The Gift Of Christmas...
The 6 top things to say about the gift no one would want..
6. You know, I always wanted one of these! Jog my memory—what’s it called again?
5. You know what?—I’m going to find a special place to put this!
4. Boy, you don’t see craftsmanship like that every day!
3. And it’s such an interesting color too!
2. You say that was the last one? So glad you snapped that baby up!
1. And the number one thing to say about the gifts you didn’t like is: “You shouldn’t have! No, really, I mean it, you really shouldn’t have!”
Well, We wish one another a Merry Christmas, A Happy Christmas, and we talk about The Joy Of Christmas, The Reason for the Season, The True Meaning Of Christmas, and as I thought of all these Christmas greetings, I began to see a few that we don’t hear much about when we extract some of the aspects of the Nativity which Christmas offers us....
But what matters more than what Christmas meant to the angels that filled the heaven on that miraculous day, or to the shepherds and wise men, or even to Mary and Joseph...or the Apostles, and prophets, and the preachers who are expounding the message from large and small churches this Advent season.... (what really matters), is what Christmas means to you....and how it affects your daily life....Cause that’s what people in your family, your circle of friends and your neighbors and work place are going to determine what “Merry Christmas” really means to you. How has Christmas effected my behavior, and my actions,.... and MY LIFE!
So I want to begin with the first thing which I celebrate at the Christmas Season.... Christmas is about the Gift of Access....When we couldn’t get to God, He came to us, through a miraculous, sinless birth. You see, God put mankind in charge of the earth, so He needed to become a man, in order to undo, and reconcile what the first man and woman had brought into the earth. This act of rebellion and disobedience, opened the door for Satan to legally enter and gain authority to bring evil and the works of darkness into a perfect, sinless world. Knowing all the ramifications of this act allowing Satan into the garden, and knowing what it would take to reverse it, God laid it all out, “Satan will bruise yourheal, but the offspring of the woman will crush, Satan's head. So God had to bring redemption within the terms He had bound Himself to, by His own word, in order to give authority and power back to mankind, in taking back what he had given to the devil. “They who dwelt in darkness have seen a great light, and upon them the light has dawned.” Adam and Eve lost access to that God part of their nature, which they had in the garden, and now God was giving it all back.
The babe in a manger was God’s gift of His pleasure. No wonder the angels sang enthusiastically “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace, good will to all men” Or did they??.... The original Greek language which this song of the angels was recorded in, (Yes, to be understood, they sang in Greek, they speak and sing in every language) but the song actually says, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace, good will to those on whom His pleasure rests”
Wow, the angels are actually saying, that through this (God come in the flesh) baby, the pleasure of God is once again available and accessible. The results in the earth are peace and God’s will to those upon whom His pleasure rests!! Every good and perfect gift begins to be evident in those upon whom His pleasure rests!(How many want the pleasure of God on you).... His name is Jesus! Jesus is the pleasure of God....
When the Man Jesus came out of the water of baptism, and when He was transfigured before his disciples, the Father spoke the words, which in the original writing is .. Matthew 3:17 “This is my beloved Son, upon whom My pleasure rests”!!! Jesus accessed that, (God’s pleasure) as a man, so that we could walk in His pleasure as well.... Luke 12:32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, (speaking of believers in Christ) for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom”. Philippians 2:13 says, “For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” God delights in seeing believers walk by faith as His grace empowers them. Psalm 37:23 says, “The steps of a man are established by the Lord, And He takes pleasure in his way.” As a parent, I take pleasure in every accomplishment and every growth season in my children, grand children and great grands. Their first steps, first words, first birthday, first day at school, graduation, marriage, birth of their children... and on and on. God is the same, and takes great pleasure in all the seasons of growth and development in our lives. Jesus wants us to believe big, to expect abundance, and to receive something bigger and greater in this life, and into eternity!
So at Christmas, laying there in a manger, we get a look at God’s Gift of a New World....
