WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:04.680 And we are in a series together on honoring Christ and what Christmas is all about. 00:00:04.780 --> 00:00:11.860 And, knowing that the idea of Christmas is fun, but we don't want to use Christmas, contrary to why it was 00:00:11.860 --> 00:00:12.210 created. 00:00:12.300 --> 00:00:16.120 And that's just to glorify God in our lives. 00:00:16.160 --> 00:00:18.200 And so we want to use Christmas for that reason. 00:00:19.140 --> 00:00:24.480 So we're going through a series called Christmas Collision and God colliding with us in our lives and what it means for us as people. 00:00:25.460 --> 00:00:28.840 If someone were to ask you today, what is Christmas all all about? 00:00:29.140 --> 00:00:31.380 There are several ways that we could define that. 00:00:31.460 --> 00:00:38.540 As a matter of fact, I think if someone were to jump on a plane from ten buck two, that's a real place and they were to land in 00:00:38.540 --> 00:00:39.090 America. 00:00:39.140 --> 00:00:41.900 I don't know if Timbuk2 celebrates Christmas, but let's pretend like they don't. 00:00:42.380 --> 00:00:44.760 it would take it would take a while. 00:00:44.760 --> 00:00:50.230 And looking around to determine in our culture today that the center of Christmas is about Jesus. 00:00:50.680 --> 00:00:57.600 And so they may gather this thought that, they're they really like this red guy and his candy canes and whatever else he has to offer. 00:00:58.020 --> 00:01:01.900 And then they stick this little kid out in this cold, and I don't know what's up with that. 00:01:01.900 --> 00:01:06.020 Just stick him in some hay and some people kind of walk by that, and they're really happy when they see Santa, right? 00:01:06.500 --> 00:01:13.500 when someone asks you what Christmas is all about, hopefully being a believer in Christ not far from your lips is 00:01:13.820 --> 00:01:15.340 something about Jesus, right? 00:01:16.100 --> 00:01:18.400 Christmas is created all about Christ. 00:01:18.620 --> 00:01:19.780 It's in the name Christmas. 00:01:21.800 --> 00:01:22.950 What if someone were to ask you? 00:01:24.600 --> 00:01:25.660 Why did Jesus come to earth? 00:01:27.000 --> 00:01:27.660 What would you say? 00:01:30.180 --> 00:01:31.430 And Christmas is about Christ. 00:01:32.300 --> 00:01:33.330 Why did Jesus come? 00:01:35.360 --> 00:01:36.090 How would you answer that? 00:01:37.680 --> 00:01:42.420 And as parents, maybe Christmas gives you a wonderful opportunity to talk to your kids about it. 00:01:43.860 --> 00:01:45.630 And what would you say to the mind of a child? 00:01:46.110 --> 00:01:46.760 And. 00:01:47.060 --> 00:01:54.080 Being able to explain that first John chapter three is John's answer to that question why 00:01:54.080 --> 00:01:55.420 do we celebrate Christmas? 00:01:55.420 --> 00:01:56.360 What's Christmas all about? 00:01:56.360 --> 00:01:56.500 Why? 00:01:56.660 --> 00:01:58.240 Why did Jesus come to earth? 00:01:58.240 --> 00:02:05.070 And I love John's writings in Scripture, the book of John, revelation first, second, and third John. 00:02:05.920 --> 00:02:13.500 When John writes, he tends to write with a simplistic Greek description. 00:02:13.660 --> 00:02:18.440 I think some of that is because later John, when he writes his book, is writing later on in life. 00:02:20.500 --> 00:02:22.920 I have maybe this preconceived idea in my mind. 00:02:22.940 --> 00:02:29.000 It's accurate or not, you can take it for whatever it's worth, but I think sometimes the older we get, the more we appreciate life. 00:02:29.680 --> 00:02:34.320 So much so that maybe, maybe as you grow older, you wish some of the things that you appreciate about life. 00:02:34.540 --> 00:02:36.910 Now you took time to appreciate when you were younger. 00:02:38.000 --> 00:02:45.140 And John, when he's writing first John, he's writing these first John series, those books in his upper 80s into his early 90s. 00:02:45.240 --> 00:02:47.820 And he knows he knows his time in life is limited. 00:02:47.820 --> 00:02:49.420 He's working on borrowed time. 00:02:49.780 --> 00:02:55.420 And so when he describes for us the Christian life and he writes first John, he really just describes it for us in simplistic terms. 00:02:57.820 --> 00:03:04.640 In fact, when he opens up his book, he very clearly says for us as believers that this book is all about us walking with Jesus. 00:03:04.680 --> 00:03:07.600 He uses the terms light and darkness in our relationship with God. 00:03:09.060 --> 00:03:13.840 And he says in chapter one and verse eight, if we say that we have not sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 00:03:13.880 --> 00:03:15.410 And so he says, guess what, everybody? 00:03:16.640 --> 00:03:18.620 We've all got skeletons in the closet. 00:03:20.900 --> 00:03:21.420 We've all got. 00:03:23.020 --> 00:03:23.620 Junk to deal with. 00:03:25.940 --> 00:03:27.980 I think in being honest about that. 00:03:28.100 --> 00:03:31.180 That for me is one of the reasons I love being around God's people. 00:03:31.820 --> 00:03:33.260 They really understand what the gospel is. 00:03:34.880 --> 00:03:38.150 because when you understand what the gospel is, you don't have to put on a mask. 00:03:39.620 --> 00:03:41.110 You'll have to pretend to be someone that you're not. 00:03:42.420 --> 00:03:46.540 It's not to say that Jesus isn't transforming your life, but you can be honest with where you are. 00:03:48.320 --> 00:03:51.400 If we say that we have not sinned, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 00:03:51.420 --> 00:03:53.180 And then the better part comes in verse nine. 00:03:54.360 --> 00:03:55.240 If we confess our sins. 00:03:55.240 --> 00:03:57.880 He's faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 00:03:59.600 --> 00:04:00.400 Meaning? 00:04:01.720 --> 00:04:05.640 You know, we all we all have skeletons and God loves you anyway. 00:04:06.340 --> 00:04:07.760 And God's still not okay with it, too. 00:04:08.900 --> 00:04:13.340 Because what God's got planned for you is, apart from sin, and what he's got planned for you is better than what you're planning for yourself. 00:04:14.960 --> 00:04:20.640 In John's book is how we deal with our relationship with God, because the thought is this what sin does? 00:04:21.720 --> 00:04:23.040 Is, it just divides. 00:04:24.320 --> 00:04:25.440 It destroys and divides. 00:04:27.180 --> 00:04:30.030 Sin creates tension in every relationship in this world. 00:04:31.120 --> 00:04:32.480 Starting with our relationship with God. 00:04:34.620 --> 00:04:35.600 God created us for him. 00:04:36.860 --> 00:04:37.920 Bible tells us sin came. 00:04:37.920 --> 00:04:39.400 And so when sin came, death was born. 00:04:39.400 --> 00:04:40.540 And in that death there's division. 