Grace for the Naughty and Nice

you know how it works - child tells Santa what he’d really like for Christmas - and if he’s nice - if he’s good then Santa brings him something - but if he’s naughty - just a lump of coal.

So it is by this naughty or nice principle that determines whether or not we get one of these.. [pull out gift]

So we

So if we get a gift from Santa - it is because we were more nice than naughty - it means we deserve it - So technically we earned it - cause we paid for it with our good works by being nice…

So if we get a gift - it means we deserve it - So technically we earned it - cause we paid for it with our good works by being nice… at least that’s how we tend to think when we live by the Naughty or Nice principle

And that’s how the naughty or nice principle works - which says if I’m good enough I will be rewarded. Or As long as my good outweighs my bad then I’m OK -

The naughty or Nice principle means if I’m good enough I will be rewarded. Or As long as my good outweighs my bad then I’m OK -

People think that way about a lot of things including God…I can see why - because Santa does seem a little bit like God…

“He knows when you are sleeping, He knows when you’re awake, He knows if you’ve been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake!’

I’m not so sure about Santa - But Make no mistake, God sees everything.. He sees every good and bad thought or action, there is nothing you can hide from him…

Which is why I am So Thankful God is NOTHING like Santa…

John 1:14–17 NCV

The Word became a human and lived among us. We saw his glory—the glory that belongs to the only Son of the Father—and he was full of grace and truth. John tells the truth about him and cries out, saying, “This is the One I told you about: ‘The One who comes after me is greater than I am, because he was living before me.’ ” Because he was full of grace and truth, from him we all received one gift after another. The law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

With God instead of Naughty or Nice - it is grace and truth..

English Standard Version Chapter 1

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

With God instead of Naughty or Nice - it is grace and truth..

The truth is we’re all naughty and being nice isn’t much of an improvement…

The word ‘NICE’ 1250-1300; Middle English: foolish, stupid < Old French: silly, simple < Latin nescius ignorant, incapable…

Truth is we’re all naughty AND nice - even though you may be a wonderful person who does a lot of good things -we all are incapable of avoiding naughty all together… My name is on the naughty list and so is yours…

BUT Christmas celebrates God giving to us anyway! Giving - Jesus - who was born into our world not because we deserve it but because of God’s GRACE...

Grace is about God offering his very best to people who don’t deserve it…

Grace is about God offering his very best to people who don’t deserve it… GRACE = God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense

GRACE = God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense

Jesus comes into our world because we are naughty and need forgiveness

Jesus becomes one of us to live a life of obedience to God because the rest of us love being naughty more than being good

Jesus sacrifices himself by dying on a cross to pay the debt of our naughtiness so he can erase our bad reputation and pardon us

God raises Jesus rises from the dead so he can transform our naughty hearts and make us alive again with his goodness.

God doesn’t operate on the Naughty or Nice principle - he relates to us by his GRACE… Which means Jesus is always giving himself to those who don’t deserve him —

John 1:16 ESV

For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

John 1:16–17 ESV

For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

He Gives - Hi Forgiveness, his peace, his instruction, his guidance, his provision, his kingdom

His Forgiveness, His instruction, His guidance, His

He is Constantly Giving of himself to us! -

His Forgiveness, his peace, his instruction, his guidance, his provision, his love, his kingdom

his peace,

his instruction,

his guidance,

his provision,

his love

his kingdom

He is the GIVER - Which means we are always the RECEIVER…

v16 - “From his fullness we have all received…”

GRACE = God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense

Just because He’s given doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve received...

Just because it’s given doesn’t mean you’ve received it…

He shows us the Truth, he lives the truth, and

To receive something is to accept it - to open it up - take it as yours - put it on - to own it.. to take it into your life… [open gift and put it on]

Receiving Christ means: receiving his forgiveness , receiving his instruction, receiving his guidance, receiving his call and his purpose for your life…

God doesn’t operate on the Naughty or Nice principle - he relates to us by his GRACE… Which means Jesus is always giving himself to those who don’t deserve him — but are willing to humbly receive him...

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