Sermon Central
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The Gift That Takes A Lifetime To Unwrap
Contributed by Jimmy Dillon on Nov 1, 2007 (message contributor)
Summary: Looks at the real gift of Christmas and how wonderful it is to unwrap it every day of our lives.
THE GIFT THAT TAKES A LIFETIME TO UNWRAP
INTRODUCTION
This is one of the most wonderful times of the year…today it’s Christmas Eve and many are waiting with anticipation to see what gifts we get
Many are wrapped in beautiful wrapping paper, and then decorated with bows, and tensil, and pretty ribbons
And the sad part is, there almost seems like a let down after you have unwrapped all of your gifts
Not because you didn’t get what you wanted…but there is something magical about unwrapping those gifts in anticipation and excitement as to what lies beneath the bow
And probably most of us…if I were to ask…couldn’t remember what they got for Christmas last year…what gifts they unwrapped
But I want all of us to know that there is a gift that we can unwrap everyday of our lives
It is THE GIFT THAT TAKES A LIFETIME TO UNWRAP…and I want us to look at that gift this morning as we are on the doorstep of the celebration of Christmas
Turn to Luke 2:1-20 (Read) / Pray
First, I want us all to see that on that day…when baby Jesus came…He gave us all…
1. AN INSTANT GIFT
Vs. 6-7 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.
Because of the birth of this baby…because of the life that now existed in Him…we all instantly received the gift of life…to never have to die again
Matt 1:21-23 says She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." 22All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"—which means, "God with us." (Isa 7:14)
It is an instant gift that God promises to all who would ask for it…
John 1:12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
Not only was this gift an instant gift…but it was a wrapped gift that…
2. TAKES A LIFETIME TO UNWRAP
When Jesus was born that day in Bethlehem, it was just the beginning of the gift unwrapping
See, he came wrapped in swaddling clothes…a gift for us all to unwrap
And not just once, but everyday of our lives on this earth
Everyday I wake up, I get to unwrap another part of the gift of eternal life that God has prepared for me
1 Cor 2:9 However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"
Just when I think I have unwrapped all I can…like the last present on Christmas…God blows me away…and allows me to unwrap a little more of His wonderful salvation
The gifts like peace, joy, love, faith, kindness, gentleness, meekness, understanding, application, revelation, tribulation, and on and on
Paul knew this gift would take a lifetime to unwrap that’s why he said in Phil 2:12
Phil 2:12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,
He is not saying that salvation requires work…He is saying that there is so much of God’s salvation to unwrap…you will have to work at it…taking a lifetime to unwrap
TRANS: It was not a cheap gift, but it was a gift that was of…
3. AN ENOURMOUS VALUE
1 Cor 9:15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.
Who can begin to put a price on the gift that God has given us through His Son Jesus?
The Shepherds realized what an enormous gift they had been given
Vs. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
The wise men understood as they tried to bring gifts to present to a King, but they knew that His life was worth much more than gold, frankincense, and myrrh but this is all they could come up with
What gift can compare to never dying, never suffering, crying, feeling pain, but to live eternally in a place called paradise? It is indescribable at best
And it is of enormous value…it was the greatest gift ever given…and cost more than anything ever could
And yet, it was given to each and everyone of us FREELY…it costs us nothing
Many times when we get things that are precious to us…that are of enormous value, we want to keep it for ourselves
