"Giving Your Treasures!" (Covenant Renewal)

"Giving Your Treasures!"

Covenant Renewal: a 3-week sermon series to help us give the Christmas Gift every day all year long!

Pastor Jerry Ingalls

December 26, 2010

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and that the lasting joy and eternal peace of the miracle of Christmas will not be cast aside with all the wrapping paper and packaging of those wonderful gifts you received. The Gift of Christmas is peace with God through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ! On this day after Christmas, we are going to transition from the four-week Advent sermon series called "The Gift!" into a three-week New Year series called "Covenant Renewal". The intent of this sermon series is very direct and quite simple: we want the Gift of Christmas to impact our everyday lives throughout the year and for the rest of our lives. We are a people called by God to not only receive the Gift for ourselves, but to then be in mission (the heart of God!) by giving the Gift away to others. We are to be generous with our treasures, our time, and our talents with the missional intent of bringing glory to God and building His Kingdom.

Today, we are going to start the covenant renewal by making a covenant with God to be generous with the material blessings He has provided for us in our lives. If someone were to examine the way you utilized your resources, what would they say about your life priorities?

God's word from Acts 2:42-47 for a message entitled, "Giving Your Treasures!", "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. ⁴³ Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. ⁴⁴ All the believers were together and had everything in common. ⁴⁵ They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. ⁴⁶ Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." [Prayer]

In the community of God, there should be no need unmet, but that is far from the reality we live in this broken world full of war, disease, and the emotional and relational consequences of sin. And yes, the war and disease and consequences of sin have fully infiltrated our best intentions as Christians and are ability to live up to God's commands of how we should steward our lives and all that He has provided for us.

In order to first examine our own hearts of why we give to the Lord's work, let's take what I call "THE HEART TEST FOR GIVING TO THE LORD" Inside your sermon notes you will see three 'yes or no' questions. Take a minute and answer each question.

1. Do I give to be right with God? ______

2. Do I give to make myself feel better? ______

3. Do I give to be seen by other people? ______

These questions are meant to help us enter into this teaching time with an open and reflective heart to God's word as we examine the motivation of our giving. Please do not allow Satan to put you in a defensive posture as we each must be willing to allow the Holy Spirit to probe into the inner chambers of our hearts to illumine the true state of our loyalties. And there is nothing in our culture quite like money and possessions to demonstrate our need for God's deliverance and peace. Today is about freedom!

The answer to the first question, "Do I give to be right with God?" can best be answered by understanding what makes us right with God in the first place! THE MOTIVATION OF OUR GIVING IS GRATITUDE FOR GOD'S CHRISTMAS GIFT!

We do not give in order to be right with God! The Bible teaches in 2 Corinthians 8:9, "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich."

This is the Christmas message: God, the Father of the heavenly lights is the giver of all good gifts. And the Christmas miracle is the Gift of His Son Jesus Christ who willingly came from Heaven to Earth and took the manger as His throne. God took on flesh and dwelt among us so that we can experience His presence. Jesus Christ not only came and took on flesh, but He then gave Himself as the perfect sacrifice by allowing all of humanity's sin to be put on Himself and He paid the price (the atonement) for our sin by dying on a cross so that we can be in a right relationship with God.

We do not give to be right with God because God has already done that work for us! God gave His one and only son so that we can be right with God! Amen!

We give all that we have out of sheer gratitude for the indescribable Gift of peace with God through the Son of God, Jesus Christ! "Yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich"! Once you get a taste of this freedom in Jesus Christ you become the most generous person because you realize the extravagant price of your freedom!

The answer to the second question, "Do I give to make myself feel better?" can best be answered when we understand that we only come to peace with ourselves when walk in deep relationship with God. THE MOTIVATION OF OUR GIVING IS A DEEPER RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD!

Sin has caused a deep chasm between us and God. And it was for forgiveness of sin that God sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins so that we can be restored into right relationship with the Giver of all life. You see, there is nothing that you can do, even follow every detail of the Law that will give you internal peace and feel good about yourself. Only when we enter into a relationship with God can we be healed; this is the journey of life!

As many of us have learned from personal experience and as the Bible teaches us, our obedience to a religious system can only get us so far. Regarding giving of our treasures, God gave a very clear command in the Old Testament. From the books of the Old Covenant Law we find this in the Book of Leviticus 27:30, "A tithe [a tenth] of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD."