00:04:40.620 --> 00:04:42.650 As a matter of fact, the word death means separation. 00:04:45.320 --> 00:04:48.900 Whenever there's problems in any area of our lives sends to blame. 00:04:51.280 --> 00:04:52.420 Sin takes away peace. 00:04:54.160 --> 00:04:55.160 Sin takes away unity. 00:04:57.200 --> 00:05:00.880 And God's desire for us is to walk in peace and truth and unity with each other. 00:05:02.980 --> 00:05:05.060 John writes first John and the simplicity of that. 00:05:06.560 --> 00:05:11.430 And when he comes to first John chapter one and verse nine, he says, if we confess our sins, he's faithful and just to forgive us our sins. 00:05:11.580 --> 00:05:15.580 He's saying to us that when you wrong someone. 00:05:17.160 --> 00:05:18.460 There's nothing you can do to undo it. 00:05:20.620 --> 00:05:21.880 The past is there. 00:05:23.040 --> 00:05:26.500 No matter how good you are from that point forward, the sin remains. 00:05:28.040 --> 00:05:30.390 And what reconciles that relationship is grace. 00:05:33.060 --> 00:05:34.040 And it comes to God. 00:05:34.040 --> 00:05:35.530 It's his love and goodness and his grace. 00:05:37.500 --> 00:05:38.640 We confess our sins. 00:05:39.940 --> 00:05:42.010 Not if you make up for your sins, but if you confess them. 00:05:43.160 --> 00:05:44.640 His faithful and just to forgive him. 00:05:46.140 --> 00:05:48.180 Meaning your King of kings just wants you to be honest before. 00:05:50.100 --> 00:05:52.680 And more than anything, what he wants is your heart. 00:05:53.860 --> 00:05:59.040 And John, as he writes the book of John, describes it in its simplicity of what a relationship with the Lord is all about. 00:06:00.800 --> 00:06:05.060 And in chapter three he describes for us this idea of really why we celebrate Christmas. 00:06:07.040 --> 00:06:10.840 As if to say, if you want to understand the heart of what walking with the Lord is all about. 00:06:10.940 --> 00:06:14.930 It's centered in the middle of the book of John in chapter three, beginning in verse one. 00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:18.940 If we were to ask why do you celebrate Christmas? 00:06:18.980 --> 00:06:20.380 Or why did Jesus come to earth? 00:06:20.920 --> 00:06:25.000 John describes it in verses five and verse eight of this portion of Scripture. 00:06:25.260 --> 00:06:26.460 Let me, let me just read it for us. 00:06:27.720 --> 00:06:34.760 It says in verse nine, you know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no 00:06:34.760 --> 00:06:35.100 sin. 00:06:35.980 --> 00:06:38.520 The one who practices sin is of the devil. 00:06:38.560 --> 00:06:39.320 That's not good. 00:06:39.400 --> 00:06:46.420 In case you're wondering, like this, a note, you might want to write that in red, or underline that the one who practices sin is of the devil, or for the devil has 00:06:46.420 --> 00:06:47.360 sinned from the beginning. 00:06:47.400 --> 00:06:51.260 The Son of God appeared for this purpose to destroy the works of the devil. 00:06:52.660 --> 00:06:53.800 So why did Jesus appear? 00:06:54.840 --> 00:06:56.500 You know, maybe your whole life you've been taught this. 00:06:56.660 --> 00:06:58.780 And I'm going to tell you it's not wrong, but maybe you've been taught this. 00:06:59.380 --> 00:07:00.340 For God so loved the world. 00:07:00.340 --> 00:07:03.360 He gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. 00:07:04.280 --> 00:07:06.120 Jesus came to give life. 00:07:07.100 --> 00:07:10.840 John said that in John three of the gospel of John. 00:07:11.580 --> 00:07:18.620 And now here he is in his epistle of John, saying in verse five, it's not that he came to give life, but rather he came 00:07:18.620 --> 00:07:19.900 to take away sins. 00:07:20.780 --> 00:07:23.760 And then in verse eight it says, he came. 00:07:23.760 --> 00:07:26.720 He appeared for this purpose to destroy the works of the devil. 00:07:26.860 --> 00:07:28.130 Now let me just clarify this. 00:07:28.320 --> 00:07:29.500 What are the works of the devil? 00:07:29.840 --> 00:07:33.800 It tells you in the beginning of verse eight, the one who practices sin is of the devil. 00:07:34.120 --> 00:07:35.900 The works of the devil are sin. 00:07:36.220 --> 00:07:39.660 And so what John is saying, what Jesus came to do is to take away sin. 00:07:39.900 --> 00:07:40.620 Now, which is it? 00:07:40.720 --> 00:07:43.720 Did Jesus come to give life, or did Jesus come to take away sin? 00:07:45.340 --> 00:07:46.220 Answer is both. 00:07:47.520 --> 00:07:51.180 It's the same coin being described from different sides. 00:07:53.640 --> 00:08:01.220 In fact, the Bible tells us in Romans chapter six and verse 23 says, for the wages of 00:08:01.220 --> 00:08:02.980 sin is death. 00:08:04.800 --> 00:08:08.330 But the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 00:08:10.840 --> 00:08:14.840 What the Bible says in Romans six is sin is to blame. 00:08:17.140 --> 00:08:19.320 Sin creates destruction and division. 00:08:20.220 --> 00:08:22.080 This unity and everything that God's opposed to. 00:08:23.800 --> 00:08:27.660 Division and relationships and no peace that God had desired. 00:08:28.080 --> 00:08:30.030 Send for the wages of sin does that. 00:08:30.040 --> 00:08:33.620 And what sin creates when it's birthed is death, and it literally means separation. 00:08:34.280 --> 00:08:35.900 There's death spiritually. 00:08:35.900 --> 00:08:38.220 There is death relationally, there is death physically. 00:08:38.780 --> 00:08:40.590 All of it is the product of sin. 00:08:41.539 --> 00:08:42.460 That's one side of the coin. 00:08:44.100 --> 00:08:46.620 But the other side in describing the purpose of Jesus is coming. 00:08:46.620 --> 00:08:50.920 But the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 00:08:53.080 --> 00:08:55.360 Jesus came to defeat sin. 00:08:55.600 --> 00:09:02.640 The purpose of him coming in, defeating sin is to give life when sin is destroyed and the thing that creates death, and it would 00:09:02.640 --> 00:09:08.880 go to serve to say that in the destruction of sin that prevents or excuse me, causes death. 00:09:09.740 --> 00:09:11.240 When that is destroyed, there is life. 00:09:12.960 --> 00:09:13.900 And the only one capable. 00:09:15.800 --> 00:09:17.220 Of destroying all sin. 00:09:18.500 --> 00:09:20.660 As Christ. 00:09:21.760 --> 00:09:25.500 Question that people often pose when they think about something like this is Jesus has come to defeat. 00:09:25.720 --> 00:09:28.540 Sin is maybe the unbelievability of it. 00:09:28.540 --> 00:09:35.640 Some some people have heard say is, well, if there is a God and he's loving and that's his nature, then why does he allow bad things 00:09:35.640 --> 00:09:36.240 to happen? 