God gave us everything.

Who you are determines what you get.

Gifts based on identity. You deserve no gifts based on your natural identity. You get everything because of your identity in Christ.

God’s love for me is not time-dependent. Meaning, it existed before time was created. Therefore, we cannot and do not have to earn God’s love. It was for us even before we could have the opportunity to comprehend God’s love. Our creation and existence is time-based. Anything we do within this could never earn His love because it exists without the measurement of time.

There is a greater identity we can have (Eph 1:5-6). It’s according to His love and His will, not our works. We don’t have to choose to live in Adam’s line. We have access to the identity that was according to His eternal purpose by Jesus Christ. Praise be to God. God wants to lavishly pour out His grace on us. This might seem foolish to give to sinners, but it was done with all wisdom and insight. Perfect wisdom. God’s wisdom. No one can doubt His choice. God has always wanted to love us. The greatest Christmas we can ever have (brand new house, debt paid off, brand new minivan, great vacation) can never compare to what God has in store for me in eternity.

Even our Christmas carols speak to this… O Holy Night… long lay the world until He appeared.

Good news is truly good when we truly understand the bad news. And in the bible, the gospel - the good news - requires us to udnerstand the bad news. And the Shepherds are a picture of this...

The best Christmas gifts are the ones you get because someone loves you. You don’t deserve them, but you get them because of the relationship, not because of your behavior or merit.