3. Love Everyone

Well, tomorrow is the big day! We will celebrate the birth of Jesus by gathering around a Christmas tree and opening presents…that is if you can wait. I’m talking to you who open them on Christmas Eve. Why do we give gifts on Christmas? As followers of Jesus we are acknowledging that God gave us the greatest gift in the history of the world, by giving us his son Jesus.

Over the years, that idea has kind of been pushed to the side, and there is this focus on Santa Claus. The jolly old elf you brings Christmas gifts to boys and girls around the globe on Christmas Eve. So who is that gets a Christmas gift from Santa? Do you remember?

If we do a quick dive into Santa folklore we discover this information from the song, Santa Claus is coming to town.

He's making a list He's checking it twice He's gonna find out who's naughty or nice Santa Claus is coming to town

He sees you when you're sleeping And he knows when you're awake He knows if you've been bad or good So be good for goodness sake

You better watch out You better not cry You better not pout I'm telling you why 'Cause Santa Claus is coming to town

So evidently, Santa is always watching us and he’s creating a naughty or nice list. Though it doesn’t say it in the lyrics, the people on the nice list get presents and the people on the naughty list…well they get nothing…or maybe coal. How many of you here have a really solid coal streak going?

Here’s what Santa teaches us about Christmas: Be good so you get a good present.

Do you know what’s unfortunate? Christmas is about the exact opposite.

John 3:16–17 NIV

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

God had a choice: Send in his son to condemn the world, or save the world. Simply put, everyone was on the naughty list. No one deserved anything good, yet God loved…not a feeling, but a deep regard for people and his creation. So he sent Jesus to the naughty list to not only save them but to give them life. That my friends is amazing!

Here is what is so unfortunate: many people, maybe even you think that God is like Santa Claus. You believe that he is making a list: the naughty and nice list. And as much as you try, you just can’t seem to get off of the naughty list! You’ve simply resigned yourself to believe that God is constantly upset or disappointed with you…and so you give up.

Or maybe you’ve just quite believing in God because it’s easier to live life ignoring God, hoping all the feelings and disappointments will just go away. If that is you, I have some really good news for you: God so loved the naughty list that he sent his one and only son, that whoever believes in him will not perish, but have eternal life. God loves everyone, Jesus proves it.

Now, if you already believe that, you need to know something very important…that’s just the beginning. If you believe in Jesus, you are called to share that gift…to everyone. Here is what Jesus says in Luke 6.

Luke 6:32–36 NIV

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

As God’s people, we are to love everyone because our Father loves everyone. So how can you have the bests Christmas ever? By doing exactly what God did for us: loving the unlovable. Loving our enemies. Loving those we don’t get a long with. By reconciling differences we have with others.

So tomorrow, make a point to reach out to those you need to forgive. Stop and help an outsider. Send a text message to someone who have been meaning to contact. Call that person who is hard to love…because that is what Christmas is all about.

If you want to have the best Christmas ever make every effort to love everyone, because Christmas happened because God loves everyone.

It’s very appropriate to move into a time of sharing in the Lord’s Supper because it represents everything that we have been talking about. So as we share in this spiritual meal, not only receive the gift of God’s love…but share it with someone else as well.

If you are a believer in Jesus you are invited to share in our communion time. As the worship team plays, you are invited to go to one of the communion tables here in the building. Take the communion back to your seat and pray, focus your thoughts on God’s amazing gift. When the music is done, we will share in communion together as a church family.

Pray