00:09:36.260 --> 00:09:36.300 Why? 00:09:36.580 --> 00:09:38.780 Why is there suffering and why is there starvation? 00:09:39.060 --> 00:09:39.380 And why? 00:09:39.740 --> 00:09:42.880 Why is the bad things happen to good people? 00:09:42.880 --> 00:09:43.980 Why are those things there? 00:09:45.720 --> 00:09:45.820 I'm. 00:09:45.840 --> 00:09:46.290 That's a good question. 00:09:48.520 --> 00:09:50.170 So Jesus is about defeating sin. 00:09:51.420 --> 00:09:58.460 I've seen some people take that question so far that they just come to the conclusion that then there must not be a God who is good, and there 00:09:58.460 --> 00:10:01.960 must not be a God, and therefore don't believe in anything. 00:10:04.580 --> 00:10:05.270 And I can I tell you when. 00:10:05.580 --> 00:10:10.960 When our nature looks at the destruction of sin and we cry foul. 00:10:12.900 --> 00:10:19.920 That which in us that is reflecting foul at the destruction of sin, is identifying the nature that God 00:10:19.920 --> 00:10:20.660 has put within us. 00:10:22.600 --> 00:10:24.960 I mean, you could even pose in a backdrop to that question. 00:10:25.380 --> 00:10:28.380 Well, who gave you the authority to determine what's right and wrong? 00:10:28.380 --> 00:10:29.160 Where do they even come from? 00:10:31.860 --> 00:10:31.880 May. 00:10:32.000 --> 00:10:37.860 How is it the whole world looks determines a set guideline for life and things that are right and things that are wrong. 00:10:37.860 --> 00:10:37.940 Why? 00:10:38.140 --> 00:10:38.620 Why is that? 00:10:38.620 --> 00:10:44.960 I go to the movies and I root for the guy who wins, or that I want to win the good guy in the end, why did we watch Westerns? 00:10:45.300 --> 00:10:46.580 I watch Westerns, but why? 00:10:46.680 --> 00:10:48.420 If you did, that's kind of like old stuff. 00:10:48.540 --> 00:10:51.540 But if you watch Westerns, why do you always root for the guy to win? 00:10:51.620 --> 00:10:53.680 You know, the good guy comes out ahead. 00:10:53.720 --> 00:10:55.740 What within you desires for that to happen? 00:10:58.240 --> 00:10:59.840 I think it's a reflection of the nature of God. 00:11:02.200 --> 00:11:06.060 In fact, when you see the destruction of sin and you're dissatisfied with it. 00:11:07.000 --> 00:11:08.820 The truth is, you're agreeing with God over it. 00:11:10.340 --> 00:11:14.160 Maybe the real wrestling match is taking place is that you don't completely understand what his plan is. 00:11:15.830 --> 00:11:19.560 But John said very plainly his desire is to destroy sin. 00:11:21.700 --> 00:11:24.340 He feels the same way over the things that break your heart. 00:11:24.620 --> 00:11:25.100 That you feel. 00:11:27.680 --> 00:11:29.080 When there's division, God is grieved. 00:11:31.620 --> 00:11:36.200 Bible tells us the Holy Spirit grieves over believers that walk in sin. 00:11:38.900 --> 00:11:40.600 We agree with God in that. 00:11:40.640 --> 00:11:43.620 But the Bible also gives us a little bit of backdrop as to understanding why. 00:11:44.120 --> 00:11:45.880 Why is it if Jesus defeated sin? 00:11:46.380 --> 00:11:49.580 What are we waiting on for that complete destruction to be made known? 00:11:51.260 --> 00:11:56.720 The Bible really tells us that Jesus is going to return one day, and rather than just defeat some sin, he's going to defeat all sin. 00:11:58.920 --> 00:12:01.200 He's going to take authority over it and judge it. 00:12:01.200 --> 00:12:02.900 He has defeated it, but he will judge it. 00:12:03.080 --> 00:12:06.500 And so it says in second Peter three nine, the Lord is not slow about his promises. 00:12:08.620 --> 00:12:09.560 And we're looking for this. 00:12:09.940 --> 00:12:12.760 This God who overcame sin to come and defeat it. 00:12:12.780 --> 00:12:13.860 And he's not being slow about it. 00:12:13.920 --> 00:12:16.460 He's got a plan as some count slowness. 00:12:16.460 --> 00:12:19.560 Some people, some people look at it and wonder, where is God in all this? 00:12:19.620 --> 00:12:20.150 But it says this. 00:12:20.400 --> 00:12:22.750 But God is patient toward you. 00:12:23.900 --> 00:12:26.720 Not wishing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance. 00:12:29.480 --> 00:12:33.060 What it's saying for us as a body of believers is, yes, God. 00:12:33.280 --> 00:12:37.380 God sees that sin just like you do, and God deals with that sin just like you do. 00:12:37.420 --> 00:12:41.460 In fact, the wrath of God is against all sin and God will bring his judgment on sin. 00:12:41.500 --> 00:12:42.310 But here's the reality. 00:12:43.900 --> 00:12:46.640 All of us need reconciliation with our creator. 00:12:48.380 --> 00:12:49.110 All of us do. 00:12:50.680 --> 00:12:51.340 All of us have sin. 00:12:52.460 --> 00:12:53.160 Romans 323. 00:12:55.200 --> 00:12:59.140 The reason that God is delaying his complete judgment against sin. 00:13:00.260 --> 00:13:01.200 As for your sake and mine. 00:13:03.020 --> 00:13:04.380 Because what God desires is your heart. 00:13:04.420 --> 00:13:06.890 And what God created you for is for that relationship in him. 00:13:08.720 --> 00:13:12.530 And so he says at the end of this text, he's not willing for any to perish, but for all come to repentance. 00:13:14.300 --> 00:13:21.540 God, God's plan in delaying this judgment is to check ourselves before we wreck ourselves, 00:13:21.660 --> 00:13:22.160 right? 00:13:24.400 --> 00:13:31.400 To give us an opportunity to make sure that while we look at the rest of the sin in the world and our eyes are on the rest of the sin of the world, that we're not so much focused on the rest of the sin of the world, that we 00:13:31.900 --> 00:13:33.380 fail to recognize where we are with our creator. 00:13:36.000 --> 00:13:36.540 Mean to miss. 00:13:36.640 --> 00:13:38.110 That's to miss the very reason that Jesus came. 00:13:40.980 --> 00:13:48.040 And so he tells us in Second Peter that God it says within this passage that God will bring his judgment on the world, but on this particular verse, that the reason 00:13:48.040 --> 00:13:55.080 that's delayed for us is that we have an opportunity to reconcile ourselves to the one who created us, because God created us for 00:13:55.080 --> 00:13:56.340 relationship within him. 00:13:56.340 --> 00:13:57.300 That's what Jesus came. 00:13:59.320 --> 00:14:07.180 And the second thought to that is in agreement with your creator, that while you find yourself in his grace and in his love, God's 00:14:07.280 --> 00:14:09.500 justice then for you becomes a place of protection. 