(anonymous submission)
As the Christmas season approaches, many of us are thinking about gifts. Our thoughts might drift to what we can give as gifts and what gifts we might receive from others. Have you paused to think of the greatest gift we have each been given an opportunity to receive? Christmas is a time to reflect on He who came to save us. Jesus came as a babe but also as a King to redeem us. It is amazing that Jesus, who was innocent and blameless, died for us sinners, even before we knew or loved Him. Through this, He gave us a free gift of life and a joyful bliss of eternity with him because of His grace and love for us. When you think about how He sacrificed Himself through one of the harshest ways possible, for even the worst people of all, for all our sins, it is overwhelming to think about. His love goes far beyond what we imagine and how wonderful His mercies are. All we need to do is repent and accept that free gift; then, we are forgiven and free.
A Gift We Take for Granted
Of course, we need to remember what true belief is, not just an intellectual belief, and then we go on living our lives the same as before we accepted Christ’s sacrificial gift. We need to put that belief into practice and be willing to sacrifice the way we live our lives, as Christ, in a sense, did for us, being devoted to him for our entire life. At Christmas, it is easy to think we have heard the message too many times, or we can just become immune to it. We forget how truly incredible it is and what a future we have that awaits. Instead of being condemned for every sin we’ve ever committed and living eternity in torture, darkness, and separation from God and everything good, we are forgiven. As believers, we are given a life with Christ for eternity to see someday our God face to face, to have joy, peace, and complete contentment. There will be no sin, and we will be able to glorify our Creator forever and experience the many blessings and rewards He will give us. We don’t deserve it, but that is the whole point; it’s not because of us but because of how good He is and what He’s done for us. Even before we go to heaven, we, as Christians, experience a fraction of His glory, joy, peace, and contentment here on this earth as the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts. At the same time, He uses us for His kingdom purposes so that he may be glorified. And how incredible it is that we get to be used for His glory, we who are sinners. Romans 5:19 reminds us (paraphrased) that by one man’s disobedience, many were sinners (all really), but by one man’s obedience, many will be made righteous (only those who receive the free gift).
Let’s consider Isaiah 53:1-12 (NLT):
[1] Who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm? [2] My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. [3] He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. [4] Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! [5] But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. [6] All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all. [7] He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. [8] Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream. But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people. [9] He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave. [10] But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands. [11] When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. [12] I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.
Sharing the Gift of Christ Jesus
Let this truly bring thankfulness to your heart, living out this joy and hope, prompting you to thank Him, give Him praise, and always worship Him. Yet, we are all called to share this message of hope to all those living in the dark, who, without Christ, may live in this darkness forever…Romans is a great book to meditate on the truth and great hope we have in Christ!
Allow these truths in Romans to be an encouragement as you have the opportunity to share the gift that God sent us. While getting caught up in all the packages and bows this Christmas season is easy, let us not forget the greatest gift that any of us can receive. Further, we can each do our part to share this gift of God’s love and mercy with others. Let’s celebrate our Savior’s birth this Christmas and tell the world that King Jesus came to seek and save the lost, offering a gift of eternal life.
Romans 5:12-21 NLT
[12] When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. [13] Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break. [14] Still, everyone died—from the time of Adam to the time of Moses—even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did. Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come. [15] But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. [16] And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. [17] For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. [18] Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. [19] Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous. [20] God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. [21] So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 8:1-4 NLT
[1] So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. [2] And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. [3] The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. [4] He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.