In the Old Covenant, giving was managed by a detailed and thoroughly examined commandment to give 10% of all that God had provided. To not give your tithe was to put yourself in a place of disobedience; hence, to put yourself at risk to not being right with God!

Listen to Jesus Christ addressing man's corruption of this commandment. From the Gospel of Luke 11:42, "Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone."

I do not believe that Jesus removes the practice of tithing as some would debate, but He fulfills it as He does the practice the Sabbath. In Mark 2:27, Jesus made a strong statement about the purposes of Sabbath observance. I want to take this statement and apply it to the purposes of tithing because the same principle that Jesus Christ applies to the fulfillment of one aspect of the Law applies to the entire Law: [tithing] was made for man, not man for [tithing]. Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the Law!

Let me explain, we give because we are learning to trust God with all He has made us to be as His children! Tithing was instituted to set us free, it was not made to hold us in bondage to a legalistic obedience, blind of justice and love. Jesus rebukes the Jewish religious leaders of the first century because they had twisted their observance of the Law and in doing so place such heavy burdens on the people that they became stumbling blocks to a relationship with God. Jesus removed the stumbling blocks by fulfilling the Law through grace!

Here it is: Tithing flows out of the heart of God for man (for each of us; you and I!) because God knows that we need to be delivered from our insecurity and mistrust of His sovereign provision. This life is about one thing and until we get this through our minds, then we will always miss the mark on who and why we are and how we should live and love. Life is about growing deeper and deeper in a personal relationship with God! Life is about learning to trust and completely submit to the Lordship of Christ!

Listen to this story from the Gospel of Luke 21:1-4, "As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 'Truly I tell you,' he said, 'this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.'"

This is trust and Jesus holds her up as one who understands the true purpose of giving! Not to give, but to trust! God does not need your money; He desires all of you heart, mind, and soul! God does not want 10%; He wants you to willingly give Him 100%! Jesus is not cancelling the call to tithe; rather He is intensifying it to the extreme. He is calling us to be so free with our giving of our treasures, that we no longer consider them treasure! Our treasure is God alone; He is all we need!

Jesus teaches in the famous Sermon on the Mount from the Gospel of Matthew 6:19-21, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

And we no longer see our earthly possessions as anything to consider "treasure". We take all that God gives us and we learn to trust Him more and more, growing daily in a deep abiding relationship. In our full-hearted pursuit of God our eyes are no longer on ourselves nor others, but on God and His Kingdom. He is all we need! He is our ambition!

And that moves us to our last question: "Do I give to be seen by other people?" THE MOTIVATION OF OUR GIVING IS TO DEVOTE OURSELVES TO GOD'S KINGDOM! Are you building your own kingdom or is your pursuit the Kingdom of God? How you invest yourself will truly illuminate your ambitions! Are you driven to build a kingdom that will pass as quickly as the grass withers and flowers fade? What compels you to act?

Jesus does not mince words in the Gospel of Matthew 6:24, "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."

This is God speaking; don't try to justify yourself; He knows! Now is not a time for shame and condemnation, but a time for covenant renewal. God is crying out to you this morning, "Return to me!" You cannot straddle two worlds; return all that you are and all that you have to God! Follow His Word and fulfill your mission—we are the children of God called to make Him famous to all the nations; it is His reputation that is on the line, not yours!

This is why we as a church community have committed ourselves to the 2020 Vision Initiative which has one primary objective, "To prepare us for our full availability and intended usage as ministers of reconciliation in the hands of God Almighty." We are committed to the purpose of building the Kingdom of God and in doing so our vision is to build for God, stone by stone, a temple where His Holy Spirit dwells. This is to be a community where God breaths upon all who come and empowers all who go in His name to draw all people to Jesus Christ. We must commit ourselves to this common vision and in doing so renew our covenant with God to devote ourselves to building God's Kingdom.

The inspiration for the 2020 Vision Initiative came through the Holy Spirit illumining my mind to 1 Chronicles 22:5, "David said, 'My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the LORD should be of great magnificence and fame and splendor in the sight of all the nations. Therefore I will make preparations for it.' So David made extensive preparations before his death."