00:14:11.060 --> 00:14:18.120 Because every time your heart has broken, every time you've shed a tear, every time you've had pain brought against you, your creator in justice 00:14:18.120 --> 00:14:21.260 is coming with his wrath to go against that which brought destruction. 00:14:24.100 --> 00:14:25.380 And now as justice. 00:14:27.520 --> 00:14:29.870 Begins to be a place of love and solace for you. 00:14:31.740 --> 00:14:41.000 Protected by a God who's coming against the things which arms 00:14:41.000 --> 00:14:41.000 us people. 00:14:41.000 --> 00:14:48.500 Don starts in first John chapter three and verse one to verses ten, recognizing for us the significance of Christmas, 00:14:48.620 --> 00:14:55.740 because he he's saying to us, the central thought of the gospel is so important for us as people 00:14:55.740 --> 00:15:02.980 to reflect upon the gospel isn't something in your life that you look at and you think, God for 00:15:02.980 --> 00:15:05.460 saving you, and then you just go on with the rest of your life. 00:15:05.820 --> 00:15:11.740 The gospel is something that you live in every day because God's grace has been extended to you every day. 00:15:13.460 --> 00:15:15.320 Let me give you an example. 00:15:17.180 --> 00:15:24.050 We oftentimes suffer the most as people with what we experience through relationships. 00:15:24.180 --> 00:15:29.920 And I think there's nothing more important in context of relationships and what God describes in the marriage relationship. 00:15:30.280 --> 00:15:32.740 It's the most intimate that the Bible gives for us. 00:15:33.480 --> 00:15:40.560 But there's a way to view the marriage relationship that's gospel centric, and there's a way to view the marriage relationship that's worldly 00:15:40.560 --> 00:15:41.220 centric. 00:15:41.240 --> 00:15:42.460 Let me let me give you an idea. 00:15:42.900 --> 00:15:50.000 In a in a worldly centric world, when we get married, sometimes we think about what that person can do for me, I marry you because 00:15:50.000 --> 00:15:51.300 you make me happy. 00:15:51.340 --> 00:15:54.120 And if and if you don't make me happy, then we need to end this thing. 00:15:54.120 --> 00:15:55.840 But this marriage is about what you do. 00:15:56.740 --> 00:16:03.860 For me, the idea of the gospel centric marriage is that is that it's all about what you do for them. 00:16:05.520 --> 00:16:09.020 Because the gospel is all about laying down your life for them. 00:16:10.340 --> 00:16:15.570 In fact, in Ephesians five when it says, husbands, to love your wives, it says, love your wives. 00:16:15.580 --> 00:16:18.160 As Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. 00:16:19.760 --> 00:16:26.800 Many, when you think about and concentrate on the idea of marriage, it's not stepping in as a husband and thinking what you're going to get out of it, ripping each other 00:16:26.800 --> 00:16:28.840 apart just to grab the pieces that you need. 00:16:30.080 --> 00:16:35.500 But you find your satisfaction in what Christ has provided, and through that, you offer yourself to your spouse. 00:16:37.520 --> 00:16:44.640 Bible tells us in doing that as a husband, loving your wives, as Christ loved the church, which is sacrificially, which none of us do 00:16:44.640 --> 00:16:47.900 in this room, guys, right? 00:16:47.980 --> 00:16:51.980 We strive for it, but the Bible tells us that she becomes more lovely. 00:16:53.240 --> 00:16:55.620 More beautiful for the grace that you extend over her. 00:16:57.340 --> 00:16:58.590 In the same is true for the spouse. 00:17:00.860 --> 00:17:01.360 Wives. 00:17:01.480 --> 00:17:02.440 Respect your husbands. 00:17:03.600 --> 00:17:05.480 A reflection of your respect to Christ. 00:17:08.060 --> 00:17:10.960 A spouse's give themselves for each other. 00:17:12.760 --> 00:17:16.460 That reflects the beauty of who Jesus is because Jesus has given himself for us. 00:17:19.020 --> 00:17:23.880 The truth of the matter is, if you approach your relationship for what you're going to get out of it, eventually your spouse is going to fail you. 00:17:25.720 --> 00:17:26.880 And they can't live up to that expectation. 00:17:30.080 --> 00:17:30.830 In that failure. 00:17:32.900 --> 00:17:33.220 Then he. 00:17:33.480 --> 00:17:33.820 Grace. 00:17:35.860 --> 00:17:37.030 And that's what the gospel is about. 00:17:39.440 --> 00:17:40.160 It's grace. 00:17:42.200 --> 00:17:43.210 God loved us. 00:17:43.580 --> 00:17:45.240 We love him because he first loved us. 00:17:45.360 --> 00:17:46.380 It tells us in First John. 00:17:48.620 --> 00:17:55.480 The result of the gospel living out is that the gospel demonstrates forgiveness and love and grace and truth, and as it does so. 00:17:56.700 --> 00:18:01.060 The reciprocation of that relationship becomes beautiful as you're giving yourself to one another. 00:18:01.800 --> 00:18:03.630 It's not about what you get, it's about what you give. 00:18:03.640 --> 00:18:10.660 And if each other in that relationship is looking to give towards the other, then you find both of your needs met anyway, and you don't have to take from each other on what 00:18:11.080 --> 00:18:15.110 and trying to get what you need, but rather you give what they need. 00:18:15.980 --> 00:18:18.340 And as they give what they need towards you find your needs met. 00:18:20.360 --> 00:18:23.900 The gospel is not something you just take in Jesus and leave. 00:18:23.920 --> 00:18:26.120 It's something you live every day of your lives. 00:18:27.680 --> 00:18:29.200 Relationships in this world. 00:18:29.460 --> 00:18:33.730 Will never, will never be what God calls them to be without living out the gospel. 00:18:36.280 --> 00:18:38.640 The central thought of it is forgiving. 00:18:40.480 --> 00:18:47.260 And reconciliation and uniting and walking together rather rather than going into a tense relationship. 00:18:47.680 --> 00:18:51.740 An opportunity where I've been wrong and I and I think about another individual and I say to myself, you know what? 00:18:52.060 --> 00:18:54.560 What can I say to them to make them feel my hurt? 00:18:54.780 --> 00:18:58.650 So that way, in that they can see how I feel, I rather approach the relationship. 00:18:58.760 --> 00:19:04.660 And I say this, what is it Jesus wants here to mend it, that the beauty of his peace and relationship could be made known. 00:19:07.040 --> 00:19:08.160 Rather than think about myself. 00:19:10.220 --> 00:19:12.130 Think about the reconciliation of the gospel. 00:19:14.140 --> 00:19:15.640 What Christ does between you and me. 00:19:17.960 --> 00:19:18.960 When there's tension that arises. 00:19:21.080 --> 00:19:22.560 I let myself go. 00:19:23.900 --> 00:19:24.690 And I think about us. 00:19:27.560 --> 00:19:29.600 What is it about us that God wants to do? 00:19:31.940 --> 00:19:39.020 And John as he approaches the idea of this Christmas gift, this thought of Christmas and celebration and giving us life not only gives us life in Christ, but 00:19:39.040 --> 00:19:40.930 we experience that life in all of our relationships. 