The Spirit of Christmas Part 3

It’s about SACRIFICIAL GIVING.

John 3:16 “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.

1. Christmas is about giving SACRIFICIALLY and WHOLLY.

Christmas is not only about giving but specifically SACRIFICIAL giving, not just of one area of life, but of our WHOLE life (TIME, TREASURE, TALENTS).

Philippians 2:5-8  5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:  6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!

Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

2. Christmas is about giving even when it’s UNCOMFORTABLE.

Mark 9:12 Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected?

3. Christmas is about giving to thosewho DON’T DESERVE it.

Romans 5:6, 8 6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

1Peter 3:18 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.

He didn’t do this because HE needed to, he did it because WE needed him to.

4. Christmas is about giving for the BENEFIT of OTHERS.

John 3:16 “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.

5. Christmas is about giving of SELF.

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son…”

6. Christmas is about giving because we LOVE; we WANT to, we do not HAVE to.

John 3:16 “For God so loved…”

Christmas is where we celebrate this UNDESERVED demonstration and gift of God’s love through sacrificial GIVING.

Application: Motivated by LOVE, prayerfully consider HOW and WHERE God is calling you to sacrificially give your TIME, TALENTS, and TREASURE.