Unwrap The Gift Of Joy This Christmas

Un-wrap the Gift of Joy this Christmas

Luke 2:10 “But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”

The angel said, “I bring you good news.” Christ is our good news of great joy.. Regardless of the circumstances, the pain, or problems, we look to Jesus, He is our good news. In Christ we can face life with optimism and joy.

What gift do you hope to unwrap this Christmas? Are you hoping for new clothes? An electronic gadget like a palm pilot or video cell phone or Sony Play Station 3; Or maybe you’re hoping to get a new HD TV?

Here are some letters children wrote to Santa Claus:

Dear Santa Claus:

Last year you didn’t leave me anything good. Also the year before last year you didn’t leave me anything good. This year is your last chance. Alfred.

Dear Santa:

In my house there are three little boys. There is Richard, he is 2. There is Jeffrey, he is 4. There is Norman, he is 7. Richard is good sometimes. Jeffrey is good some times. Norman is good all the time. I am Norman.

In the Christmas musical our choir sang about the best gift you can gift God. The best gift you can give is yourself.

The Greatest Gift

# The story is told about a wise and good king who ruled in Persia. He loved his people. He wanted to know how they lived. He wanted to know their hardships. Often he dressed in the clothes of a working man or a beggar, and went to the homes of the poor. No one whom he visited thought that he was their king. One time he visited a very poor man who lived in a cellar. The king ate the coarse food the poor man ate. The king spoke cheerful and kind words to the man. Then the king left. Later the king visited the poor man again and disclosed his identity by saying, “I am your king!” The king thought for sure the poor man would ask him for some gift or favor, but he didn’t. Instead he said, “You left your palace and your glory to visit me in this dark, dreary place. You ate the course food I ate. You brought gladness to my heart! To others you have given your rich gifts. To me you have given the best gift you gave yourself.”

In Jesus, God gave Himself as the greatest gift. The Bible calls this gift the “Unspeakable gift!”

Pastor Clifford Steward of Louisville, KY, sent his parents a microwave oven one Christmas. He described the response of his parents:

They were exited that now they, too, could be a part of the instant generation. When his dad unpacked the microwave and plugged it in, literally within seconds, the microwave transformed smiles into frowns! Even after reading the directions, his parents couldn’t make the microwave work. Two days later the mother confessed to a friend that she couldn’t even get the microwave oven to boil water. She said, “I really don’t need better directions; I just needed my son to come along with the gift!”

In the birth of Jesus God just didn’t send directions in His Word, he sent Jesus His Son to communicate in person the love of God.

When you embrace the love of God you have a sense of well being and joy. You know that all is well with your soul.

The message of the angel to the shepherds is needed today: “I bring you good news of great joy.” Because Jesus was born we sing out, “Joy to the World the Lord is come.

Instead of joy people live lives of quiet desperation, a life filled with fear and worry. Longfellow expressed the mood and clouds that hang over many at Christmas time. Longfellow wrote in his Christmas hymn: “I heard the bells on Christmas Day---and in despair I bowed my heard: There is no peace on earth, I said, for hate is strong, and mocks the song of peace on earth, good will to men.”

Someone has written to describe our secular society:

In a day of illusions

And utter confusions

Upon our delusions

We base our conclusions.

Whatever your situation is this evening, the Angel of the Lord says to you: “I bring your good news of great joy.” It’s a gift from God to you. All you have to do is un-wrap the gift.

The scripture give this command: “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice.” Phil. 4:4 The apostle Paul goes on to say, “Don’t be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition…” Phil. 4:6 Did you notice words, “anything and everything.” “Don’t be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer…”