CHRISTMAS GIFTS, BOXES AND WRAPPING PAPER

It depends on how many family members, especially children, you have had on Christmas day as to how much ‘trash’ you will have to remove and carry to the street for the workers to pick up. In our area, you can see the blue cans that are placed on the street are filled with ‘trash’. As we are now in the last days of this year it is good that we dispose of some of our ‘trash’ if such we have in our hearts and lives. The apostle Paul stated it in this fashion: “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him…” (Colossians 3:5-10). In other words we all need to take an inventory of our lives and make sure that we discontinue those habits and sins that hinder our running “the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1, 2). In the case of the gift and the giver, both are most important in spiritual matters. We are informed in John 3:16 that God gave the greatest gift ever – His Son to die for our sins on the cross of Calvary. The apostle Paul wrote in Romans 5:6-8, “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Just ponder for a while what is said here. We were not friends of God when He gave the greatest gift, His Son; rather, it was when by our own sins we were alienated from God (Isaiah 59:1, 2). Not only that, the Gift (Jesus Christ) also gave Himself for our salvation (John 15:13). The motive was pure love of the Father and the Son. Because we have been the recipients of salvation, “the gift of God”, (Ephesians 2:8), we should give ourselves in the service of our Lord Jesus Christ. There are teeming millions of lost souls who need to hear the good news of our Savior Jesus Christ (I Corinthians 15:1-3) which “is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). There are lonely souls who need our attention and affection. “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble…” (James 1:27). The inspired writer in Hebrews 12:12 gave this exhortation, “Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees…” There is much work for Christians to do as we spread the gospel and help those who are in need of our help. Let us remember the encouraging words Paul has given us as found in 1 Corinthians 15:58: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”

“I CAME NOT OF MY OWN ACCORD, BUT HE SENT ME”

Sometimes brethren think that God permitted His Son to come to earth to be the Savior of the world of His own desire and so God allowed Him to do so. However, scripture does not support that concept. The apostle John wrote concerning the controversy Jesus had with the Jews who did not accept the sonship of Jesus. And, they exclaimed that God was their father but the Lord declared they were the children of their father, the devil. “Jesus said to them, “If God were your father, you would love me,for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me” (ESV, John 8:42;7:28). It is the last sentence of Jesus’ statement that I want to consider in this article. It was in eternity that God predetermined that His Son would be sent to be the savior of fallen mankind. The decision to send His Son was a mutual agreement with the Father and the Son because they are one. The apostle Peter wrote that the elect of God were not “redeemed with corruptible things like silver and gold” “but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world…” (1 Peter 1:18-20). In Revelation 13:8, “All who dwell on the earth will worship him,(the dragon,and beast) whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” We begin to understand as much as the human mind will allow, the eternal purpose and plan for the redemption of mankind; and, beginning with Genesis 3:15 and Genesis 22:16-18, the seed of woman and the seed of Abraham was to be Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who would take “away the sin of the world (Galatians 3:16; John 1:29). Throughout the Old Testament the theme was ‘Someone is coming’! And, “when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4,5). “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved”(NKJV, John 3:16,17). “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering death crowned with glory and honor, that He by the grace of God, might taste death for every one (Hebrews 2:9). How great and marvelous is the love of God our Heavenly Father! Jesus knew why He came to this world. “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. “This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but raise it up at the day. “And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:38-40). Jesus also said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent me.” “He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.” “When you lift up the Son man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things.” “And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him” (John 7:16). 8:26,28,29). When His time had come to die on Calvary, He said to his disciples, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.” He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 38,39). Jesus Christ was always in complete submission to His Father’s will, even when He was facing death on the cross for our sins. He always gave glory and honor to His Father, even as we, His children should do. The following song is very beautiful, meaningful and moving. The Love of God: “The love of God is greater far Than tongue or pen can ever tell; it goes beyond the highest star, And reaches to the lowest hell. The guilty pair bowed down with care, God gave His Son to win, His erring child He reconciled and pardoned from his sin. Could we with ink the ocean fill, And were the skies of parchment made, Were every stalk on earth a quill, And every man a scribe by trade, To write the love of God above Would drain the ocean dry/ O love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong! It shall forevermore endure- The saints and angels song.” - Frederick Martin Lehman