00:19:43.700 --> 00:19:47.000 We celebrate Christmas to celebrate the gift of life. 00:19:47.220 --> 00:19:54.320 And John elaborates a little bit more, he talks in detail of some of the things in his life that cause 00:19:54.320 --> 00:20:01.700 him to rejoice in the Christmas season, and the first thing that he starts with is in First John chapter one and verse, chapter 00:20:01.700 --> 00:20:06.660 three and verse one he says, see how great a love the father has bestowed on us? 00:20:09.460 --> 00:20:12.200 That we will be called the children of God. 00:20:14.880 --> 00:20:17.750 John in his life is just blown away by this love. 00:20:19.780 --> 00:20:20.400 He says. 00:20:20.420 --> 00:20:26.880 If you really want to live for what Christmas is about, let let your mind be captivated by the love of God that's been extended to you. 00:20:28.640 --> 00:20:35.740 Because God's love is the bridge that has just extended life and brought not only just given life, but the joy of what life is 00:20:35.740 --> 00:20:36.580 all about. 00:20:36.580 --> 00:20:43.570 And in reconciling us to be with him, he wasn't okay with the division that was there but sought the reconciliation. 00:20:44.000 --> 00:20:45.860 And John says, what kind of love is this? 00:20:48.360 --> 00:20:53.460 I mean, he's maybe in his mind comparing of all all the relationships of love that he's ever experienced in this world. 00:20:53.460 --> 00:20:54.800 And he's thinking in his mind. 00:20:55.040 --> 00:20:56.520 I've never even heard of this. 00:20:56.540 --> 00:20:57.540 I've never even seen this. 00:20:57.840 --> 00:21:01.140 People are my friends, and people may love me, but it's out of out of obligation. 00:21:01.260 --> 00:21:07.240 It's because maybe I've done something for them or I've made them happy and they like that in my relationship to them. 00:21:07.260 --> 00:21:09.280 So they keep me around and they call that love. 00:21:09.280 --> 00:21:09.980 But it's not love. 00:21:10.060 --> 00:21:14.720 It's really just a payment towards one another because I've done something for them. 00:21:14.720 --> 00:21:16.440 But what kind of love is this? 00:21:18.680 --> 00:21:20.520 That there is a God whom I have offended. 00:21:23.080 --> 00:21:27.270 To be honest, I rest in a kingdom that is apart from his that lives contrary to him and sin. 00:21:29.840 --> 00:21:31.670 And yet his grace has been made known. 00:21:34.000 --> 00:21:35.690 And he's overlooked my past. 00:21:37.240 --> 00:21:38.340 These overlooked my future. 00:21:40.100 --> 00:21:42.250 Of anything that stands contrary to him. 00:21:43.580 --> 00:21:44.880 What kind of love is this? 00:21:47.020 --> 00:21:48.550 You think in the context of Christmas? 00:21:51.420 --> 00:21:51.880 You think? 00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:52.860 The birth of Jesus. 00:21:55.020 --> 00:21:55.460 Coming. 00:21:55.460 --> 00:21:57.180 The most humiliating of forms. 00:21:59.340 --> 00:22:01.080 A baby trusted to human care. 00:22:02.780 --> 00:22:05.300 From King of kings to a child in need. 00:22:06.780 --> 00:22:07.230 In a manger. 00:22:09.560 --> 00:22:11.490 Bible tells us he was wrapped in swaddling clothes. 00:22:13.520 --> 00:22:15.640 You ever do research on the thought of a swaddling clothe? 00:22:15.780 --> 00:22:21.210 What that was it was a strip of material that when they would when people would go on journeys, they would wrap it around their waist. 00:22:22.740 --> 00:22:29.000 And they would use it as they had need maybe as a band aid to cover a womb, or if someone died, if they were on a long journey and someone died. 00:22:30.040 --> 00:22:35.420 The people in the group would take off the swaddling clothes that was around their waist, and they would wrap it around the body to embalm it. 00:22:36.660 --> 00:22:37.880 Until they got to where they were going. 00:22:40.400 --> 00:22:41.700 When Jesus is in burial clothes. 00:22:44.520 --> 00:22:46.440 You think about being merry in those moments? 00:22:48.820 --> 00:22:53.120 I know I just announced a little bit ago we had a couple of babies born in our church today. 00:22:54.820 --> 00:22:57.380 Could you think of as a mother holding such an innocent? 00:22:59.040 --> 00:23:06.340 Child that's incapable of caring for itself, to recognize that one day your very soul will be ripped out as you see this child 00:23:06.340 --> 00:23:08.340 tortured on our behalf. 00:23:12.480 --> 00:23:14.610 What kind of love is this? 00:23:17.180 --> 00:23:24.320 When John talks about Christmas to us and the reason we celebrate the life we give, he motivates us to 00:23:24.320 --> 00:23:25.600 this thought of love. 00:23:25.880 --> 00:23:29.480 And the Apostle Paul did the same thing in the book of Ephesians in chapter two. 00:23:29.840 --> 00:23:37.040 He says, But God, being rich in mercy because of his great love with you, which he loved us even when we were dead 00:23:37.040 --> 00:23:41.070 in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ. 00:23:42.660 --> 00:23:47.160 Alien to God more important than your sin was your relationship to him. 00:23:47.180 --> 00:23:53.040 And so he gives everything for you because reconciliation is that important to him. 00:23:56.380 --> 00:23:57.200 Leave me to think this. 00:24:00.740 --> 00:24:01.530 According to this verse. 00:24:03.180 --> 00:24:05.220 God doesn't owe me anything. 00:24:07.540 --> 00:24:09.330 Sometimes we live life like it's an entitlement. 00:24:10.700 --> 00:24:12.710 Like I deserve today and I deserve tomorrow. 00:24:14.960 --> 00:24:16.510 But the truth is, according to the Bible. 00:24:17.940 --> 00:24:20.720 God not only doesn't own me tomorrow, he doesn't own me today. 00:24:23.100 --> 00:24:24.160 His mercy gives it. 00:24:26.540 --> 00:24:30.640 God's being patient towards us, not willing that any should perish but all come to repentance. 00:24:31.040 --> 00:24:33.170 It's a day of his grace. 00:24:33.200 --> 00:24:36.620 Life is not an entitlement, but rather life is a gift. 00:24:38.540 --> 00:24:40.900 Not only does John reflect on the love of God, he. 00:24:41.180 --> 00:24:48.320 He then goes on and describes the goodness of God and being called a child of God, he says, see how great a love the father 00:24:48.320 --> 00:24:51.420 has bestowed on us, that we would be called the children of God. 00:24:51.460 --> 00:24:52.460 Not such we are. 00:24:52.760 --> 00:24:56.560 For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know him. 00:24:56.600 --> 00:25:01.540 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. 