Grace Bible Church Glorifying God by Making Disciples of Jesus Christ
The Magic of Christmas Selected Scriptures People look for Christmas to be magical, but without a true foundation, they will be left disappointed Christmas is inherently religious: Christmas = Christ + Mass Holiday = Holy + Day
The Magic of Christmas Selected Scriptures Our post-Christian society uses the same words but with different meanings Striving to fulfill cultural traditions without knowing why leaves people cranky and exhausted The magic of Christmas has been taken captive by a culture that is turning away from the reason for it
GIFTS People like gifts because they are in keeping with basic human selfishness Getting a desired gifts that shows the giver thought about you gratifies the soul Getting a thoughtless gift can leave you feeling disappointed and sad
GIFTS Giving thoughtful gifts to those who respond with thanksgiving gratifies the soul Giving thoughtful gifts to those that are indifferent leaves you feeling disappointed and sad
GIFTS Giving gifts out of obligation brings little joy - but add a lot of stress and frustration Most people give Christmas gifts for reasons that cannot bring lasting fulfillment to the giver or receiver
GIFTS The proper reason for giving gifts at Christmas is out of the joy of receiving the gift God has given us The gift of God is Jesus Christ and the salvation He brings: John 3:16; Romans 3:24; 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9
GIFTS Christmas is properly a festival celebrating the coming of Jesus Christ Jesus Christ is the greatest gift and the reason to give gifts to others. He is the “magic” of Christmas
FRIENDS Friends, those for whom you have affection or regard, make any celebration better Christmas is a great time to spend time with friend and catch up with those that are now more distant
FRIENDS The Christmas “magic” of friendship fails because it also reminds us of those that have changed or ended Sin destroys friendship because its selfishness eats at the fabric that holds relationships together
FRIENDS Salvation from sin gives the ability to build relationships on a different foundation than self-interest Jesus transforms enabling friendship with those who are very different in personality and preferences
FRIENDS Jesus is a friend that will always be there and will love at all times (Proverbs 17:17; 18:24; John 15:13-14)
FAMILY Friends come and go, but family remains whether you like them or not (Proverbs 17:17; 1 Timothy 5:8) Family gatherings are often a special draw of the Christmas season and much effort is made to be home then
FAMILY Family relationships also change as people age, generations pass away, and marriages dissolve Hope is restored by being part of God’s family - John 1:12; Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:5; 1 John 3:1; John 14:1-3 God’s invitation is for you to become part of His family for eternity
LOVE The idea of romance is often associated with Christmas - but normal life resumes and romance fades God’s true love is demonstrated in Jesus - Romans 5:8
LOVE He enables us to extend that love to others - John 13:34-35; Ephesians 5:25; Luke 6:35 A Christian loves others out of the overflow of love received from Jesus
LOVE Christmas is about Jesus who is God’s greatest gift, the very best friend you can have, who adopts us into His family, and love us with an everlasting and unchangeable love
Grace Bible Church Glorifying God by Making Disciples of Jesus Christ