You may not even be alive to see God's promise come to pass, but you are investing in eternity! Your lasting legacy is not in earthly accomplishments; it is in your spiritual children and grandchildren! The stones of the house of the LORD are the people saved by the gospel of Jesus Christ! David was told he could not build the house of the LORD, but he devoted himself to investing his time, treasures, and talents to building it; He invested in Solomon and the next generation! We must model ourselves with this same kind of devotion.

God is bringing a fresh fire and fresh wind in preparation for what is coming; He is setting the stage for revival and I believe He desires for us to have a strategic role in building His Kingdom in the world. A new reformation of the church is coming! Are you devoted to the work He is calling us to do together?

Many times throughout the redemptive history of God's people they were called to devote themselves and the people responded to the call of God. In 2 Chronicles 31:4-5, "He [King Hezekiah] ordered the people living in Jerusalem to give the portion due the priests and Levites so they could devote themselves to the Law of the LORD. As soon as the order went out, the Israelites generously gave the firstfruits of their grain, new wine, olive oil and honey and all that the fields produced. They brought a great amount, a tithe of everything."

When you get a taste of how good the promises of the Lord are, then you will not want to turn back to counterfeit promises offered by the spirit of the antichrist who only comes to kill, steal, and destroy. The abundant life promised by Jesus Christ in John 10:10 is only possible when we surrender our hearts fully to Jesus Christ and devote ourselves to the purpose He came—to usher in the Kingdom of God where God's Spirit fully dwells upon God's children. We live in the end times; the age of Pentecost when His Church is Spirit-filled. What prevents us from having the devotion of the early church described in Acts 2:42-47? The days are few, how will you live the days God has blessed you with? How will we live together these last days? Will God add to our number daily?

The Bible teaches of this early church devotion to the Kingdom of God in 2 Corinthians 8:2-4, "In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord's people."

Where are you investing your treasures? Do you have an urgency to share in this service to the Lord's people? Greater things are yet to come, but we must stand together in every aspect of our lives to be fully used by God! That is the cry of my heart: God use me for your glory and to build your Kingdom! Amen.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Study Malachi 3:8-12. What is significant about this passage? How does this apply to the individual disciple in regards to the testimony of the Church to the nations? Are you living in fulfillment of this promise? If not, what is preventing you from beginning today?

2. Study 2 Corinthians 9:6-14. How would applying these principles change your life (your heart first and foremost!) and the lives of those in your sphere of influence? Discuss.

3. How are you doing with financial stewardship? In what areas of your life do you feel you are being either obedient or disobedient to God's call for financial stewardship and generosity? Find the Scriptural references to support your beliefs and self-assessments and then discuss with a mentor or accountability partner to help you take the next steps.

4. Today, consider making for the first time or renewing your covenant with God to be a generous giver to the Lord's work through your local church in 2011 and beyond.

"The Giver of all Good Gifts!" (Christmas Eve Message 2010)

"The Giver of all Good Gifts!"

Candlelight Christmas Eve Service

Pastor Jerry Ingalls

December 24, 2010

Why do we gather on this hallowed evening? What is it we are singing about and celebrating?

Let's turn to the Scriptures, and specifically to an unlikely passage to help us understand. From James 1:16-18, "Don't be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. ¹⁷ Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. ¹⁸ He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created."

The context of this passage is the blessed person who perseveres under trial; who when found approved by God receives the crown of life which Jesus Christ promised to those who love Him. The context of this passage is an exhortation to resist temptation and to not be deceived by the circumstances of this life. We are exhorted to focus on God—the Father of the heavenly lights who does not change—rather than focus on the always changing shadows of our lives.

This Christmas Eve, where is your focus? There is so much happening around us and in us that it is easy to lose focus and find ourselves distracted by the endless shopping list, the expectations, the family gatherings, the parties, the in-laws and outlaws, the cooking and preparations, or the lack of cooking, family, and preparations.

With all the marketing empowered by the spirit of materialism strategically targeting your heart, mind, and soul. And with our culture pulling away from the CHRIST of Christmas, it has become easier and easier to find ourselves deceived on the true purpose of Christmas—the Nativity!