00:25:01.700 --> 00:25:02.650 Let me just stop there. 00:25:05.540 --> 00:25:10.560 John is saying, not not only do we have love, but now we've got a new identity. 00:25:10.860 --> 00:25:15.330 Not only have you have has God forgiven your past, he's giving you a glorious future. 00:25:16.140 --> 00:25:21.300 Not, not no longer do you belong to the things that you were, but the things you're becoming in Christ. 00:25:21.340 --> 00:25:22.540 You are his child. 00:25:22.540 --> 00:25:23.960 You have been adopted. 00:25:24.020 --> 00:25:26.700 The Bible tells us that not everyone is a child of God. 00:25:26.960 --> 00:25:32.500 But it says in John 112, as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become a child of God. 00:25:32.580 --> 00:25:38.560 The Bible refers to this as your adoption, meaning you didn't belong to this family. 00:25:39.440 --> 00:25:46.100 But God's love saw your need and he extended his grace to you to invite you into his kingdom. 00:25:46.960 --> 00:25:54.620 Which is why it says in Mark 1045, for even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and 00:25:54.640 --> 00:25:56.760 to give his life as a ransom. 00:25:58.900 --> 00:26:01.470 The ransom, saying there was a price for you. 00:26:03.760 --> 00:26:09.870 This picture of adoption and beautifully describes what God has done for you. 00:26:10.800 --> 00:26:13.080 By bringing you into his kingdom. 00:26:13.080 --> 00:26:16.510 And so John says this in verse two, on to verse five. 00:26:16.860 --> 00:26:21.120 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. 00:26:21.120 --> 00:26:24.960 We know that when he appears we will be like him. 00:26:26.240 --> 00:26:33.020 Because we will see him just as he is, and everyone who has this hope fixed on him purifies himself just as he is pure. 00:26:34.480 --> 00:26:37.950 Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. 00:26:39.560 --> 00:26:43.880 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sense. 00:26:46.500 --> 00:26:53.180 John says, the reason that we can celebrate as a body of believers is that in this passage, we will be like him. 00:26:55.000 --> 00:26:58.870 What does it mean for us as believers to rejoice in the fact that we're going to be like him? 00:26:59.040 --> 00:27:03.060 Let me just say this like him does not mean identical to him. 00:27:04.580 --> 00:27:07.740 Nowhere in the Bible does it say you're going to be omnipotent and omniscient. 00:27:07.880 --> 00:27:10.440 Those are character qualities of God. 00:27:11.680 --> 00:27:13.020 So what does like him mean? 00:27:14.500 --> 00:27:15.970 Let me tell you the reverse of it. 00:27:18.280 --> 00:27:18.820 Like him. 00:27:20.500 --> 00:27:22.480 Does not mean you're going to be like him in every way. 00:27:22.540 --> 00:27:22.940 What I mean is. 00:27:24.680 --> 00:27:25.400 You're not going to be God. 00:27:27.440 --> 00:27:32.500 Isaiah 4310 says, before me there was no God formed, neither will there be after me. 00:27:34.540 --> 00:27:35.640 44, six and eight. 00:27:37.320 --> 00:27:40.800 44 and verse eight of Isaiah, Deuteronomy six four. 00:27:40.840 --> 00:27:42.580 There is only one God. 00:27:43.840 --> 00:27:44.460 We are not him. 00:27:47.300 --> 00:27:48.140 But we get to be like him. 00:27:50.740 --> 00:27:58.200 The religions that have based their belief system off of the Old Testament particularly have all been monotheistic, 00:27:59.380 --> 00:28:00.580 meaning they only believe in one God. 00:28:02.100 --> 00:28:07.100 The Jews, Islam, Christianity all point to Old Testament roots. 00:28:07.680 --> 00:28:08.750 All of them are monotheistic. 00:28:09.220 --> 00:28:14.140 You know, it's interesting when you study the early church for the first three centuries, they are persecuted for their faith. 00:28:14.200 --> 00:28:16.440 Many of them lost their lives because their faith in Christ. 00:28:16.920 --> 00:28:20.520 When Rome came against Christians, one of the things they accused them of being was atheist. 00:28:22.300 --> 00:28:24.070 And why would Rome accuse Christians of being atheist? 00:28:24.120 --> 00:28:31.500 Well, it's because Roman society worshiped tons of gods, and in a home people would in a very homes. 00:28:31.500 --> 00:28:33.580 People would worship multiple gods within that home. 00:28:34.560 --> 00:28:37.700 And then here comes Christianity and proclaiming this one God. 00:28:37.720 --> 00:28:44.880 And so when Rome, worshiping all of these gods, would look at these Christians, really worshiping one God, to them it looked like atheism and it was counter 00:28:44.880 --> 00:28:46.040 to their gods. 00:28:46.400 --> 00:28:50.320 And so they would they would persecute the Christians because of what they called atheism. 00:28:52.620 --> 00:28:58.800 This idea of being like him has a gross misunderstanding sometimes of this thought of Elohim within Scripture. 00:29:00.160 --> 00:29:04.360 In Psalm 82 it describes God before the council of gods. 00:29:05.620 --> 00:29:11.500 And so some people look at that and they'll say, okay, there's obviously multiple gods, because even in the Bible, in Psalm 82, it's described as multiple gods. 00:29:11.600 --> 00:29:16.660 But what it's saying is this word Elohim and this word Elohim, just means ruler or judge. 00:29:16.760 --> 00:29:23.120 It can be an earthly person, it can be an angel, or it could be God himself in reference to Elohim, or it could even be a false god. 00:29:24.440 --> 00:29:28.980 But in Psalm 182 or excuse me, Psalm 82, when you read it as God is sitting with a council of the gods. 00:29:29.060 --> 00:29:33.400 At the end of the Psalm he said, you council of gods will die like men. 00:29:35.180 --> 00:29:38.960 I don't know about you, but last time I checked, gods don't die, right? 00:29:40.920 --> 00:29:48.240 And so what he's saying in this reference to Elohim is that these creatures that he's referring to is not not God, not eternal beings, but rather these ones 00:29:48.240 --> 00:29:49.060 of authority. 00:29:49.080 --> 00:29:54.480 In John 1034, Jesus referred to men as Elohim, or we would translate as gods. 00:29:54.540 --> 00:29:57.280 And what he means is these men are acting as rulers or judges. 00:30:01.000 --> 00:30:02.880 There is only one God, the Bible tells us. 00:30:04.800 --> 00:30:06.710 So what does it mean if we're being like him? 00:30:08.460 --> 00:30:15.240 Well, this passage that John's written in the description of being like him explains for us what it means that we will be like Christ. 00:30:15.560 --> 00:30:22.420 And this Bible tells us that we're going to be a part of his kingdom, as children will be like Christ and belonging to the kingdom in which he rules over. 00:30:22.440 --> 00:30:28.560 And so in that kingdom we are like him, just as Jesus is described, resurrected, ruling, and reigning in this kingdom. 