We always celebrated Christmas with my mom's side of the family. She had one sister and from as early as I can remember, we always went to her house. As a child, Santa also left something there for me. But through the years we have lost family members. First, my uncle, than my grandma, then my mom, than one of my cousins. We have not been "home" for Christmas for a few years now. My aunt was put in a nursing home due to alhemizer's and about a month ago one of my cousins broke his leg and is in the same nursing home. So as you can see, having your family together for Christmas is something to cherish. Think of all the people in the armed services that aren't home for Christmas.
Enough rambling. I want to share with you what the perfect gift really is. Jesus Christ. Most people have heard John 3:16 or at least heard of it. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son..." But there are other Scriptures that tell us about God being a gift-giver. Today, all Scriptures are from the New King James Version.
2 Corinthians 9:15 says "Thanks be to God for His indescrible gift!" James 1:17 states that "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." You may like your gifts you get tomorrow and hopefully you do. People spent time and effort getting those gifts for you. Then in Matthew 7:11 tells us how much will our Father in Heaven give good things to those who ask. A word of caution here, when asking it has to be with the right motives (the book of James tells us that).
So God gave us the perfect gift in Jesus Christ. Jesus also wants to give us gifts. At this time of year you hear the phrase "peace on earth and goodwill towards men". That was the phrase the angels told the shepherds that night of Jesus' birth. But Jesus also came to give peace. John 14:27 Jesus tells His disciples "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica "Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all." (2 Thessalonians 3:16)
Not only did Jesus come to give peace, but He also came to give eternal life. Romans 6:23 reads "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Jesus' words are recorded by John in chapter ten, verse twenty-eight: "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand."
How do we receive this eternal life? Peter tells us that in the Book of Acts. "Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'" When we are baptized (immersed) into the water in the name of Jesus Christ, we receive the remission (forgiveness) of sin and receive the Holy Spirit.
What more perfect gifts could you ask for? The gift of Jesus Christ who came to give us the gift of peace, eternal life, the forgiveness of sin and the Holy Spirit.
Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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