Sermon Tone Analysis

Title: God’s Internal Gifts

Theme: Benefits of Receiving God’s Gift, Christ

Series: Grasping the Truths of Christmas

“But 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.

This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests.”

(Luke 2:10-11, 14)

Have you ever received a gift inside a gift?

Have you ever received a gift inside a gift?

I once read of a lady who received a pair of gloves for Christmas.

The fingers of the gloves were stuffed with $20.00 bills.

One man received a Russian doll that is Yeltsin on the outside, open that and on the inside is Bersniv, open that and on the inside is Stalin, open that and on the inside is a little tiny Lenin.

(Rick Warren, Christmas Message)

I would propose to that when Christians receive the Gift of God, Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord, there are gifts that are put on the inside of them that manifest themselves in a way that is beneficial to spiritual health and to the building of the kingdom of God.

Listen as I read Luke 2:10-11, 14, “But 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.

This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests.”

(Luke 2:10-11, 14)

Just what are gifts that are the results of having the Gift, Jesus Christ indwelling Christians and what benefit is that to the Body of Christ?

There is an abundant life

Receiving Jesus is the greatest Gift anyone can receive, for the receiver of God’s Gift there is an abundant life promised.

“Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” (John 1:12-13)

The description of a Christian is a person who believes in Jesus and has received Christ into his life and heart.

This repentant sinner has received Christ as being a gift from God.

He must receive the Word of God as final authority, receive God’s offer of kindness and begin to take on the Lord’s image and His impressions of love as the governing principle of his affections and actions.

(Matthew Henry) This repentant sinner believes in the teachings of Jesus Christ and is open to allowing the Holy Spirit to enable him to live out the Word of God.

(The Pulpit Commentary)

To the born again Christian, Jesus says, “…I have come that [you] might have life, and have it to the full.”

(John 10:10) The New American Standard Bible says, “…I came that [you] might have life, and might have it abundantly.”

(John 10:10 NAS)

This passage of Scripture holds a key truth that the Holy Spirit wants you to grasp today.

You can have life in Christ that is beyond existing.

Jesus gives meaning to life to those whom He indwells because He gives full satisfaction and perfect guidance.

I have always appreciated what Elder Don Malcolm has said often, “Because of Jesus, I have found a reason for living.”

“Life,” (zoe) meaning a blessed life, life that satisfies, being indwelt by God but not necessarily favored by circumstances.

(The Complete Word Study Dictionary) Jesus had on many occasions faced difficult circumstances and so have many of His most faithful servants, the apostle Paul, just to name one.

This word for “life” is an active verb affecting every part of the child of God’s eternal existence.

Jesus’ life offered freely is:

One: His life is energy, the force and the power of being.

Your Christian life has a powerful influence on someone.

Jesus has worked so powerfully through certain Christians that many ministries receive prayer and financial support from people they never see face to face on a regular basis, because someone in that ministry has helped, encouraged and fed the soul of someone.

When I was serving on the board of TFC, many times a special love offering would come in from someone who had once been touched by a Teens for Christ staff member some years ago back.

They would often write expressing thanks and the love offering sent would often be just the right amount for a specific need.

Because Christians receive God’s gift, Jesus Christ, they experience the blessing of sharing the life- giving force of Christ to others in need.

Christians who grasp the truths of Christmas know the truth of their very existence and they say like the apostle Paul, “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him.

For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.

To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.”

(2 Corinthians 2:14-16)

Two: His life is opposite of perishing.

This gift of deliverance from condemnation and death is the guarantee of being part of the resurrection of the children of God.

This new resurrected body will not see deterioration and decay, nor be touched by corruption.

(John 3:16; 5:24,29; 10:28) Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.

I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.

For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself.

And He has given Him authority to judge because He is the Son of Man.

Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.”

(John 5:24-29

Three: His life brings satisfaction and security.

Jesus said, “I am the bread of life.

He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.”

(John 6:35) Jesus is the support of spiritual life and His teachings give guidance in every part of life for those who have the courage and heart to seek the truths that He teaches.

The blessing of having accepted God’s free gift leads to enjoying that ever-flowing never-exhausted communication with the Lord, which can only be interrupted by self-will.

It is a life that overflows in trust, obedience and in love with Christ.

Jesus is the divine bounty in all that God has for His children and Jesus using the word “comes” shows that those wanting eternal blessings must be willing to allow God to work in their lives.

(Barns Notes; Matthew Henry; The Pulpit Commentary)

There is one thing that can stop the work of God and that is the stubborn heart that does not want to release control.

The defiance of the human heart is the most dangerous enemy out there to the human soul.

The life promised in Christ is right there for the taking or the refusing.

When a person takes on the life of Christ, the human heart finds what it was created for and this person moves from just existing into a life of spiritual excitement, adventure and peace.

However, it must be sought with a repentant heart surrendered to the will of God.

In his best selling book called, “Into Thin Air,” the author (Jon Krakauer) relates the hazards that plagued some climbers as they attempted to reach the summit of Mount Everest.

Andy Harris, one of the expedition leaders stayed at the peak too long and on his descent, he became in dire need of oxygen.

Harris radioed the base and told them about his predicament.

He mentioned that he had come across a supply of oxygen canisters left by other climbers but they were empty.

Climbers ahead of him on the same decent over heard the radio transmission and told Mr. Harris that they had just passed those canisters on their way down and he was not seeing properly because of his lack of oxygen, the canisters were not empty but full.

They pleaded with him on the radio to make use of them but it was to no avail, Harris was starved for oxygen and he continued to argue that the canisters were empty.

His lack of oxygen had ravaged his capacity to recognize what was right in front of him and his lack of faith in what he was told led to his death.

(Brian Bill in Bread of Life, sermoncenmtral.com)

What oxygen is to the body, the Bread of life, Jesus Christ, is to the soul.

When a baby is born he must grasp for continued life through breathing air which unseen, everyone knows is there.

Through what is created everybody knows there is God who is unseen and His plan has been made known to mankind through creation.

Romans 1:19-20 says, “since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”

(Romans 1:19-20)

Everything about God and Christ and revelation of the Holy Spirit has and is being made known by all that the Lord does.

It is only man’s love for self-pleasure, the world and his longing to listen to the lies of the devil that prevents him from having eternal life.

Sinful man must first be resolved to seek God for forgiveness, invite Christ in and surrender to the work of the Holy Spirit and eternal life is assured to the repentant.

Andy Harris needed life giving oxygen, sinners need to receive Christ.

Unbelief kept Mr. Harris from believing what he was told.

The flesh, the world, and the Devil keep sinners from understanding the life giving truths of God’s Word.

Is the sin of self, the world and the deception of Satan choking the breath of God, the Holy Spirit of Christ from entering into you?

Thus, causing you to refuse truth that lies right before you.

Are you allowing Christ’s life to live through you?

Does your life proclaim the “Gift” of God saying, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” (Galatians 2:20) The child of God who understands and submits to this truth walks secure in the promise of Jesus.

He said, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

(Matthew 6:33)