00:30:28.900 --> 00:30:33.480 So we will be resurrected in body, and in that sense we will be like him. 00:30:33.480 --> 00:30:40.560 At the end of this passage, it says in verse, verse four that we who practice sin or lawlessness, but you know that he appears in order 00:30:40.560 --> 00:30:41.910 to take away sins. 00:30:42.780 --> 00:30:45.470 In verse three it says that we will be pure meaning. 00:30:45.780 --> 00:30:47.620 We think about being like him. 00:30:47.620 --> 00:30:54.620 There is a purity, there is a sinlessness those things which separate and cause pain and harm and destruction and sorrow and 00:30:54.620 --> 00:31:01.680 sadness in our lives will be done away with, and we will be like him in that sense, rejoicing with him. 00:31:03.360 --> 00:31:04.380 And I love the thought of this. 00:31:07.100 --> 00:31:09.620 So when I pictured John in this passage of Scripture. 00:31:11.520 --> 00:31:12.820 History records for us. 00:31:14.480 --> 00:31:17.040 Well, the life was like for the Apostle John. 00:31:18.720 --> 00:31:21.860 John was likely the youngest of the disciples. 00:31:23.640 --> 00:31:27.560 History assumes that John would have been in his early 20s when he started to follow Jesus. 00:31:29.380 --> 00:31:35.720 Which means by the time John's writing first, John and the rest of his books, he's somewhere in his mid 80s to mid 90s. 00:31:37.280 --> 00:31:37.980 At the time. 00:31:38.200 --> 00:31:39.120 John's living. 00:31:40.380 --> 00:31:41.180 People didn't live that long. 00:31:42.160 --> 00:31:44.030 In fact, people lived about half that long. 00:31:45.120 --> 00:31:46.380 And John is living on borrowed time. 00:31:48.040 --> 00:31:55.120 History tells us that when John would go to the church, he lived at the church of Ephesus, and when he would go to church, he got 00:31:55.120 --> 00:31:57.500 so old that he could no longer walk there. 00:31:57.560 --> 00:31:59.680 He couldn't get out, get up, to even make it to church. 00:31:59.780 --> 00:32:04.680 So the church would show up early to his house and carry him to the services so he could be a part. 00:32:04.780 --> 00:32:06.340 And he's the apostle John. 00:32:06.340 --> 00:32:08.100 And so they always wanted to listen to him. 00:32:08.140 --> 00:32:15.260 So history tells us they would they would put him before the church and they'd prop him up and say, tell us, John, and the history tells us that John got so old that the only thing 00:32:15.260 --> 00:32:18.400 he got to the point and be able to sing was just love one another. 00:32:20.060 --> 00:32:21.210 You want to know what the gospel is about? 00:32:22.880 --> 00:32:23.780 The gospel isn't about me. 00:32:25.680 --> 00:32:29.000 The gospel more, more clearly created is about us. 00:32:30.400 --> 00:32:32.220 It's not about what Jesus wants to do and just me. 00:32:32.240 --> 00:32:34.680 It's about what Jesus wants to do in all of us. 00:32:35.860 --> 00:32:41.460 And when I take my eyes off the gospel, I make life about anything but what God wants to do in us. 00:32:41.520 --> 00:32:48.080 But what I'm thinking about the beauty of the gospel and what Jesus has done and everything that he's accomplished, it becomes about more than just me. 00:32:48.100 --> 00:32:50.840 It's about what God wants to do in us and through us. 00:32:54.140 --> 00:32:56.680 And when just John describes these moments. 00:32:59.520 --> 00:33:01.440 Couldn't help but think maybe the thoughts in the church. 00:33:03.380 --> 00:33:09.600 They look at John at service, barely holding it together, and they think, how much more are we going to have to be able to listen to him? 00:33:11.200 --> 00:33:13.060 I love listening to him, but I don't. 00:33:13.340 --> 00:33:16.190 I don't know that next Sunday he's even going to be here. 00:33:16.900 --> 00:33:18.470 Or whenever we gather for worship. 00:33:18.480 --> 00:33:20.760 Who knows, maybe maybe God will call him home. 00:33:21.040 --> 00:33:23.040 How much longer am I going to listen to John? 00:33:23.060 --> 00:33:29.120 And John comes before the church in first John chapter three and he just says, this, guys, it's going to be okay because I'm going to be like him. 00:33:31.540 --> 00:33:33.900 This joy of what Christmas is all about. 00:33:33.900 --> 00:33:37.920 It's okay if I go because I'm going to be like him. 00:33:39.660 --> 00:33:41.820 These things of earth that we think about leaving behind. 00:33:42.180 --> 00:33:44.740 They're nothing in comparison to what it's about to be. 00:33:44.820 --> 00:33:46.680 I'm going to be like him. 00:33:50.340 --> 00:33:51.860 What does that mean for us in Christmas? 00:33:52.440 --> 00:33:53.920 Christmas? 00:33:56.020 --> 00:33:59.660 Every year we celebrate this odd holiday. 00:34:00.790 --> 00:34:07.150 It's good in the sense that it relates to Jesus, but in the sense that the commercialization of it, when you watch it, sometimes it just looks odd. 00:34:08.960 --> 00:34:11.370 And every year his parents, maybe you go through the same thing. 00:34:11.460 --> 00:34:14.460 You're thinking, okay, I got to get kids gifts for Christmas. 00:34:14.699 --> 00:34:17.639 And it's good to reflect the goodness of Jesus and gift giving. 00:34:17.639 --> 00:34:19.320 And it's good to love your own children, right? 00:34:19.320 --> 00:34:22.960 But as a parent, sometimes as an American parent, maybe you can relate to this with me. 00:34:22.960 --> 00:34:28.040 You're thinking to yourself, okay, what am I going to get my kid who doesn't already have, you know? 00:34:28.300 --> 00:34:28.560 A kid. 00:34:30.260 --> 00:34:33.380 Has what he needs, and it may be in your mind you're thinking, okay, if I get him something, I. 00:34:33.560 --> 00:34:37.920 The closet that this child has, I got to get rid of stuff just to give him something. 00:34:42.460 --> 00:34:45.400 What are we going to give to reflect the beauty of Christ? 00:34:47.320 --> 00:34:54.520 One of the things I love doing as a church family every year is I just like helping the community and whoever you know, for Christmas as 00:34:54.520 --> 00:34:57.610 it relates to gift giving and the joy of Jesus. 00:34:57.700 --> 00:34:59.120 And so we do Christmas trees. 00:34:59.420 --> 00:35:00.260 And this year we helped out. 00:35:01.320 --> 00:35:04.920 we helped out Colorado City, and then we've helped out India as well. 00:35:05.080 --> 00:35:09.670 And just so you guys know, this is warning to you Facebook stalk everyone. 00:35:10.200 --> 00:35:13.560 And I pulled these off of, Sarah Golden and Kara Roberts Facebook page. 00:35:14.060 --> 00:35:15.920 So I don't I'm just kidding. 