Isaiah 9:6-7 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forever , more. The passion (or pleasure) of the LORD of hosts will do this”. God will do what He is now doing.... Lying in that crude manger, in a cow barn, was the future government of a new world, of peace without end, true and fair justice, and righteousness that will last forever! Imagine peace with no interruptions, endless justice and fairness, and righteousness everywhere and in everything. Oh, my, something bigger than just surviving in life, and making it to heaven is embodied in Christmas... No wonder Satan wants to make it about Santa, and materialism, and partying, and carnal joy andgreed and the almighty dollar.... because He wants to focus on those things, so we will get our eyes off the real meaning of Christmas! He wants it to be Happy Holidays, and Yuletide, and the Season’s greetings, but NO, NO, NEVER ABOUT JESUS!! In a Charlie Brown Christmas cartoon, Charlie Brown was having trouble getting into the Christmas spirit so Linus said, “Charlie Brown, you’re the only person I know who can take a wonderful season like Christmas and turn it into a problem.” (Well, Satan loves to do that)
Satan likes it just the way it is, and maybe a lot worse.... The last thing he wants is a New Government, and a New World....
The gift of Christmas is the Gift of Redeemed, Eternal Life. Notice, Isaiah 9:7 tells us... That the new government and that new world, “shall be from this time forth and forever.”Christmas gives new meaning to “the span of a person’s life”... When I was 15, Jesus appeared to me at Youth Camp. He walked up to my bunk, where I was worshiping, and I looked into His eyes. They were pools of eternity, that went on forever.... He said, “Follow Me” and I knew it was forever and eternally....My world was about to change!
Those who receive Emanual, have the pleasure of the Lord upon them, and they shall live forever! Oh, I love the message of Christmas! Buildings and every other structure of man, will crumble and collapse with time. The greatest achievements will become obsolete and gather dust in some ancient archive. But those who have the pleasure of the Lord, will be forever young.... (I like the idea of being 30 forever).
The Gift of Christmas is “All Things”..... Romans 8:32 “He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him, freely give us all things”. When I was a kid, I would make a list of what I wanted for Christmas, and I knew I would get one thing on the list... But God says “All Things” come with the gift of Jesus! It is God’s pleasure to give us, Not a few dribs and drabs, Not to keep us barely making it, but He delights to freely give – without restraint or reluctance. He is NOT a withholding God. He gave us Jesus! He will not withhold from us any good thing!!!. Luke 18:29 “And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that has left houses, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake, 30 Who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting”.
James said, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who GIVES GENEROUSLY to all men”. Christmas reminds me that I serve a generous God. He doesn’t just give to us to meet a need now, but He gives to provide for things we don’t even know we need yet and the wisdom to use it wisely.
Philippians 4:19 “My God will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen”.…
And that is only the start of His giving to you. Ephesians 2:7 tells us that God saved us “so that in the ages to come He might show us the surpassing riches of His grace & kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” He NEVER STOPS GIVING! He never will! God saved you to show you the surpassing riches of His grace, and kindness, for all eternity! Paul said, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered into the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love him”. You can't imagine all the wonder God has prepared for you, because of Christmas!
Jesus is the Father’s declaration of intention toward us for all eternity!
Now let me clarify something, God’s greatest gift is not things, Christmas means that God's greatest gift is Himself. Henry Scougal, a seventeenth-century Scottish minister, said, "God has long contended with a stubborn world, and poured down many a blessing upon them; and when all His other gifts could not prevail, He at last made a gift of Himself." I like how the Message bible interprets John 14:1 “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into theneighborhood”. – (That’s everyone’s neighborhood)! For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son!!! Romans 8:32 Listen again to Paul as he says. (I want this to sink down deep in our spirits....“Having given us Himself, will He not freely give us all things”... The most fundamental promise God gives us is this: I will be your God and you will be my people! God gives himself to you! Even if we have very little in material things we are still fabulously and greatly blessed in all that matters most. We should never be overwhelmed by any loss, when we see all that God has prepared for us. God said to Abraham, “I am your shield, your very great reward”. God gave Abraham himself. If you have come to know God, and seen and experienced his glory and experienced his love for you, then you know something of the riches of possessing the gift of GodHimself. If you have God with you, for you, and on your side, you have it all. When God spoke that to Abraham, Abraham was a stranger and a sojourner in the land; he did not own one sq ft of land, but he had God. This is a place you need to come to if you will ever be truly happy and content at Christmas and through the New Year, God has given us Himself!!.
