The Search is On
For the Perfect Christmas Gift
This is that time of the year when the game begins. By the time we have cleaned up the messy wrapping paper that we tore to shreds to get to the gifts, we are now looking or “searching” for that perfect gift for the people in our lives.
Out of the 45,827 malls and shopping centers nationwide, you would think we would not have a problem finding the perfect Christmas gift.
But there are still people out there, doing nothing more then SEARCHING.
Searching to the point of panicking. Time is running out and I don’t have the Perfect gift as of yet.
· The craze of the 1980’s was the “Cabbage Patch Dolls”. By the end of 1983, there were three million dolls sold.
· Then came the stories of parents fighting over the “Tickle Me – Elmo” doll. These parents attacking store clerks and running down delivery trucks.
· This year you have the Xbox 360.
There was a lady in Indiana, who left her home on a Monday night at 9:15 equipped with a foldable chair, a sleeping bag, gloves, an umbrella, a blanket and a burning desire to be one of the lucky few to snatch an Xbox 360 Live. More than 12 hours later she returned home from Toys ’R’ Us with her face wind burned, her nerves frayed and $536 poorer. Her mission was a success.
But the problem, when this Christmas is over, her search will begin again. Why? What she obtained was not enough.
Many shoppers are spending a lot of money, spending many hours looking and searching for things that they think will make them happy.
But this search started a long time ago. Read
Matthew 2:1-4
The Search for the King:
The Maji (three wise men) knew the prophecy that was foretold about a baby who was born who would one day become the King of the Jews. They went searching for the baby.
The Search for the Competitor:
When the wise men asked Herod about the baby’s whereabouts, this troubled the king. To the point of searching to kill baby Jesus. How? By having all male babies two years old and younger, killed. He thought by doing this cruel act, this would remove this baby Jesus who everyone was talking about.
So you see, the search has been going on ever since the first Christmas.
You are here. At this moment and you are caught up in the game of the search for the perfect Christmas gift. It’s just that things you are searching for are only temporary fixes.
Many of you are searching for:
1. Happiness.
· If I can just make it through Christmas without filing bankruptcy then I’ll be happy.
Until the credit card payments become due and you continue to just make those minimum payments. Come April, you will not be happy anymore when you start getting those statements.
· If I can just get this gift for my child, he/she will be happy and that will make me happy.
Until they decide they are finished playing with that expensive toy.
· If I can just have all of my family here for Christmas then I will be happy.
Until one of your family members doesn’t show up. Or maybe this is the first Christmas without a particular member who you lost this year or in years past.
The problem is you are searching for happiness when you ought to be searching for joy.
What’s the difference?
Happiness is received according to my circumstances:
As long as:
Everything stays in tact – I’m Happy!
Everybody gets along – I’m Happy!
She doesn’t say anything to me – I’m Happy!
He doesn’t make those harsh remarks to me – I’m Happy!
The "happiness that lasts" is never found because it is actually impossible to get happy and stay happy. If life is based on obtaining happiness, then we will always fall short because life is always changing as the wheel turns.
Joy is received in spite of my circumstances:
I lost my job – but I can still rejoice!
I lost my mom/dad – but I can still rejoice!
It’s been a tough year financially – but I can still rejoice!
My family is divided – but I can still rejoice!
Kids are messes up – but I can still rejoice!
How? – Because the joy that I have inside of me is not determined by:
· What people say to or about me
· What people do to me
· The mood I am in when I wake up in the morning
· My job or financial circumstance
· My marriage or the lack of one
But you don’t know what I am going through:
I don’t have to know, God knows and if you have Him on your side fighting for you – then the joy should be overflowing in your life.
2. Peace -
Peace at home
Peace at work
Peace with my family
Peace with my kids
Peace with my parents
Peace in our country
I just want people to stop fighting and yelling all the time.
Peace like a river found in Isaiah 66:12
Peace that passes all understanding found in Phil. 4:7
I just want peace in my life. I am tired of the constant turmoil.
3. Comfort-
You have lost a father
You have lost a mother
You have lost a child
You have lost a job
You have lost a friend
You have lost something so dear to you that you thought you would not be able to continue to live.
You are searching for some comfort to help ease the pain that you have in your heart over the loss.
4. LOVE –
You are searching for someone who will just love you.
Love you for who you are.
The Love of a parent
The Love of a companion
The Love of a church
The Love of a friend.
I have been giving out all the love here. I want someone who will love me.
Out of all the other gifts mentioned, this has to be one of the most sought after. If I can just have love in my heart.
John 15:13 –
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
There was a third group in the Christmas story that was also involved in a search.
Luke 2:8-11 – Tells us
v.8 “And in the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields keeping watch over their flock by night.”
v.9 “And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them and the glory or the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.”
v.10 “And the angel said to them. ‘Do not be afraid for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people;”
v.11 “For today in the city of David there has been born for you a SAVIOR who is Christ the Lord.
The shepherds went in haste and found what they were looking for: A Savior
One who rescues another from harm, danger or loss.
Can I tell you that your search for the perfect Christmas gift is over?
Those searching for:
Joy
Peace
Comfort
Love…………your gift has been found.
The shepherds found him lying in a manger in Bethlehem.
· Your wait is over.
· Your pain is over.
· Your need for love, is over.
· Your need for comfort, is over.
· Your need for acceptance, is over.
· Your search for that perfect gift is found in the baby that was laying in that manger, Jesus Christ.
Jesus was that friend that had so much love to extend to you that He gave His life for you.
· He is the comfort of all comfort
· He is the peace of all peach
· He is the joy of my salvation
· He is the perfect gift to meet all your needs this Christmas season.
In closing:
Romans 8:38
“I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, north depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God.”
You have been searching for years trying to find what you have found here tonight.
Now the choice is yours.
· Do you take Him or do you leave Him?
· Do you accept Him or do you reject Him?
· Do you want Him or do you want to leave him?
You can stop your searching; you have found your answer in Jesus Christ.
