All I Want For Christmas Is Hope In Jesus Christ
OPENING PRAYER:
Lord, there is so much darkness in this world, help me to see the light of Your hope. Amen
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance-an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. 1 Peter 1:3-5 NLT
My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die. Galatians 2:20-21 NLT
REFLECT:
As a youngster I was always filled with expectations. One Christmas was filled with excitement for me because I was old enough to have a BB gun. I fantasized about getting a Daisy Red Ryder BB gun. I had let my folks know that this was what I was dreaming about. I spent a lot of time dreaming about how I would use it once I got it. The anticipation of waiting for Christmas morning was almost more than I could live with. On Christmas my expectations were rewarded. There under the Christmas tree was my Daisy Red Ryder BB gun.
While it is long gone, 1 Peter 3-5 says that we have an expectation much greater than a BB gun. We have a priceless inheritance waiting for us that is pure and undefiled beyond the reach of change and decay. This is our hope.
APPLY:
To receive the gift that is undefiled and beyond decay, we have to receive Christ as our savior. The Life Application Bible states “The term born again refers to spiritual birth (regeneration)—the Holy Spirit’s act of bringing believers into God’s family. Jesus used this concept of new birth when he explained salvation to Nicodemus (see John 3). This term is a wonderful metaphor of new life from God. A person cannot be a Christian without a fresh beginning based on the salvation Christ brings. When we receive God’s magnificent gift, he brings us new freedom, a new identity, and a new family.” If you haven’t made this decision, it is important to take that step today.
CLOSING PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, during this Christmas season help me to focus on the gift that you provide us that will not change or decay. Amen
WORSHIP: