The True Gift of Love
(Luke 2:1-11 KJV)
Why do I call this the True Gift of Love? I think it is quite obvious that as we look at the world around us, we can see that man can pretty much screw things up all on his own. Man, being left to his own devices will always choose according to the dictates of his nature. The nature of man is sin. That is the legacy that we have inherited from our father Adam. From the beginning of time since Adam ate of the forbidden fruit, we have all inherited his sinful nature.
What is sin? Sin is disobedience to God. Adam was forbidden to eat the fruit of one particular tree, but he disobeyed God’s command and was cast out of the Garden of Eden. Because of that one act of disobedience, he plunged all his posterity into separation from fellowship with God.
But from that moment, God gave his promise that one day a descendant of Adam would crush the head of the serpent, and in the process his heel would be bruised. That promise was fulfilled when God became man as the baby Jesus. Jesus grew up, became a man, and died on the cross. He took upon Himself the sin of the world in order to provide a restoration of fellowship between God and His fellow man.
As the Apostle Paul puts it so eloquently in Romans 5:12:
“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned-” (NKJV)
Paul also explains the antithesis in Romans 5:15:
“But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.” (NKJV)
Like so many others around the world I would like to have the money and resouces to give everyone a gift at Christmas, but as the Apostle Peter said in Acts 3:6
“I have no silver or gold, but what I have, that I give to you.” (BBE)
What I offer to you today is God’s gift of his Son Jesus Christ, The Messiah, The Savior of the world.
Almost everyone is familiar with the words in the Bible stated in John 3:16. You see the reference pasted on signs at football games. You sometimes see the words inscribed on the side of buildings, but do you really know what they mean?
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (NKJV)
The verses that most people overlook are the verses which immediately follow that famous quotation. They are as follows:
“17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (NKJV)
So you see, as it stands, anyone who does not believe in Jesus Christ stands condemned by God already.
How do you get to the place where you are no longer under condemnation? That is where the gift I mentioned comes in.
In order for you to receive this gift, you must acknowlege the words above that you are a sinner and stand condemned before God. You must turn away from disobedience to God while asking fogiveness for your rebellion against Him and His authority. You must consciously strive from that moment to obey Him. You must put your faith in the act of sacrifice which Christ has already done on your behalf by dying on the cross, and at that moment you will no longer be under condemnation, but will pass from spiritual death into spiritual life.
Once your heart has been regenerated by God’s Spirit, you will find it much easier to live your life as God intended all along. Sure, there will be setbacks, and sure you will at times follow your old sinful nature, all of us do, but along the way, you can find forgiveness by simply asking for it from God, and it will be granted. The Spirit of God will take up residence in your heart, and He will guide you the rest of your life where you will have the ultimate gift of eternal life with God.
This is the True Gift of Love! Given to us by God, and it is free for the taking. Accept His gift today.
“Tis the old time religion,
It will do when I am dying.
It will take us all to heaven.
And it’s good enough for me.”
Merry Christmas!