All things..... that’s Food, work, abilities, marital bliss, money, families, children, laughter, friends, flowers, birds singing, sunshine and blue skies, orange and purple sunsets, rain to grow, rainbows to glow, bacon and eggs and sourdough pancakes, pizza on Friday night, walking, running, and music and song - all these are gifts from God! Anything that you find pleasure in (that is pure and wholesome), anything that is good, of value and profitable in your life, is from God!
I heard a missionary share a story about their little daughter who for a long time wanted an American Girl doll. But they had no money and couldn't get her one. So they cut out a picture of an American Girl doll and attached it to cardboard, then cut out some outfits to hang on it, put some clothes on it and that was her American Girl doll. Well a couple of years later they came into a situation where they could buy their daughter a real American Girl doll.
They were so excited to give it to their daughter on Christmas morning. They couldn't wait to see her face. Of course their little girl opened the present the next morning and was ecstatic with joy and jumped up and down and said thank you mommy and daddy. But this father said his daughter's joy could not have been greater than he and his wife's own joy in giving her that doll.
Then he said this, “How would we have felt if our daughter had opened that package and said, mommy and daddy, I don't want this doll, all I want is you, all I want is to be with you. We would have been shocked because, by receiving and enjoying our gift to her, she was allowing us our greatest pleasure, in allowing us to show our love to her.” Material blessings do not to make us lovers of things if we see “The Giver Himself” through the gifts He gives us! These things are to make us lovers of God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy! Jesus provided fish on the fire for the disciples, He multiplied the loaves and fish, He turned water into wine, and He put money in the fishes mouth, and enabled them to catch a boat sinking load of fish. In all these things, the gift only caused them to worship the giver....
Paul tells the Christmas story from the cosmic viewpoint. He tellsthe Colossians Christians, in Col.1:15-20 that the baby born of Mary, “is the image of the invisible God, the first born of all creation. For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible… all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together… For in Him the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things… making peace by the blood of His cross. Try singing that to the tune of “Jingle Bells” or “Deck the Halls with balls of Holly.” It just won’t fit, no matter how you sing it....
So then, Christmas is the Gift of A new beginning, when God restores His creation to its perfect and glorious condition, FROM THE INSIDE OUT, BY OPERATING FROM WITHIN IT. The baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger is none other than God’s “Behold I make all things new again” Our new beginning has arrived!!
Instead of using the option to destroy it all and return it all to oblivion, after sin entered into God’s very amazing creation, God chose to redeem His creation. He must renew and restore it. And for this, blood must be shed. Divine blood that makes all things new, and pure and holy and ‘very good.’
If Christmas is the promise, then Easter is the proof.
The flesh and blood of our new beginning must be the very fleshof God Himself so that it will be divine blood that poured out toconfront and destroy the curse. The swaddling clothes He is wrapped in is the promise of the grave clothes that He will be wrapped in. The manger He is laid in is a promise of the tomb that He will be laid in. The new beginning that God began when the Holy Spirit overshadowed the virgin Mary is accomplished when the baby she gives birth to, cries from the cross, “It is finished.” So, even if we cannot communicate all of this to those who we meet and greet during this holiday season, at least let US be aware of the meaning of what we are saying when we say, “Merry Christmas.”
Tell someone, “Merry Christmas is an amazing Gift which we are still unwrapping.
(shall we pray) Pastor’s prayer......Lord, Renew in our hearts the wonder and awe of the miracle of the Gift of Christmas. Not only us, Lord, but let it spread to our families and our friends. Let us come together to celebrate You and leave behind all the fuss and enter into the real beauty of Christmas. Let us sing Your praises with joyful thanks in love and devotion! Let us love our Lord who has loved us since the world began. In Jesus’ Name. I want to take this opportunity to wish you and yours all the happiness God intended you to have. May He shower His blessings upon you and bless you with every desire which He has designed for you. Have a God filled Christmas and a profitable and fruitful year ahead.
Close with “Oh Come Let Us Adore Him”
(We praise Your name Lord Jesus)
(We’ll give you all the glory)
