CHRISTMAS - The Gain: To Those Who Accept…an eternal perspective!

I once had a roll of pennies – a young man had a ten-dollar bill. I showed him how heavy my roll was, then broke it and showed him I had many while he only had one, he immediately wanted to trade! I shared with him the reality and told him that many believe that outward appearance equals something more precious. From there I shared the gospel; the burden to purchase salvation is easy for us. 

Many try to carry the burden of works for salvation, which may appear on the outside more precious. Works are very heavy and will never bridge to the Lord. Works always fall short, Grace is light for us, but was very heavy for Christ. The danger of how easy Grace is for us can lead us to not treasure it for how precious it truly is.

We have talked about the cost of Christmas; in closing I want to talk about the “gain” that Christmas is to those that accept!

·      (1) Authority - We are here on business for the King

This does not mean some political intimidation which some seem to think it is, nor is this being obnoxious in our message. We stand for the Truth and will not be sheepish about it.

Acts 26:1–3 Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and proceeded to make his defense:  “In regard to all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, that I am about to make my defense before you today; especially because you are an expert in all customs and questions among the Jews; therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.

Acts 26:28 Agrippa replied to Paul, “In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian.”

We do not represent ourselves we represent Him. So many may laugh and scorn us, but we need not take it personal, their fight is with the One we represent.         

For example:

·      Creation – God states planned and created – If someone else wants to build theories that they say shows we can from an accident, that is their right.

·      Historians have laughed at Sodom and Gomorrah, yet archeological digs at the kingdom of Ebla prove that Ebla traded with them. Skeptics say there is no evidence left of those cities. God stated He wiped them off the face of the earth! Should we expect to find remains?

·      Stars and planets just happened, yet Scripture not only states how, but describes the shape of the earth, the fact of space and exhibits a design that would be impossible from a Big Bang.

For many this reality will only hit when it is too late. The woman who nursed the agnostic, Professor J. H. Huxley, during his last illness reported that as he lay dying, he suddenly looked up at something that no one else could see and said “So it is true.”

This is not something we rejoice in, it is a reality that drives us to help all know that we all have an appointment with the One that made us.

·      We also have the authority of the Word of God.

2 Timothy 3:16  All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;

§  Morals – God’s desire for what’s best for society is one marriage between a woman and a man. Our society has proven to live contrary leads to a disaster. Scripture teaches forgiveness, integrity, charity and over coming hatred with love. Humans seek vengeance, will do what it takes to get ahead, hoard and consume wealth, and look out for #1. Is it a wonder that our world is broke? Even those that claim to follow God, but have created a religion succumb to the world’s ways. The Scriptures never lead to “churchianity” but to a living, growing relationship with God…where when we sin, because we are still sinners…the Scriptures lead us to do the correct thing.

·       (2) Your Identity - The real you!

Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

The gain to those that accept Christmas is to be what God intended us to be; beings that draw their worth and esteem from the One that made them. They are not trapped into seeking the world’s approval or fame…which last for about 15 minutes! God has a purpose and destiny for anyone that seeks it! 

This is why human kind has a restlessness that drives the question: Who am I? You cannot discover who you are until you discover Who God is…not only who you are, but who you can become!

Psalm 139:13–18 For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with You.

·      (3) Goals - Everything you do has eternal consequence…everything!

It is said “You cannot take it with you.” However, for those that have accepted Christmas…you can send it ahead!! Everything you do that was intended to glorify God whether in the family you raise, the spouse you are, the student you are or the worker you are, everything will come forth at that appointment with God as eternal rewards. When you forgive, because He did, when you refuse to condemn, because you yourself have received grace, or when you show love to the unlovely, our God honors that for eternity!

Maybe you read this, but it makes the point:

 In 1923 a group of the world’s most successful financiers met at the Edgewater Beach Hotel in Chicago.

Collectively, these tycoons controlled more wealth than there was in the United States Treasury, and for years newspapers and magazines had been printing their success stories and urging the youth of the nation to follow their examples.

 Twenty-seven years later, let’s see what happened to them. (1) CHARLES SCHWAB—the president of the largest independent steel company—lived on borrowed money the last five years of his life, and died penniless. (2) ARTHUR CUTTEN—the greatest wheat speculator—died abroad insolvent. (3) RICHARD WHITNEY—the president of the New York Stock Exchange—was released some time ago from Sing Sing. (4) ALBERT FALL—the member of the President’s Cabinet—was pardoned from prison so he could die at home. (5) JESSE LIVERMORE—the greatest bear in Wall Street—committed suicide. (6) LEON FRASER—the president of the Bank of International Settlement—committed suicide. (7) IVAR KRUEGER—the head of the world’s greatest monopoly—committed suicide.

 All of these men had learned how to make money, but not one of them had learned how to live. ^[1]

This life is not it! Christmas opened wide the door for any that desire to live from the eternal perspective!

1 Thessalonians 4:15–17 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:50–52 Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

Don’t settle for believing that this life and this world is all you have. God sent His Son on that first Christmas to offer you a life that includes “here and now” but with the perspective of counting forever! If you can agree with God that you have sinned and fall short of perfection, but desire to live with Him, then Christmas is for you. Tell God you believe Jesus is His Son, God in the flesh, and that you believe Jesus came and died to pay for your sins. If you can do that ask God to forgive your sins and help you turn from them, and tell Jesus you are going to trust in what He did for you to make you a child of God. This is called faith, and that is how God’s grace comes to all. God states He will turn none away that come to Him in faith through the sacrifice of the death of His Son, and when they do the resurrection of His Son will give them life forever with Him.

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^[1] Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 illustrations : A treasury of illustrations, anecdotes, facts and quotations for pastors, teachers and Christian workers. Garland TX: Bible Communications.