Don't be deceived, Christmas is not about the trees, the wreaths, the lights, the candy canes or even the family gatherings and gifts. Though each of these expressions of Christmas represents a sacred truth if we can see them for what they are—pointers to the true reason for the season. The gifts of love, fellowship; the gift of Immanuel, God who is with us!

It is in the nativity that we found the true miracle of Christmas—the Incarnation. When God took on flesh. When Jesus Christ made His throne in a humble manger. When God dwelt among us His children to save each of us!

The Bible declares of this wonder in 2 Corinthians 8:9, "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich."

Do not be deceived, the nativity captures the essence of why we gather! This baby is the word of truth spoken of in James 1:16-18. We learn this from the Gospel of John 1:1-5, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."

And it is on Christmas Eve that we stand before the Father of the heavenly lights and we look up to Him and praise Him for the good and perfect gift of the word of truth to us in flesh so that all people (you and I) can know the unfathomable depths of God's love. And through this great love, we can be born again so that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

So, let us gather together and approach the throne of grace which on that Christmas over 2000 years ago took the form of a manger. And in this manger, stood Mary and Joseph, animals of all sorts, and the shepherds who stood as the first witnesses of God's salvation. All standing in awe of the Christ-child who was being praised by all God's creation, from the beast of the field to the angelic host. All of God's creation stands in awe of the Christmas miracle.

Hear the story of the nativity found in the Gospel of Luke 2:1-14, "In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. … And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."

May your hearts this Christmas join with heavenly host and praise God. May we not lose focus, may we not be deceived. May we be found as people who are approved by God because we kept our eyes on the Father of the heavenly lights who does not change like shifting shadow. May our gaze rest upon Jesus Christ through Him we are found approved and God's peace is freely given to all who believe.

Let us pray.

"Giving the Gift away!" (Fourth Sunday of Advent)

"Giving the Gift Away!"

Fourth Sunday of Advent 2010

Pastor Jerry Ingalls

December 19, 2010

On this fourth Sunday of Advent, I want to share a teaching with you entitled "Giving the Gift Away!" During this Christmas season we have learned about the great Gift-Giver and His love for us—God the Father; about the perfect Gift in His Son Jesus Christ; and about the work of the Holy Spirit who brings us to life with freedom and security once we accept the Christmas gift by asking Jesus Christ to be our Lord and Savior. Today, we are going to learn what we are supposed to do with the gift once we have it. We are to give Him away!

The word of God from John 12:23-28 (NIV), "Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. ²⁴ Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. ²⁵ Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶ Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

²⁷ "Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. ²⁸ Father, glorify your name!" Then a voice came from heaven, 'I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.'"

The cross of Jesus Christ would hold no power for the salvation of the world without the miracle of Christmas. The miracle of Christmas is the incarnation. God, who is spirit, took on flesh, and dwelt among us. He is Immanuel—God is with us! God dwelt amongst us because the heart of God is mission! We serve the God of mission and since this is the heart of God, it is also the heart of every disciple of Jesus Christ and the heart of the Church. Galatians 4:4-5 states, "But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship."

We learn of this missional love for the world in the Gospel of 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."

God sent! God gave! The truth we need to realize is that God gave us the gift of Jesus Christ not so that we can hoard Him for ourselves. God's aim has always been the world starting with me and you right here in New Castle, the region of Indiana, the nation of the USA, and to every people group to the four corners of the world.

By God's initiation, the Gift multiplies when we give it away! Think about it this way. Would we celebrate Christmas if it were not for Easter? If God did not take on flesh, live a perfect life and then willingly die for each of our sins so that we could be in a right relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ, then our faith would have no meaning and our faith would be in vain! The birth and death are inseparable!

Just as a kernel of wheat must fall to the ground and die in order to multiply, we must give the gift of God to others in order for the gift to multiply. The principle of multiplication is dependent on understanding the relationship between life and death. To inherit eternal life, we must willingly die and surrender all to Jesus Christ. Once we have received the gift of eternal life with the Father through the Son, then we are forever secure in our inheritance as children of God and we do not have to fear anything in this life or death. We now follow the Messiah who came to the cradle for the Cross!

Jesus Christ came in the fullness of time in fulfillment of the ancient prophesy spoken through Isaiah 53:5-6, "But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all."

