Before ripping the paper off all those gifts this Christmas, do take time to read the real Christmas story from Luke 2:1-21
*Note: You can print off this Christmas Story Word Search that I created to do for fun on Christmas Day.
Christmas Story Word Search & Color Sheet: (Take a peek & see if you like it!) https://media.publit.io/file/HCHGifts/Christmas-Story-Word-Search.pdf
Taking time to ponder some of these things, like Mary did (Luke 2:19), concerning the birth of Jesus, I created “sort of” an Acronym for G.I.F.T.
G.I.F.T.
Feel free to use this for your own ministry or lesson with your children.
G – Glory to God
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” – Luke 2:14 KJV
The day Jesus Christ was born, it brought ultimate GLORY to God. Jesus was the promised One, the Saviour, whom our world had awaited and anticipated for years.
Don’t forget to give Jesus the ultimate GLORY that belongs to Him this Christmas. Without Christ, there would be no real Christmas. Without Christ, there would be no true peace with God and good will toward men.
God’s favor (good will) rests on those who put their faith in Jesus Christ.
I – Imputed Righteousness
“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” – II Corinthians 5:21 KJV
This time of year, we should remember Christ’s real purpose for coming into this world.
We cannot enter into Heaven, God’s Holy Presence, on our own merit. We are ALL sinners by nature (Romans 3:23 KJV), and cannot enter into God’s presence in our own sinful state.
Our own sins are like filthy rags compared to God’s holiness and righteousness.
“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” – Isaiah 64:6 KJV
Christ’s obedience, submitting himself to die on the cross, paid our huge sin debt before God. Through our own faith in Christ, the righteousness of God is given to us, to be able to enter into Heaven when our time here on earth is done.
As we look at the pretty scenes of SNOW this time of year, we can be reminded of Christ’s blood which has covered our own sins and has made them WHITE as SNOW.
“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” – Isaiah 1:18 KJV
F – Forgiveness and Freedom from Sin
I believe John 3:16 is the heart of Christmas. It was God’s proven LOVE for us when He gave His only begotten Son to pay the price for our sins on Calvary.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 KJV
“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.” – I John 4:9 KJV
We have eternal life through Jesus Christ! What a GIFT!
We have freedom from death and hell!
“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” – Revelation 21:8 KJV
You need NOT FEAR death and Hell! Jesus paid the price for your sins!
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” – Acts 4:12 KJV
T – Transformation (A new person within)
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” – II Corinthians 5:17
Because of Jesus Christ’s GIFT of eternal life, we become new creatures when we repent as a sinner and accept Christ as our Saviour.
Our old self is put away once we accept Christ’s GIFT. We become transformed. We now have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, Who gives us victory from sin.
“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” – Romans 6:6 KJV
This certainly doesn’t mean we instantly become perfect, but it does mean we now have the ability within to conquer those sins which once had a master of us.
QUESTION: Are you missing out on the real JOY of Christmas because you haven’t received the true GIFT of Jesus’ pardon of your sins on the cross?
Accept JESUS as YOUR SAVIOUR today. You can do this right in your home or wherever you are! Your Heavenly Father is waiting for you today.
“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” – Romans 10:9
TODAY is the DAY to accept God’s GIFT of eternal life!
“For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” – II Corinthians 6:2 KJV
*Submit a comment below if you accepted Jesus as your Saviour today! It would be a joy and encouragement to hear you have received the GIFT of Salvation.
