Putting A Gift Of Christmas To Work

Putting a Gift of Christmas to Work

Acts 1:4, Psa 51:11, Isa 63:10-11, Exo 14:21, Gen 1:2, 8:1, Luke 1:15, 35, John 7:39,

Luke 24:49, Acts: 1:8, Luke 12:12, Matt 10:20, John 14:26-28, Rom 8:26, John 16:8

December 8, 2003

I. Well, the Christmas season has begun, and there are several things that we have to remember during the Christmas season. This is the time of year that we are to celebrate the birth of Christ, and you would think that the only things that we should be concerned about would be things that relate to His birth, but there are some other things that we can’t afford to forget. So I want to list them for you.

A. One of them is AVOID WALMART AT ALL COST!

B. IF DRIVING WITHIN A FIVE MILE RADIUS OF WALMART IS A MUST, DO IT WITH CAUTION.

C. IF YOU ARE FORCED TO GO TO WALMART, DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT WALK IN FRONT OF AN EMPTY PARKING SPACE WITH IN 35 ROWS OF THE DOOR. THIS WILL RESULT IN YOU BEING HIT BY AT LEAST TWO CARS FIGHTING FOR THAT SPACE.

D. IF YOU’RE LUCKY ENOUGH TO MAKE IT INSIDE THE STORE ALIVE, AVOID THE TOY AREA, AS RIOTS ARE APT TO BREAK OUT AT ANY MINUTE.

E. IF YOU ARE FORCED TO BUY A TOY, GRAB IT AND RUN TO AVOID HAVING IT RIPPED FROM YOUR HAND. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE IF IT IS THE LAST ONE ON THE SHELF.

F. WHEN APPROACHING THE CHECK OUT COUNTER EXERCISE GREAT CAUTION.

G. IF YOU HEAR SOMEONE SAY I CAN HELP SOMEONE OVER HERE IMMEDIATELY JUMP IN YOU CART TO AVOID BEING TRAMPLED.

H. IF THE CHECKER IN YOUR LINE CALLS FOR A CSM, BE THANKFUL THAT YOU WORE COMFORTABLE SHOES AND ATE BEFORE YOU CAME.

I. WHEN EXITING WALMART CAREFULLY SCAN THE PARKING LOT TO DETERMINE IF THERE IS A PARKING SPACE AVAILABLE WITHIN 35 ROWS OF THE DOOR. IF YOU SEE THAT ONE IS AVAILABLE PROCEED WITH GREAT CAUTION, DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE PEDESTRIAN CROSSING NOW MEANS NOTHING.

J. IF YOU ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE PEDESTRIAN CROSSING, AVOID CROSSING THE OPENING TO THE EMPTY PARKING SPACE EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO WALK AROUND THE GAS PUMPS TO GET TO YOUR VEHICLE.

K. ONCE IN THE VEHICLE BUCKLE UP BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE, DUE TO THE FACT THAT WHEN SOMEONE SEES YOUR BRAKE LIGHTS COME ONE THEY MIGHT REAR END YOU TRYING BEAT THE DRIVER COMING THE OTHER WAY INTO THE PARKING SPACE.

L. ONCE YOU HAVE STARTED THE ENGINE EXIT THE SPACE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. REFERENCE THE ABOVE RULE.

M. WHEN EXITING THE PARKING LOT ALWAYS ENTER THE LANE THAT LEAVES THE PARKING LOT AS FAR FROM THE STREET AS POSSIBLE TO AVOID BEING RUN DOWN WHILE TRYING TO GAIN ENTRANCE TO THAT LANE.

N. AFTER EXITING THE FIVE MILE RADIUS ZONE PULL OVER AND THANK GOD FOR HIS PROTECTION.

II. There is no doubt that one thing that everybody is thinking about during Christmas time is gifts, and we eventually get around to remembering that God gave us the gift of His Son at Christmas.

A. But there is another gift that Jesus’ coming to earth made possible that we don’t associate with Christmas that often?

1. It is a gift from God that makes all the difference in the world in our lives in the here and now.

2. It is a gift that is directly related to the forming all the habits that I have been talking about for the last few weeks.

3. Are you curious yet? Not enough people raised their hands.

4. It is a gift that changed the whole complexion of how we relate to God as human beings.

5. It is a gift that we never lose, and it is not salvation, but is directly related to salvation.

6. It is a gift that only benefits us when we put it in the right place.

7. And it is a gift that we can’t see.

8. Now are you curious?

(Acts 1:4 NIV) On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

B. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A GIFT FROM GOD TO US. He was a gift that was only made possible because Jesus died to take away our sin, His coming to live inside us forever changed the way that we relate to God, He is a gift that we can never lose but a gift that only benefits us if we put him in first place in our lives and allow God to use his presence in our lives to direct us.