The Greatest Gift Of All

INTRODUCTION

• SLIDE #1

• What is the greatest gift you have ever received? Who gave it to you? FROM A MATERIAL STANDPOINT.

• I remember when I was young, the excitement of coming into the living room on Christmas morning and seeing all of the gifts under the tree.

• I remember how the anticipation built each day as Christmas approached, the gifts under the tree would increase, and I could not wait to get my stuff!

• As an adult, one of the things that I love is giving gifts, I have to be careful because when I buy I Christmas gift, I want to give the gift as soon as I get it.

• In my home, we pass out all the gifts and we open them one at a time. (This is something my wife started so the opening would last longer and so she could open the last gift).

• Before a gift is opened, it is announced who the gift is from. The person who gave the gift watches intently as to look for some kind of reaction from the person who receives the gift.

• When the time comes to open the presents, what kind of system do you use to decide which gifts you are going to open first?

• Do you go for the BIG gifts first? Do you go for the small ones first? Do you go for the one with the pretty wrapping?

• Have you ever had gifts under the tree that no one claimed or that remained opened? OF COURSE NOT!

• God has a most excellent gift that He wants to give to all people. It is often the unclaimed or unopened gift of Christmas. It is the gift that many people leave under the tree or the gift that they will not claim.

• This Christmas season open your eyes, open your mind and open your heart to the most GREATEST GIFT OF ALL!

• SLIDE #2

• Romans 5:6-8(ESV) 6For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

• SLIDE #3

SERMON

God’s gift is the greatest of all gifts because…

I. The gift is needed by everyone!

• Have you received that infamous pair of socks? You have 20 pair already and here is

• Getting folks gifts can be difficult because one size usually does not fit all. Plus everyone has differing tastes and interests.

• Some of the latest toys would excite a child, but not many adults.

• Something that would excite one person would do nothing for another.

• Robyn says it is hard to buy stuff for her father because he has a lot of stuff.

• Then if we happen to get a gift that is interesting for a person, sometimes they do not need it.

• Everyone seems to have a differing idea as to what it means to need something. When Apple comes out with a new phone. That is a NEED!

• We get toys that break or we outgrow.

• We get books that we read and put down, we get clothes that we outgrow or that go out of style or wear out.

• We get food that we eat and it is gone (except what for stays around the waist).

• We see that Jesus wanted EVERYONE to have this gift; He did not just offer it to “GOOD” people!

• SLIDE #4

• 1 Timothy 2:4(ESV) 4who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

• SLIDE #5

• John 3:16(ESV) 16“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

• Who do you know other than Jesus who was or is perfect? None of us, so this gift is the greatest gift ever because we ALL need it!

• SLIDE #6

• Romans 3:23(ESV) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

• Can you think of something in your past that God cannot forgive?

• The Bible tells us that when we are immersed into Christ that our sins are forgiven (NO EXCEPTIONS).

• We need not be separated from God!

• SLIDE #7

• Romans 8:39(ESV) nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

• Your past does not limit your ability to receive the gift God has for you. If anything, your past is the reason you need God’s most excellent gift!