Jesus Christ came to bring peace to all humanity by giving His life away. He was sent to die so that we may live! The Bible declares in Romans 5:1-2, "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand." Jesus Christ knew that he was born to give the gift of peace to all of humanity! In the same way for us as followers (disciples) of Jesus Christ, we will miss the reason for the season if we do not give away the gift.

This is the very purpose for which we live—sharing the love of God that brings peace to those on whom his favor rests. We have been given the gift of Christmas, peace with the Father through the Son empowered by the Holy Spirit for the purpose of mission—giving Him away!

This is captured so clearly in 2 Corinthians 5:17-20, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God."

Brothers and sisters in Christ, our testimonies declare the same message of the angels on that first Christmas morning, "Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests'" (Luke 8:13-14).

Have you experienced peace with God through the perfect gift of Christmas? Who is on your Christmas list? Whether they have been naughty or nice, give them what has been given to you: Peace with God through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ!

"Unwrapping the Gift!" (3rd Sunday of Advent!)

"Unwrapping the Gift!"

Third Sunday of Advent 2010

Pastor Jerry Ingalls

December 12, 2010

Today is the 3^rd Sunday of Advent and our third message in a Christmas series called "The Gift!". We learned about God the Father and how He is the Architect of Christmas as the great Gift-Giver. We learned about God the Son who is the perfect Christmas gift—this gift is personal, timely, and relevant for every person on your list, whether they have been naughty or nice! Have you shared the gift of Jesus Christ with your family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers?

Today, we are learning about the third person of God—the Holy Spirit. When we are offered the gift of reconciliation with God and we ask Jesus Christ to be our Lord and Savior, then the Holy Spirit comes into our lives and unwraps the gift for all to see!

God's word for a message entitled "Unwrapping the Gift!" from Romans 8:14-17, "For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." [Prayer]

Growing up, one of my favorite moments of Christmas morning was racing into the living room and finding the Christmas tree filled with wrapped presents and stockings full of goodies. These are wonderful memories filled with anticipation because it was not really the wrapping paper that I was excited about, it was the promise of the gift just behind the paper. The paper may look pretty, but the gift is what really matters! And more so, as I have gotten older, I realize what is really important is the love of the person who gives the gift!

Let's unwrap the gift of Jesus Christ given out of the abundance of the Father's great love for us, His children! WHEN WE UNWRAP THE GIFT WE FIND FREEDOM IN OUR TRUE IDENTITY!

You are not who you think you are! If you have allowed anything to give you an identity other than your adoption as a child of God, then your identity is built on shifting sands. Your identity is not your job title, nor is it your academic degrees or athletic accomplishments. Your identity is not in your current crisis or past failures. Your identity is not in any other person but Jesus Christ; not even your parents, your spouse or significant other, your children or grandchildren.

There is only one sure foundation on which we can build our concept of self and that is who we are through the gift of love found in Jesus Christ! When we receive the Christmas Gift, the Holy Spirit has to unwrap us, layer after layer of wrapping paper. Because we have packaged ourselves with fake ID's, over the years of life we have forgotten our true identity as God's precious children!

Why do people use fake ID's? Whether it is to drink before they turn 21 or another motivation (good or bad), the underlying reason is deception and through this deception to gain a worldly benefit that is not rightfully theirs for who they are.

Many of us have never used a fake ID to get into a bar, but most of us have experienced the deception of the world where we believed we had to be more than we are to be accepted. Whether it was intentional or not, most of us over the years of our lives we have become layered in fake ID's (wrapping paper if you will) as we try to make ourselves more comfortable in our own skin, acceptable in people's eyes, trying to fit in with the cool crowd, trying to make ourselves feel better about our short comings and mistakes, trying to be successful well adjusted people in a competitive world.

Here is the good news! God knows your true identity and He has made a way for you to find freedom in who you are! Accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior is the great homecoming; peace within yourself and between all people! Accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior is the moment the Holy Spirit restores each of us into our rightful name, our rightful status to the Father, our rightful place as an heir to the eternal inheritance! This is the will of God—to take away your fake IDs so that you can be truly known by your given name. This is the magnificent work of grace!

The Gospel of John 1:12-13 states, "Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God."

