The Complete Package
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The Evening of December 24th
On the eve of our Christmas celebration, Jesus’ birthday, we light all of the candles of the Advent wreath. First we light the candle for HOPE because Jesus is our hope. Second, we light the candle for PEACE because Jesus is our hope and peace. Third, we light the candle for JOY because Jesus brings joy. Fourth, we light the candle for LOVE because Jesus is love. Finally we light the center candle. This is the CHRIST candle. Jesus is born. Jesus has come. Jesus is our salvation.
Here is a reading from Galatians:
“But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law”—Galatians 4.4
Let us pray: Great God of love and light, we thank you now for the light of that special star over two thousand years ago that guided humble shepherds and learned wise men to the holy babe. Lead us now, by the light of your love, that we also may follow you to new life in him. In celebration of the birthday of our King and our Savior, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
The Complete Package
Tonight we celebrate a wonderful thing that God did on behalf of all men. Later this evening, some of us will open gifts, and some of us will do that in the morning. For the young, the anticipation of finding out what is in the package is one of the best parts of Christmas. For the more mature, hopefully, it is the giving of gifts and being together as a family that takes priority. We want our gifts to be the complete package.
Some gifts are practical. They fit a need. Some are emotional, they attempt to convey love through the romance of the gift. Some gifts have great value that the person receiving the gift can later use to be cashed in. And some gifts show a simple kindness and thought. They have no material value, but great emotional value. These are the gifts of words or hand-made cards.
Both the giver of a gift and the receiver of a gift hope that what is in the package will meet the desires of the receiver. The one giving the gift may have difficulty choosing what to give, particularly if they don’t know the person well. But the one who gives a gift to someone they know very well has a good chance of success in giving a gift that will be meaningful and worthy of the love and intent they have.
Around 2,000 Decembers ago, the only perfect gift in history was given. It was the gift that was practical. It filled a great need. It was emotional, given in love. It had great value. So much value, that its value exceeded the cost of all sin, and it is a value still producing dividends today. It was a gift that showed kindness and thought. This gift was the complete package. It fulfilled a need we had, it showed us love, and for those that have received the gift, it has been received with great gladness and rejoicing.
The perfect gift, the complete package, is Jesus Christ. He is our Savior, our Sanctifier, our Healer, and our Coming King.
Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.
And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.
But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).
When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife,
but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus
He will save his people from their sins. And there is no other Savior, no on else who we can put our hope in. Acts 4:12
And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
If Jesus is not yet your Savior, I hope you will receive Him as your Savior. Only then will you ever truly appreciate the beauty of Christmas.
Jesus is also our Sanctifier, the on who make us clean and sets us apart unto God. We are in need of Him because only He can grant us His Holy Spirit to work in us and through us in a process of becoming more like Jesus. It is our desire to grow in our faith, and this means we are to seek to become more like Him.
Jesus is also our healer. Isaiah the prophet had said He would heal:
Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
When Jesus took our pains upon himself, it meant that Christians have the privilege to pray for healing. The healing is from Christ, but the faith to pray for it and receive it remains out duty, and even when we don’t see exactly what we want, or see the healing happen on our timetable, we must continue to trust and obey. Obedience to God is trusting that He has all things under His power, and that He will work out all things for the good of those who love Him.
Finally, Jesus is our Coming King. When He comes again, He will come as a conquerer, and who else has defeated hell, death, and the grave? Here is what Scripture says about His return:
Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.
His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself.
He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.
And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses.
From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.
On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.
Yes, Jesus is the complete package, the perfect gift. And on this Christmas, may we reflect on Him in that way.
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.
This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
And all went to be registered, each to his own town.
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,
to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.
And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.
And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.
And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.
And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.
But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
Jesus Christ is Savior, Sanctifier, Healer and Coming King. He is all of those for the ones who love Him and put their faith in Him, and give Him total allegiance. But for those who do not recognize Him, He is not Savior, He will be the one who judges and makes war against those who have rejected Him. For those who do not recognize Him, He is not Sanctifier, the one who purifies. Instead, He is the one whose light will expose the works of the flesh. For those who do not recognize Him, He is not Healer, but whose healing power is unattainable because His healing power requires faith in Him. For those who do not recognize Him, He will still be coming King, but in a very different way. He will be coming king to all: For those He calls His own, a benevolent and wonderful King. For those who oppose Him, a fearful King who will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.
So how do you see Jesus today? Is He your Savior, Sanctifier, healer, and coming King? Or do you fear Him because you do not know Him? There is good news for you this Christmas. If you have not yet put your faith in Him, His Holy Spirit may draw you to faith in Him. He won’t force it, though. You have an opportunity to live life like never before. Put your faith in Christ this Christmas. I promise you you will never be the same.
About 2,000 Decembers ago, God gave His Son, Jesus Christ as the perfect gift to fill all the needs of the human race. A gift given in love, a gift without cost to receive, but which requires your giving up of your rights to your own way. Jesus Christ is the complete package. He doesn't promise you will get rich, or famous, or live in comfort while you are in this life. He does promise you life abundant and eternal life, which as Paul the apostle called it, is the “weight of glory”. We cannot imagine how wonderful our eternal life will be, but given the alternative, we must choose Christ while we can. Would you choose Christ this year? Would you accept the gift of God?
When we go back home with our families, there will be many gifts opened, many bags of wrappings for the trash, toy packaging that will challenge your sanity. What if you were to put a great deal of thought, and time, and money into a gift for someone your love dearly? Wouldn't you want it to be received with gratitude and wouldn't you want the love you had for the one you gave the gift to be reciprocated?
God has presented you with a gift. His son, Jesus Christ, who came into the world to be God with us, Immanuel. Who lived a life that taught us how we ought to live. Who ministered to the poor and hurting people of the world. Who was wrongly beaten, crucified, died, and was buried. And who, by the power of God Almighty, rose again from the dead to prove His ultimate authority over everything, even death. He will come again to the great joy of those who choose to follow Him and to great fear and trembling to those who refuse to believe in Him. I hope you will join me in the first group, the ones who have faith in Him, who expectantly await His return, and the New heaven and earth He will bring.
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.
And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
Songs: O little Town, Silent Night
