HEAVEN'S GIFT - CHRISTmas Eve

Christmas Eve


"And when they [the shepherds] had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things which they had seen and heard as it was told unto them." Luke 2: 17-20

The shepherds could not keep silent. They had seen JESUS. They had worshipped Him. They could not keep it to themselves! They told everyone they saw the glorious good news. They knew it was just as the angels had said. There were no more questions for the shepherds. But for those they met….well, that was a different story. Who would believe a group of dirty, low-life shepherds talking about angels and a baby in a feeding trough who was supposed to be the Messiah?!!! I’m sure many of those whom the shepherds told dismissed them with disdain. Maybe a few wondered enough to go and look for themselves. But that didn’t stop the enthusiasm of the shepherds. It was a night they would never forget. They had seen JESUS and they would NEVER be the same again!!!!! They could go back to their flock of sheep and back to their business of tending their sheep, but forever they would remember this night.

It was a night Mary would never forget either. There was much she still did not understand. What would life be like for her son….God’s Son? How awed she must have been to see the shepherds come and bow at the manger and worship her child A million thoughts had to be racing through her young mind. But this night would be permanently etched on her mother’s memory. No matter what happened in the future…she would remember this night. She would remember giving birth. She would remember the first time she held him and looked into his eyes and felt his soft skin next to hers. She would remember nursing him and cuddling him. She would remember the few short hours she got to have him all to herself. And she would remember those who came to worship Him.

Each time Mary would call his name….JESUS….she would be reminded of WHO He was…..Emmanuel…God with us. Her child…this tiny baby was God!!!!! Yes, God’s Son…Heaven’s greatest Gift was Mary’s little lamb. He came wrapped in sweet baby flesh tied up in the ribbons of deity…for He was fully man and fully God. He changed Mary and Joseph’s lives….He changed the shepherds lives….and He came to change the lives of the world…yours and mine. He came that we might have LIFE!

You see we all come into this world just as Baby Jesus did…a tiny, helpless baby. But unlike the sinless Son of God, we came into this world DEAD in our sin. We were alive physically, but DEAD spiritually, separated from God by our sin nature…fallen heirs of fallen Adam. God sent JESUS to pay our sin debt so He could give back to us what Adam lost…the life of God. The one thing dead people need is LIFE! You can fix them up, clean them up and dress them up…but they are still DEAD! Jesus came to give that LIFE back to us by paying a debt we did not owe because we owed a debt we could not pay. He paid the price for us on the cross and offers to each of us who will receive it the gift of LIFE. It is free. You cannot earn it. You cannot buy it. You cannot steal it. All you can do is receive what He offers…the gift of eternal life which is found in His Son…Jesus Christ. He longs for a relationship with you. He is not interested in religion. He is not interested in denominations. He is interested in a RELATIONSHIP with you! As we said yesterday, if you have never given your heart to Jesus, won’t you consider doing that today? If you have already done that, maybe you have found yourself caught up in all the hustle and bustle of living life and have put Jesus on the back burner. I have good news for you. You may have moved but He hasn’t!! He’s just waiting for you to turn back to Him. He’s waiting with open arms and longs for you to re-establish your relationship with Him. I pray you will run to Him today. He loves you so much!!!!!!!! Don’t miss CHRISTmas……it’s never too late!