I am not really a person who places a lot of value in material things. I believe that Christmas ought to be focused more on the birth of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who loved the world so much that He came to Earth to die for our sins, so that we could have a personal relationship with Him.
The Bible tells us that in the beginning, we were in a terrible, unsolvable situation. No man is perfect. We human beings are messed up and will make serious mistakes. We cannot help making mistakes and repeatedly getting ourselves into messes of our own doing. Unfortunately, this destructive, negative and detrimental behavior has been born into who we are. We came into the world this way. We have no control over this problem. As human beings, we have an inherent sinful nature.
It was our sinful nature that was responsible for keeping us separated from God. As Christians, we celebrate Christmas to celebrate receiving the most wonderful Christmas gift in the history of the world. The best Christmas gift of 2008 or any year is not found in any wrapped package under a Christmas tree. The best Christmas gift is only found in celebrating and remembering the birth of Jesus Christ. Our world is lost and headed for certain self-destruction.
We read in The Bible that God loved the world so much that He sent Jesus, His only Son, to die for our sins. Jesus died on the cross and took the punishment that we deserved. The Bible also promises that whoever trusts in Jesus Christ as their Savior will never die, but will have everlasting life (John 3:16, The Holy Bible). Jesus is a wonderful gift to a world that is in need of a Savior.
The best Christmas gift of 2008 was the same gift that I received in 1983. In 1983, I trusted in Jesus Christ as my Savior and Heavenly Father. Being a Christian does not mean that I am perfect or better than anyone else in any way. It means that my sins have been paid for and forgiven by Christ’s death on the cross, and that when I die, I will go to Heaven to live with Him forever!
While this is truly the Good News that we celebrate at Christmas, there is also good news today. Those who trust in Jesus as their Lord and Savior receive immediate, never-ending, ongoing love from and access to a gracious and loving Heavenly Father. How wonderful is that? The gift of Jesus Christ and His amazing love for us is the best Christmas gift that anyone could ever receive!
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