A Gift the Changes Everything (Christmas Eve Message - 2024)

Introduction

Have you ever received a very special Christmas gift that changed your life?

I am sure a lot of us can think back to a very special gift that we received.

I received a gift like that when I was about 13 years old.

I had been drumming for a few years,

and had wanted a drum set of my own for a very long time.

My family didn’t have a lot of money when I was growing up,

so it wasn’t something I ever expected to receive.

But that Christmas morning when I was 13, I remember waking up early.

I typically got up before everyone else in my family on Christmas morning.

I remember walking up the stairs.

My room was in the basement of the house while everyone else was on the second floor.

I don’t know why my parents had me down there.

Anyways I remember going up the stairs where our Christmas tree was,

and saw the presents all under the tree.

Usually when we kids got up we were allowed to open our stockings before my parents came down

so we could open gifts after reading the Christmas story.

So I was excited to eat up all the candy in my stocking first thing in the morning.

But then I noticed something.

In the corner of the room was something large covered with a bedsheet.

Naturally I couldn’t help myself but look under the bedsheet to see what was hidden underneath.

I lifted up the corner of the bedsheet, and I saw Chrome, and wood.

And I knew exactly what it was, and knew it was for me.

I then tore off the bedsheet and saw that underneath was a complete, black drum kit.

Not only that, there were sticks laid out on top of the snare drum.

When I saw the sticks, I couldn’t help myself.

I sat on the seat, picked up the sticks, and started playing.

And that was how my whole family woke up at 5 am that Christmas morning.

A Gift

From that moment on, I worked hard on that drum set,

but I didn’t have to work for it.

See, a gift isn’t a gift if you have to work for it.

Thats payment.

No I didn’t earn that drum set.

My parents gave it to me as a gift, out of their love for me.

Exposition

But as special as that gift was for me,

there’s another Christmas gift that is much more special,

and much more life changing.

And this is a gift that is offered to everyone.

This is the gift, that we have just been reading about in our time together tonight.

The gift that the angel announced to the shepherds in Luke 2:10-11.

Good News Of Great Joy (vv. 10-11)

We read there that;

Luke 2:10 (ESV)

“The angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.’”

What was announced by the angel was not only good news to the shepherds,

but was “good news of great joy,

for all the people.”

This was good news for all people every where,

from every tribe, and language, and nation.

And this was good news for everyone,

from that moment in history,

and down through the centuries

including we who are gathered here tonight.

This gospel, this good news is for you and me.

Gift (v. 11)

The angel told the shepherds just what this good news was, in v. 11 where he said:

Luke 2:11 (ESV)

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.”

A child had been born,

but this was no ordinary child.

This child who the angel announced was “Christ the Lord”.

God, the creator of all things, come in the flesh.

And he came in the flesh to do something absolutely incredible.

Jesus, the Christ child, was born to be a saviour.

He was born to save his people from their sins.

And we all need saving.

Gospel

It’s easy to see that there is such a thing as evil in the world.

We see it in history, we see it on the news, we see it in our community, and even in our families.

Its easy for us to point at and recognize the evil that is out there in the world,

but rarely do we ever think about the evil that we add to it ourselves.

You and I, and every other person does evil,

we sin.

And our sin separates us from a just and holy God.

It separates us from him in this life,

and it separates us from him in the life to come.

The Bible tells us that this separation, this penalty for sin is death,

eternal death,

in his teaching Jesus called it hell.

But out of his love, his mercy, and his grace.

God gave us a gift.

And that gift is salvation from our sin, and eternal life with God.

God accomplished this through sending his son;

Jesus, the Christ, the child announced by the angels.

Jesus grew up and lived a perfect sinless life,

and then died on a Roman cross to pay for the sins of the world.

He then rose from the dead three days later, defeating death forever.

We celebrate that at easter,

But it’s what Jesus accomplished at easter,

that makes what we celebrate at Christmas - so special.

This is the gift of salvation from sin and death that angel came to announce to the shepherds.

And this gift is offered to the world,

it is offered to you and to me.

The question is, have you received it?

Application

Receiving The Gift

When I found that drum kit early Christmas morning.

There was no doubt that I received it gladly.

My whole family was aware - they heard it.

But imagine I never picked up the sticks to play it.

Imagine, in the days, and months and years after, I never played it, I never touched it.

If that was the case, you couldn’t really say that I received it.

See, a gift is given out of love,

and gifts are given to be received.

The gift of salvation through Jesus Christ is given to you and to me

and it is given so that we might receive it.

The Bible tells us that we receive this gift of salvation,

through repentance and faith.

Repent from your sins, turn from them, ask for God’s forgiveness,

and believe that Jesus Christ has saved you from your sins through his death and resurrection,

and you will be saved.

This is how we receive this gift of salvation,

through repentance and faith.

Conclusion

Of all the gifts given to you this Christmas,

or at any Christmas,

this is the one that is the most important;

this is the one that will change your life forever - for eternity even.

God has offered you the gift of salvation from your sins, and eternal life with him.

You don’t have to earn it, it is given to you out of his love for you.

All you have to do is receive it,

and you receive it through repentance and faith.

Will you receive the greatest gift of all this Christmas?

We are going to conclude our service with one more song.

But if you would like to know more about receiving this gift of salvation through faith in Christ,

please reach out to myself or one of the other pastors here at Faith.

Give us a call at the church or visit our website, were easy to find.

We would love to talk with you.

Make sure you don’t miss out on receiving the greatest gift of all,

the gift of salvation faith in Jesus Christ;

the child announced by the angels.

The Good news of Great Joy - for all people.