The Giver. The Gift. The Grace.

Categories: Straight from the Word

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Friends Magazine Hong Kong
By Bro. Eddie C. Villanueva
December 2012 Edition

 

It’s Christmas time!  And by now, the items on your long shopping list are probably all crossed out as your gifts find their way under your fancy Christmas tree.  But while everything is perhaps just about ready for the most celebrated annual occasion, how well have you made preparations for a personal encounter with the Star of the season?

Whenever Christmas time comes, there are three key words that we must never forget: the Giver, the gift, and the grace that goes with it.

The very essence of Christmas is revealed by God unto us in John 3:16, “God loved the world this way: He gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life” (GW).

The Giver: God loved the world. As we join the entire Christendom in celebrating Christmas, let us remember the loving God and the love of God that made the first Christmas possible.  Let us not forget that Christmas is not what we make it.  No. It’s not about us; it’s not about the fun, or the flare, or the flavor that we attach to the occasion.  It’s all about God and His love for us.

“God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him” (1 John 4:9, NLT).

“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:10, NIV).

“Jesus has always been as God is. But He did not hold to His rights as God. He put aside everything that belonged to Him and made Himself the same as a servant who is owned by someone. He became human by being born as a man. After He became a man, He gave up His important place and obeyed by dying on a cross” (Philippians 2:6-8, NLV).

“God the Father was pleased to have everything made perfect by Christ, His Son. Everything in heaven and on earth can come to God because of Christ’s death on the cross. Christ’s blood has made peace. At one time you were strangers to God and your minds were at war with Him. Your thoughts and actions were wrong. But Christ has brought you back to God by His death on the cross. In this way, Christ can bring you to God, holy and pure and without blame (Colossians 1:19-22, NLV).

The Gift: He gave His Only Son. I have four children and I am not ashamed to admit that I am not willing to give any one of them as a ransom for another, never as a substitute for an enemy.  Yet God, out of His pure love for us, gave His one and only Son, “… God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us!” (Romans 5:8, HCSB) And “the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28).

“This is how we have come to know love: He laid down His life for us…” (1 John 3:16, HCSB)

Salvation in the CHRIST of Christmas – this is the gift that is available to all of us, Christmas time or not!

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the children of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12, KJB).

“No one else can save us. Indeed, we can be saved only by the power of the one named Jesus and not by any other person” (Acts 4:12, GW).

“For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity — the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5, NLT).

“This is true because Christ suffered for our sins once. He was an innocent person, but he suffered for guilty people so that he could bring you to God. His body was put to death, but he was brought to life through his spirit” (1 Peter 3:18, GW).

“Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence” (Ephesians 3:12, NLT).

The Grace: Everyone who believes in Him. This is the grace of God at work:  His salvation is available to everyone who believes in Him.  The word everyone guarantees ALL of us a place at the foot of the Cross of Christ.  There are neither exemptions nor exclusions.  And the only cited requirement is also accessible to everyone – faith in Christ.  As surely as faith has no price tag attached to it, nobody can point an accusing finger on God when the day of reckoning comes and accuse Him that He has been unfair or unjust.

We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are” (Romans 3:22, NLT, emphasis mine).

* * * * *

Dearly beloved, do not pass up the chance to receive today the greatest gift you could ever have in your lifetime, which is life eternal with God!

Believe that God loves you so much that He gave His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to become a ransom, a substitute for you. Believe in Jesus Christ, receive Him as your Lord and Savior, and He will give you the right to become a child of God. He promised, “… as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12, NASB). “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life,and this life is in his Son.Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:11-12, TNIV).

If you want to have a growing relationship with Jesus or you have questions or prayer requests, email us at [email protected].

Shalom! Shalom!

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