A Life That Matters
| Packing Up Christmas - #6507 |
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| A Word With You - Your Most Important Relationship |
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Download MP3 (right click to save) Right after Thanksgiving, I make my annual pilgrimage to the Christmas corner of our garage. I did it last year, and I brought out Christmas. Now, we've been accumulating ornaments and decorations for a lot of years now, and it's always a big deal for the family when they make their annual re-entry; all those decorations come back into our life again. You know, the house is actually alive with Christmas right now. Well, I mean for a while. But before very long, I will reverse that exercise, re-pack everything in their aging boxes, and put them back in storage for another year. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Packing up Christmas." Now, we unpack Christmas when we want it and we put Christmas away when we don't want it. You can do that with Christmas. You can't do that with Christ, although a lot of people try to. See, we haul out Jesus when we'd like to have Him be a part of things: on Sundays, for Christmas, when we're in a jam, when we want to be religious. But, to be honest, we keep Him largely at the edges of our life, mostly in our head, not really in our heart. Well, you just can't do it that way. That's clear even from the angels' birth announcement that first Christmas. It's recorded in Luke 2:10-11 , our word for today from the Word of God. "The angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.'" See, you and I don't get to decide how we relate to the Son of God. He has announced the terms of having Him in your life. First, He's the Savior. Today, we would call that a rescuer, like those brave police and firefighters who went right into the holocaust at Ground Zero to try to bring people out. When the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center collapsed, the only hope for people trapped in that rubble was a rescuer. Often we don't realize that our spiritual situation is just that deadly. The Bible says we're trapped in the rubble of our choice to run our own life our way - instead of God's way. This rebellion against our Creator...well, it can't be redeemed by any religion in the world; only by Jesus, the only Rescuer God ever sent to pay for our sins with His life. Sin's death penalty can only be paid by someone dying, and Jesus did that so you don't have to. But you have to grab Him with all the faith you've got like a dying person would grab a rescuer. Now, the angels also announced that Jesus was "Christ the Lord." Now, that word means He's the One who controls everything. Maybe you've been trying to have Jesus be a passenger in your life; a life that actually you are driving. No deal. He's Christ the Lord. He doesn't ride, He drives. And maybe today is your day to finally move out of that driver's seat and turn it over to the One it was made for in the first place. I'm praying that this Christmas may be for someone who's listening right now your first real Christmas - your first Christmas with Christ in your heart. Not just in your head, in your heart. Not just on the edges, but in the center of your life. Don't you want to belong to this Jesus? He loves you so much! Then tell Him right now, "Jesus, I am Yours from this moment on. You came here to pay for people's sins, and I have sin that needed to be paid for. Thank You for paying the price so I don't have to. I want to belong to You today, Jesus. I want to belong to You forever." See, because He's alive, because He wanted out of His grave after He died for you, He can walk right into your life upon your invitation. What a day this would be right here in the season we celebrate His coming to this world He could come into your life. Tell Him that today; pray that way to Him today. Let me invite you to our website today. Go there as soon as you can check it out, because I've tried to put there as simply as I could, a way for you to be sure that you have begun your relationship with Jesus. It's YoursForLife.net. You've known a lot about Jesus. Well, beginning this very day, you can finally know Jesus for real. This can be your personal Jesus-day. |
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Comments
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Romans 3:23 All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. If Jesus didn't die for our sins Why did He die on the cross for.
We couldn't pay for our own sins. We need the atoning blood of Jesus.
Again. Back up your comments with scripture.
I need to make a correction. That Romans 6:23.
Again. Back up your statements with scriptures. If you know tha Bible like you clalme then Why is it so hard to understand that Jesus paid for our sins, because He's the only one who can. He is sinless and we are sinful. We can't pay for our own sins.
If Jesus didn't have to die He wouldn't have. Read your Bible and back up your comments with Scripture.
Answer this question. Why did Jesus die on the cross. Lord Jesus Please help us to understand.
I prefer to go by the Bible only. It is the true word of God and cannot be disputed.
You have to take the Bible by faith. Jesus is the true divine Son of God.
I agree that Jesus is the son or God, just as we all are sons of God and you can find the scrip for that. And he is not God, but speaks to God several times.
There is no logic to your responses. Jesus is the divine Son of God. Ever hear of the Trinity? God the Father, God the Son, & God the Holy Spirit. How do you come to the conclusion that Jesus is not God? What do you base that on?
Jesus said and I believe it. There will be and are false teachers. Read the Scriptures. If the Scriptures are not true, then what's the purpose of having them.
I will stil go to the scriptures. That's the only safe guard.
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus Christ, my righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus' name.
Dear God Help us to see and understand what you really say in your Holy Word. Apparently some of us are confused as to who you are.
--doesn't matter who pays for them!
Payments are over! Jesus became the last "sacrificial Lamb" to stop them!
Accept that fact,
then you stop worrying about the afterlife,
Not because your sins are already paid for, but because Jesus put a stop to it, knowing that God would not require the payment, never did.
I'm not worried about the afterlife. Dear Lord help us poor confused humans see and understand that you came and died for our sins, and forgave us. Thank you for dying on the cross and taking our sins away. Amen.
Just as I accept my two sons and my daughter without punishing them because they are not living up to my preconceived expectations. I am so proud of them and God is proud of me the same way.
1. You were always loved by God
2. You never had to have your sins paid for.
3. Jesus put a stop to paying for sins.
4. God loves you unconditionally .
5. You may love God without expecting anything in return, heaven included!
Brenda's on the right track. Jesus died on the cross for her sins as well as for ours and everyone. Don't get the idea that our sins do not need to be paid for. If we reject Jesus' death for us, we will have to pay that penalty ourselves.
I hope and pray people don't get confused and misled by what you tell them. Read 1st John 1:9
I agree with you that Christmas is to commercialized, and the true meaning has been lost. I'm glad God was able to show you this.
Jesus came to die for our sins and forgive and pardon us. Romans 3:23 All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Romans 6:23 The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Jesus died for all of us because He loves us and wants us with Him in His kingdom.
My prayers are with you Brenda.
Did it ever occur to you that God speaks to me as well, that I am led by the Holy Spirit to say the things I say, and the reason I do is because I have already listened to people's (you for instance) interpretation of the Bible and am not confused and misled!
I don't mean to come off as being judgmental, but that's the way you come off. What goes around comes around. I believe that God can use anybody to spread His word, but when what you or anyone else says things that don't agree with Scripture you're not speaking the truth.
If they don't speak according to the word (Bible) it's because there is no truth in them. If you want to call it judgmental go ahead. I'm only going by what the Bible says.