We have been adopted into the family by believing in the Name of Jesus Christ, the name that is above every name. Through faith in Jesus Christ, God sent His perfect presence (His Spirit) into our lives and we are born to God as children of God! Jesus Christ teaches of this work of the Spirit of God in the Gospel of John 3:5-6, "Jesus answered, 'Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.'"

From the beginning of creation, we were created to be in a perfect intimate relationship with God, but that relationship was torn apart by sin (our rebellion against God and His ways). That sin was passed on from generation to generation through the flesh. Every person in every generation is born of the flesh with a broken relationship with the Father. But, through the Spirit, we who were once dead in our sin are now alive in Jesus Christ. Jesus, the perfect unblemished Passover Lamb—the final atoning sacrifice of God—took all of our fleshly sin and rebellion on Himself as He was crucified on the Cross of Calvary. The Bible teaches in Romans 6:6, "For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin."

Jesus Christ came to the cradle for the Cross! Through faith, we are set free! We are justified in a moment, but our discipleship takes a lifetime. In other words…

Though we are saved by faith in the blink of an eye, it is a long and painful journey for us to be free of our old ways of thinking, of acting, and of relating to ourselves and other people. And the Lord knows we don't like to change, so there is an essential ingredient on this spiritual journey that makes all things new—the active indwelling of the Holy Spirit working in and through our painful circumstances. The Lord Jesus Christ heals the lame, He gives sight to the blind, He casts out demons and sets the captives free! He makes all things new in Him!

Let's read from the epic series, The Chronicles of Narnia written by the famous 20^th century Christian author C. S. Lewis, an excerpt from his 1952 work, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, which was just released this weekend as a major motion picture. Here's a little context, most of this book revolves around the personal growth of a young boy named Eustace, as he is drawn into Narnia and aboard the ship along with Lucy and Edmund, and into adventures that bring him to realize how self-centered and ugly his attitudes are. Right before this point in the story Eustace has wandered off by himself when the ship puts ashore on the unexplored Dragon Island. Upon finding a treasure he finds himself physically transformed into what he is on the inside. Listen to His encounter with Aslan, the Christ-figure of Narnia. Read from book.

What layers does God have to cut through in your life so that you may live in freedom as a child of God?

The Spirit proclaims in Galatians 5:1, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."

God has unwrapped you through the Spirit and given you full access to His presence. He has called you His own and adopted you into His family. This is the Christmas gift available for all humanity to receive! God humbly came to the earth and for love's sake became poor by setting aside His rightful place as God and taking on the form of a slave; he become a human baby. This is the Christmas miracle—Emmanuel, God is with us!

Why would God go to such great lengths? Because He's your daddy and He loves each and every one of His children. Our freedom to know God and to know our true identity in Him is found in Jesus' obedience to take on flesh as a helpless Jewish baby boy born in a stable that first Christmas morning over 2000 years ago! He did it so you can know who you are.

He knows you by name! Do you know Him by name?

Jesus Christ came to the cradle for the Cross! God is inviting you this morning to allow Him to cut through the deep layers of false identities you have put on. Today is the day of freedom! It is only when you walk in this freedom that people will see and experience the gift of love in and through you. Your true identity is intended to bear the image of God, to reflect His love and His life to everyone you encounter!

Please pray this simple prayer with me…FATHER, PLEASE REMOVE THE WRAPPING PAPER FROM MY LIFE SO THAT THE WORLD MAY SEE YOUR GIFT OF LOVE AND LIFE IN AND THROUGH ME. PLEASE TEACH ME WHO I AM IN YOU SO THAT I MAY BE FREE IN YOU. IN JESUS' NAME. AMEN.

God not only wants us to experience the freedom of our true identity, He wants you to know the security of His all encompassing love no matter our circumstances. WHEN WE UNWRAP THE GIFT WE FIND SECURITY TO LIVE FOR JESUS CHRIST!

Romans 8:14-17 describes the Spirit-filled life as a life of freedom; we are no longer slaves! But the Spirit-filled life is also a life of security, as we no longer have to fear because we are children of God. We have been adopted into 'sonship' and this means we can never lose the promises of God—the full inheritance of God is ours and it can never be taken from us because we are called sons! Ladies, this is not gender bias; this is a legal declaration of our right to inheritance!