00:35:16.300 --> 00:35:17.320 Don't be creeped out by that on Facebook. 00:35:17.580 --> 00:35:18.000 Stalk you. 00:35:18.100 --> 00:35:19.160 I just need some pictures for an illustration. 00:35:20.520 --> 00:35:24.960 But every year we do gifts and like to just help out where there's a need. 00:35:25.000 --> 00:35:28.480 And this is my hope in that sometimes we get caught up in Christmas. 00:35:29.960 --> 00:35:31.070 about what it is that we want. 00:35:31.420 --> 00:35:33.940 Or maybe your young people get caught up in Christmas about what is we want. 00:35:33.960 --> 00:35:40.980 And sometimes the kids can get unappreciative to the sense that if they get a gift and it's a good gift, if it's not the exact gift they want, they don't 00:35:40.980 --> 00:35:42.260 have an appreciation for it, right? 00:35:44.220 --> 00:35:49.040 But there's a good reminder for us every year that we do as a church that sometimes there are people that really don't have. 00:35:50.840 --> 00:35:53.220 In the midst of a child thinking about all the things they want. 00:35:53.220 --> 00:35:57.580 It's a good opportunity for you as a parent to take your kid and say, hey, let's go shopping, and we're not doing it for you. 00:35:59.360 --> 00:36:02.260 We're doing it to reflect the love of Jesus for someone in need. 00:36:02.740 --> 00:36:05.620 And really, when you pull it from a church, this is what it should be. 00:36:06.680 --> 00:36:08.120 It should be an act of worship for your family. 00:36:10.580 --> 00:36:12.110 And you can make gift giving that way. 00:36:13.920 --> 00:36:17.540 Giving to someone else in need to reflect the beauty of Jesus. 00:36:17.620 --> 00:36:19.420 In fact, John describes it that way. 00:36:21.160 --> 00:36:27.550 First John three and verse 16, we know love by this, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 00:36:27.640 --> 00:36:30.000 Thinking about the practical outworking of the gospel. 00:36:30.360 --> 00:36:32.980 Jesus is the gospel and giving his life for you. 00:36:33.380 --> 00:36:36.680 It's rooted in a person, and so we ought to lay down our life for another. 00:36:36.960 --> 00:36:44.140 But then he says, but whoever has the world's goods and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide 00:36:44.280 --> 00:36:44.660 in him? 00:36:44.660 --> 00:36:49.180 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. 00:36:51.680 --> 00:36:52.160 Meaning. 00:36:52.180 --> 00:36:59.560 When you understand what Christmas is about and you understand what Jesus has done for you and the grace that's been lavished in your life, there is such a change 00:36:59.560 --> 00:37:02.880 within you that you just desire for that to get out. 00:37:03.820 --> 00:37:05.480 Let me just display it to the world. 00:37:07.000 --> 00:37:14.300 And John even says May, it doesn't make any sense when you understand what Jesus has done and the outworkings of your life, don't demonstrate 00:37:14.300 --> 00:37:15.960 his grace in giving to one another. 00:37:18.120 --> 00:37:19.140 And so in doing so. 00:37:21.080 --> 00:37:22.550 It is an act of worship. 00:37:24.660 --> 00:37:26.010 Let me give you the simple truth. 00:37:26.980 --> 00:37:27.970 When it comes to gift giving. 00:37:30.400 --> 00:37:32.860 Do it in worship to reflect Christ. 00:37:32.920 --> 00:37:33.660 And that's good. 00:37:35.340 --> 00:37:36.280 But the reality is. 00:37:38.180 --> 00:37:41.680 There is never going to be a gift as good as you can give in comparison to Jesus. 00:37:44.500 --> 00:37:47.170 Every gift in this world, no matter how good you think it is. 00:37:48.340 --> 00:37:49.220 Well, one day fade away. 00:37:52.070 --> 00:37:54.780 And the purpose that you created it for might pass. 00:37:54.920 --> 00:37:59.300 Because maybe, maybe you do buy it for a child, but in two years from now, they grow out of it, right? 00:38:02.260 --> 00:38:03.300 You know what the beauty is of Jesus. 00:38:06.240 --> 00:38:07.940 Jesus is a gift that never stops giving. 00:38:10.240 --> 00:38:12.500 His grace is new to me every morning. 00:38:14.520 --> 00:38:19.100 And therefore my worship of him rather than things becomes important. 00:38:21.160 --> 00:38:22.750 When the Bible describes your salvation. 00:38:24.760 --> 00:38:31.120 It says in first Corinthians 118, the word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but to us who are saved, it is the power of God. 00:38:33.220 --> 00:38:35.100 This Greek participle is in the present tense. 00:38:35.480 --> 00:38:41.300 This word saved is a Greek participle in the present tense, and so what it means is it's the act of being saved. 00:38:43.700 --> 00:38:50.760 So when Jesus died for me, not only did he cover my past, not only does he give me a future, but every moment of every day, 00:38:50.920 --> 00:38:52.660 I'm standing in a saving grace. 00:38:55.060 --> 00:39:02.140 There hasn't been a second where I've been up speaking this morning, where Jesus's grace hasn't been in the process of just saving me and 00:39:02.140 --> 00:39:03.100 redeeming me in his righteousness. 00:39:04.720 --> 00:39:09.400 His gift is new every moment of every day. 00:39:12.660 --> 00:39:13.240 So this is what we say. 00:39:15.800 --> 00:39:17.370 When there is little to appreciate. 00:39:19.800 --> 00:39:20.680 There is little to celebrate. 00:39:23.180 --> 00:39:26.480 But the more you can appreciate the beauty of a gift, the better you celebrate. 00:39:28.540 --> 00:39:30.400 The truth is, Jesus's gift never fades. 00:39:32.300 --> 00:39:34.130 More than a toy that passes away. 00:39:34.220 --> 00:39:37.320 Christ's gift is new to you every moment of every morning. 00:39:38.980 --> 00:39:40.500 Life is not an entitlement. 00:39:42.100 --> 00:39:42.980 That's a gift of love. 00:39:44.480 --> 00:39:45.540 Making you a child. 00:39:47.080 --> 00:39:48.100 Purifying your soul. 00:39:49.640 --> 00:39:52.240 And the rejoicing of the fact that you will be like him. 00:39:54.900 --> 00:39:55.820 That's why we celebrate Christmas. 00:39:58.240 --> 00:39:59.780 So hopefully this morning. 00:40:00.960 --> 00:40:03.240 With just a few days left on Christmas. 00:40:05.260 --> 00:40:07.680 My hope is as a family or as an individual. 00:40:07.860 --> 00:40:11.000 Wherever you are, you get to pause in your life and just appreciate. 00:40:12.740 --> 00:40:13.430 What great love. 00:40:15.540 --> 00:40:17.740 The King of Kings becomes a lowly man. 00:40:19.560 --> 00:40:26.560 To the form of a baby that would break or rip at the soul of Mary on my behalf, that a I may know him and 00:40:26.560 --> 00:40:30.380 rejoice in being reconciled to him all the days of my life. 00:40:30.720 --> 00:40:34.770 God, great is your faithfulness, and worthy are you to be praised.