Everyone, Everywhere – including you, loves to receive gifts!

Though if we’re honest at times, we can receive gifts that stir a feeling in us that NOW, we must “do in kind” – we must return the favor and give a gift back.

Often deep within each of us is this nagging condition of self-reliance:
We don’t want to owe anybody anything or be owned by anyone.

I want to participate – do my fare share.
I want to do my part.
I want to stand on my own 2 feet.
We long to be self-reliant – able to do life on our own,
not dependent upon anyone or looking for handouts …

NOW: healthy Self-reliance – is a good and necessary thing.
Take responsibility – be responsible and resourceful, dependable is good thing

But listen; a staunch, immoveable, unhealthy stance of self-reliance – of
“I don’t need anything from anyone at anytime” – well, that can lead to isolation, regret, loneliness and cause great damage within relationships and within us.

We're camping out on some phrases and words in this Christmas story (Luke 2) that can heal us. This message is life-changing. It’s a GIFT whether you’re hearing it for the 1st time or the 1,000th time!

The GIFT OF CHRISTMAS is that God decided to do something uniquely different in history. Christmas declares: that God came; he didn’t just ignore, blow off or walk away. He showed up and he has brought GOOD NEWS, not bad news. LISTEN: that Good News wasn’t just instructions from afar...It wasn’t an owner’s manual to how to live a good life if we just follow the instructions on our own.

The Good News: was himself. It’s a relationship. It’s the person of Jesus who came on a rescue mission for you, for me -- and he did it! He’s made a way to rescue us, redeem us and invite us into a relationship with him.

God knows what we needed: A Savior
-we didn’t need a coach, a silent partner with deep pockets, a cheerleader, a motivation speaker, a good life-assistant == it’s worse than all of that

This word defines our relationship with God

The word “Savior” is used to refer to Jesus only two times in the Gospels: here as the angels proclaimed his birth, and in John 4:42 by the Samaritans who came to believe in Jesus as “the Savior of the world.” In the Old Testament, the same word (sometimes translated “deliverer” in some versions) is used for certain individuals, as well as for God (Judges 3:9, 15; 1 Samuel 10:19; Isaiah 19:20).

The word “Lord” refers here to deity. That this tiny baby was the “Lord” means that God had arrived in human form. The angel gave no doubt as to the identity of this child. He was the one for whom all Israel had been waiting.

Luke 2:11
Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.

God’s strategy to bringing you into relationship with him; is his kindness;
He’s a Savior, not a scar-er!

He longs to rescue! It’s the very nature of his heart…

Romans 2:4
…do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

Every time we look into the mirror – we are dying! We are literally wasting away. And we need to come to grips with the reality that we don’t just need a little self-help philosophy or a little bit of better modification to our life
– we need RESCUED.

Rick Warren:
“You don’t need a Savior because you might die tonight. You need a Savior because you gotta live tomorrow.”

We needed a SAVIOR. And Jesus you’ve done way more than just offer us some advice to live a better life, way more than coaching us through a jam, way more than just encouraging us in a down moment of life. You have rescued us eternally and rescue us continually.

*friends:
Whatever you are willing to lay at the feet of the Savior, he is willing to save.

IF YOU'RE NEW:
We throw a 10-minute party immediately following the service in the back corner of the room. If you're new, we'd love to meet you and we have a small gift for you! We also want invite you back with us next Sunday at 5pm as we continue our series together.

We'll see you NEXT SUNDAY as we continue our journey toward Christmas!

*Reminder: Christmas Eve Services are at: 4pm or 6pm
family friendly, candlelight services - invite some friends!