Listen to the Prophet Ezekiel 46:16-17 "This is what the Sovereign LORD says: If the prince makes a gift from his inheritance to one of his sons, it will also belong to his descendants; it is to be their property by inheritance. If, however, he makes a gift from his inheritance to one of his servants, the servant may keep it until the year of freedom; then it will revert to the prince. His inheritance belongs to his sons only; it is theirs."

Jesus Christ spoke of the security of our inheritance as He teaches about eternal life. From the Gospel of John 10:28-30, "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one." This is the deep truth of God's love and grace. YOU ARE SECURE IN JESUS CHRIST! Later in Romans 8 we learn that nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. God is faithful to keep His promises!

We live in an anxious world filled with insecure people. It is a dangerous day when insecure people get into positions of leadership and power because they wield their power and influence for their own selfish gain and self image. And friends, that is the world we live in! Insecure people trying to prove they are something because they do not know their true identity in Jesus Christ! Their self concept is a false one packaged behind power and success when what lies underneath is an insecure broken person who needs the forgiveness, acceptance, and security of God more than they need the air they breathe.

Insecurity is the terrible bitter root of so much of life's pains and interpersonal struggles. Insecurity is a poison that spreads like a cancer in our own hearts and souls, as well as through our marriages, our relationships, and even in the body of Christ when God's people lose touch with who they are in Christ and the eternal securities afforded to them by God through Jesus Christ! Insecurity destroys!

Personally, I have experienced the healing and delivering power of Jesus Christ. God took me from a place of deep insecurity, to a place of powerful freedom in who I am as a man of God and a deep abiding security as His beloved son. This truth is planted in my soul and I know today that I do not have to work or perform for His or your approval because I have been set free. But, I am still on the journey and there are still days and moments when I lose sight of these great victories. Thank you to God for sending the Holy Spirit to live in me to constantly return my prodigal heart back to Him!

Jesus Christ did not die on the cross so that we could live compromised lives of lukewarm obedience and misguided loyalties! Jesus Christ died on the Cross to forgive us of our sins so that we may receive power and authority to do even greater things than He did. This is the Holy Spirit unwrapping the gift in our lives and faning into flame the gift of God! This is the work of the Holy Spirit actively indwelling in us so that we should live passionate focused lives for Jesus Christ, regardless of our circumstances!

As Paul said to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:6-8, "For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God."

The gift of salvation changes your heart and perspective, not your circumstances! Our circumstances are but a testing ground for our faith. Do not be deceived, your circumstances are not what matters the most; it is how you walk through them that matters. It's the focus of our lives that makes the difference! Paul stated in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18, "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." Who are you focusing on?

Only when you know, a deep secure knowing, that God loves you and has you in the palm of His hand can you keep your focus on Jesus, especially in the midst of life's storms. You are secure in His embrace!

Pray this simple prayer with me…FATHER, PLEASE REMOVE THE INSECURITIES OF MY LIFE THAT I MAY LIVE FOR CHRIST ALONE. PLEASE TEACH ME HOW TO BE YOUR GIFT OF LOVE AND LIFE IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES. IN JESUS' NAME. AMEN.

The Holy Spirit is working in you because in receiving the Christmas gift you become the gift; you are a messenger of reconciliation to your family, your neighbors, to the world. Who are you giving for Christmas?

Have you received the precious gift of Jesus Christ yet? Today, the Christmas miracle can be yours by joining me in this prayer. Let us pray.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Read Titus 3:1-7. Meditate on what God has done for you through the gift of Jesus Christ and the fresh outpouring of His Holy Spirit. Discuss your identity in Jesus Christ (who are you?) and the freedom of life He has given you. How do your thoughts, words, and daily actions demonstrate who you are in Jesus Christ?

2. Discuss Jesus' teaching and promise found in John 10:10. How do you walk through difficult circumstances and times of suffering? Do you allow the Deceiver (or your own insecurities) to mislead you in the midst of life's circumstances? How do you keep your eyes on the promises of God on a daily basis?

3. For further meditation on God's rich inheritance, please read the Parable of the Prodigal Son found in Luke 15:11-32. For a wonderful devotional study of this parable you can read Henri Nouwen's The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming (1994). A pastor's recommended reading. J