so everyone can see that they are doing what God wants."
