Preaching The Grace Of God From The King James Bible
Dispensationally Delivered
Pastor Doug Dodd
Berean Bible Church – Edgewater, Florida

He was not born in December. 

Scripture indicates a September date.

But he was born. 

Let’s not be to pretentious today. 

Christmas is not about Christ and I am not sure it ever was.

But he was born.

He was born a very long time ago in the way that you and I reckon time.

But in the mind of God the Father he was born before the foundation of the world.

Let me remind you what the Bible, God’s holy word says:

Titus 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

The mind of God is a wonderful thing to ponder.

His ways are above our ways. 

His thoughts are above our thoughts.

And yet his ways and his thoughts are about us. 

You and me.

Is it any wonder that John wrote?

John 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  17  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

The lights are nice, this time of year. 

The crowds can be a little daunting as we peruse the shelves looking for that one gift for that one person or persons that mean so much to us.

We are constrained at Christmas time to give.

And so we find ourselves, in a very simple way, imitating what God had in mind before he made a when or a where.

It had to be a gift you know. 

Nothing else would do.

Forget what religion says! 

Forget the long platitudes and prayers! 

It had to be a gift.

Just look at us!

Just look at us!

Religion, formalism, pastors, preachers and popes easily miss the importance of the gift. 

God has a gift to give and we have been taught, many of us have been taught,

that one gift requires another!

But what can we give to God?

Can a sinner give anything to God?

We receive his mercy.

We receive his grace.

And we stand in need and in abject poverty when compared to the God of glory!

It had to be a gift. 

Nothing else would do. 

It had to be a gift.

A gift cannot be earned. 

That would make it a reward! 

And let me tell you, there will be many rewards given out on Christmas day

•  but there will be some gifts given
• and there will be some gifts received.

And that is the whole crux of the matter isn’t it?

A gift must be received!

• It is not earned.
• It is not worked for.
• It is not a reward.
• It is a gift.

A gift purchased by someone who loves…  us!

A gift well thought out and planned before the world began.

A gift given with no strings attached because it comes from the heart.

Remember what our pilot Paul said:

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:

it is the gift of God:  9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Some of my favorite gifts are hanging on my refrigerator door at home.

Scrawled pictures in crayon, pencil, ink, paint and some unidentifiable stuff laid down by the hands of someone who thought about me.  They were thinking of me!

You have some of those I dare say.

They are gifts from the heart.

They are thoughtful gifts.

They are received gifts of lasting value that gold cannot touch.

God has given a gift!

This gift is in the form of his son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

We think about the babe in the manger as we sing Silent Night

but he was born to give his life so that we might live.

Paul tells us in 1 Tim 1:15 

This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners;…

And sinners we are and the gift we need!

But how does one get this gift from God?

That is part of the good news!

You already have it!

When the Lord Jesus Christ died at Calvary, was buried and rose again the third day he paid for all sin for all men for all time!

This simply means that anyone who ends up in the lake of fire will go there with their sins paid for because the issue is not sin but belief, belief of the truth.

Eternal life is a gift.  Bought and paid for and waiting for you to believe.

Do you desire the gift of eternal life?

Can you believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for your sins according to the scriptures?

Can you believe that he was buried and rose again the third day according to the scriptures?

Then why not do what all those who receive a gift should do and that is simply say thanks.  That’s what we do when we receive a gift.  We say thanks.  We say thank you.

• Believe God’s love for you.
• Believe Christ died for you.
• Believe Christ rose again.
• And Thank God for his unspeakable gift!

Given at the end of the performance of the Gift Of The Magi
  at Berean Bible Church in Edgewater Florida.