Responding To "the Gift" Series

show picture…. It is Christmas time; many people will be getting gifts! How do people respond to a gift given??

Yes, first of all, in order for it to be a real gift, we must accept and receive the gift!

Now, can a person refuse a gift?? If a person refuses a gift, is it still a gift??

If a person refuses a gift, it is no longer a gift to that person, but it will always be a gift for the giver!

Now, for those who received a gift, how does it become real to them??

How many of you has a Christmas gift from last year and it is still in a closet somewhere? 😊

A gift received is useless if not opened and experienced!

Now, what is the greatest gift that we celebrate during this time of the year??

The greatest gift everyone needs to celebrate, not only during this time of the year but everyday, is Jesus Christ, the Son of God! Why?

Every person in the world should know and understand John 3:16!

Open your Bibles to the Gospel of John Chapter 3…. Nicodemus, a Jewish Religious Leader questioned Jesus…..read along with me v1-21….

Why is Jesus Christ a gift?

1. God in heaven gave Jesus Christ for every person in this world! For God so loved the world that He gave….

Let us note that, God gave the gift so it will always be a gift from Him! God is a loving God forever!

2. Jesus Christ is the gift because He gives eternal life!

Now, what was the eternal life Jesus was talking about? Jesus was telling the Religious Teacher Nicodemus that he must be “born again” to have eternal life with God!

Look again at v2……… and v5……

Not everyone physically born in this world will go to eternal heaven with God!

Look again at v18-19…. Every person physically born in this world will do evil, sin against a Holy God! A Holy God can not be with anything unholy! And let us remember that when God creates people, they are given eternal souls and All who do not believe in Jesus Christ will continue their eternal lives with all who do evil, including demons, and be totally separated from God for eternity!

The gift God offered through Jesus Christ is eternal life with God forever! But let us note….

3. Jesus Christ is a gift to ALL people but people have a choice to refuse and not make the gift real to them! The gift of God is not forced on anyone! God is love! Anything forced on anyone is not love!

And so, if Jesus Christ is a gift to all people…..

How do people respond to God’s gift of Jesus Christ?

1. People can refuse Jesus Christ, the gift of God, and have eternal life without God along with all Non-Believers of Christ including Satan and all the demons! Do not refuse the gift of God who is Jesus Christ or you will be with all evil forever, not with a Holy God!

2. The Gift of God is free (Jesus already paid for it on the Cross), how should we respond?

What is the right way to respond to God’s gift?

First of all, the gift of God will be meaningless to us if we do not receive and accept Jesus Christ.

a. Accept and receive Jesus Christ in your heart, mind, and soul as your Only Savior and Lord!

Nicodemus was warned by Jesus Christ to believe in His Testimony (God’s Word)! Totally believe in God’s Word! Understand, memorize, apply in our lives John 3:16!

For God loves you and me that He gave us His One and Only son, so we can be found righteous in God’s sight, ready for heaven!

And how do we make the gift of eternal life real in our lives? Like a gift you and I have hidden in the closet, let us not keep Jesus Christ hidden in a closet somewhere!

b. Open and experience God’s gift of Jesus Christ to our lives!! How do we do this?

Do what Jesus states in John 3:21:

- live by the truth (Truth is God’s Word!)

- live honestly (no need to deceive ourselves, God, or others) Why?

Look back again to John 3:12….. Jesus was telling Nicodemus, a religious leader and teacher, that he was blind to the reality of life and God!

Nothing is hidden from Jesus Christ! Live honestly because Jesus Christ sees all!

Are we worshiping God honestly? Will we celebrate Christmas honestly as God sees or will we allowing the “world system” dictate our celebrations? Do not be like this guy….. show picture of truck…

And look again at John 3:18…..

Believers of Jesus Christ are no longer condemned by God! Christians are born again, righteous in God’s sight, and are children of God! How do we see ourselves?