𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗠-𝗨𝗣

• Tell us about how your family celebrates Christmas. What is one well-kept tradition that you practice every year?

• Have you ever experienced losing a package? Did it eventually get to the right recipient? What happened?

• Recall a moment in your life that felt extraordinary or special. What made it feel that way?

𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗗

𝘕𝘰𝘸 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘴, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬; 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦. 𝗝𝗢𝗛𝗡 𝟮𝟬:𝟯𝟬-𝟯𝟭

In the past weeks, we have been unwrapping the present that is Jesus Christ, God’s gift to the world. This present is God Himself and also God’s perfect communication of Himself to humanity. He is the Lamb of God sacrificed to take away the sins of the world. He is the way into heaven and the way through whom we can experience the kingdom of heaven on earth. Jesus is the perfect Savior-King people need, and who will rule with justice, peace, and righteousness. In Him is eternal life, which includes the power to live the fullness of the life God wants us to experience on earth. This is the perfect Christmas gift that people should receive. Today, we will look at how we can receive this present and experience the benefits of life in Him.

𝟭. 𝗪𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗯𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲..

. . . 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙅𝙚𝙨𝙪𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙩, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙂𝙤𝙙, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝙗𝙮 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙢𝙖𝙮 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙃𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙖𝙢𝙚. 𝗝𝗢𝗛𝗡 𝟮𝟬:𝟯𝟭

Jesus paid the ultimate price in order for us to know and experience God. He now extends this gift to us free of charge. As revealed in the Bible, we receive His gift by believing in His name. He is the Son of God who came down from heaven as a man. He is the Christ, the Savior-King, whose sacrifice is sufficient to pay for all of our sins. We believe that He rose again from the grave and is now the rightful ruler of heaven and earth. What does Ephesians 2:8–10 say about the relationship between salvation and good works?

𝟮. 𝗪𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗯𝘆 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗛𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗛𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘂𝘀.

. . . 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙨𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙢𝙖𝙮 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙚 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦. 𝗝𝗢𝗛𝗡 𝟮𝟬:𝟯𝟭

The apostle John witnessed Jesus say and do many things, including the resurrection—the most important truth of the gospel. John chose the stories and truths about Jesus that he knew his readers would eventually need to know. The first step in receiving Jesus is by knowing who He is and what He has done for us. However, we are not to keep this truth to ourselves. Other people also need to know so that they could believe in Christ and receive the eternal life He offers. What does Romans 10:13–17 say about the importance of letting others know about the good news of Jesus Christ?

𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡

• Do you believe that Jesus is God’s gift to the world? How did you come to believe in Him for your salvation? If you haven’t already done this, would you like to receive this gift today?

• Having known and believed in Jesus Christ, how does your life today point others to Him?

• How would you explain to a friend who Jesus is and what He has done for us? With whom can you share this in the coming week?

𝗣𝗥𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥

• Thank God that eternal life has been made possible and is available in Christ. Pray that you would ultimately find joy in Christ this Christmas. 

• Ask God to help you know Him more so that your faith in Him would deepen. Pray that God removes the things that prevent you from experiencing the fullness of life in Christ.

• Thank God for the gift of life that is found in and through Jesus, the greatest miracle of all. Pray that God leads you and those around you to the Giver of miracles more than the miracles themselves.