|
"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift." II Corinthians 9:15
Do you remember the Christmas when you got the 'perfect' gift? Do you remember that morning when you got out of bed and were blown away when you realized what you had gotten? It might have been the Star Wars ship or the Barbie RV or the doll or the car, but you haven't forgotten it, have you?
Sadly, many people have forgotten the most perfect gift ever. Many of you have seen the billboards, either in person or online, by the atheist group that shows a manger scene and the words 'You know it's a myth / This season celebrate reason.' As one of my pastors once said, 'For people who don’t believe in God, atheists sure do hate Him.' You know we are at war, don’t you? I'm not talking about Afghanistan or South Korea; I'm talking about a spiritual war all around us.
We have the message of life, and Satan will do anything to keep us from sharing it. "For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens." Ephesians 6:12 In a world that grows increasingly darker, we find ourselves compromising so many things so that people will not be offended.
If we are the light in this world, we must not be afraid of offending someone; I would rather hurt someone's feelings than not share with them the reality of eternity in hell without Christ. My fear is that we are so blessed and have so much in this world, that it is hard to be desperate - desperate for Christ and desperate to share His message of hope with a lost world.
As you go to your Christmas Eve service tonight, as you gather with your families today and tomorrow, as your celebrate this holiday with your friends and loved ones, don't forget about the greatest gift. The gift that cost us nothing, but came at a great price. The first step in the fulfillment of the greatest plan ever. Sinful man, separated from God and destined for eternity in hell, is redeemed by a child. God put on flesh, lived among us, took on our sin, suffered and died, but on the third day He rose from the tomb, defeating Satan's greatest threat against us - death. Now, as children of God, as forgiven sinners, let us take this message of hope and grace to the world around us. Thank You Jesus for the greatest gift, the gift of You.
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23
|
