1. THE GIFT OF CHRISTMAS GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH 12/22/13 AM

2. MATTHEW 2:9-11 9 When they (the Wise Men) heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

3. WHAT IS IT ABOUT SOME GIFTS THAT MAKE THEM SPECIAL?

4. 1. SOME GIFTS ARE PRACTICAL. What is the most practical gift you can remember? Why were the Wise Men’s gifts practical? Why is the gift of Christ so practical?

5. 2. SOME GIFTS ARE PRIZED (VALUABLE) What is the most prized gift you can remember? Why were the Wise Men’s gifts prized? Why is the gift of Christ so prized?

6. 3. SOME GIFTS ARE PROPER (APPROPRIATE) What is the most proper gift you can remember? Why were the Wise Men’s gifts proper? Why is the gift of Christ so proper? (Gold, Frankincense, Myrrh, Lamb)

7. 4. SOME GIFTS ARE PERSONAL. Why can you call the gifts you open “personal?” Why were the Wise Men’s gifts personal? Why is the gift of Christ personal?

8. OTHER POINTS TO EXPLORE… 5. SOME GIFTS ARE PROPHETIC. GOLD – Coming King FRANKENSENSE – High Priest MYRRH – Death (and Resurrection) 6. SOME GIFTS ARE PREFERENTIAL. WORSHIP!

9. LET’S ASSOCIATE THESE THOUGHTS ABOUT GIFTS WITH THE GREATEST GIFT… The Lord Jesus Christ - and eternal life. The Father’s gift to us. Practical, Prized, Proper, Personal

10. LET’S SEARCH THE NEW TESTAMENT FOR THESE “GIFT” WORDS. Gift Gave Sent Receive Take

11. John 4:10 10 Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water."

12. Romans 5:15 15 ¶ But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.

13. Romans 6:23 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

14. 2 Corinthians 9:15 15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

15. Ephesians 2:8-9 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

16. John 3:16 16 ¶ "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

17. Galatians 1:4 4 who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

18. Galatians 2:20 20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

19. Ephesians 5:25 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,

20. 1 Timothy 2:5-6 5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,

21. Titus 2:11-14 11 ¶ For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

22. Luke 4:18 18 "The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;

23. Luke 4:43 43 but He said to them, "I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent."

24. John 5:24 24 " Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

25. John 6:29 29 Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent."

26. Galatians 4:4-5 4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

27. 1 John 4:9-10 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

28. 1 John 4:14 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.

29. John 1:12 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:

30. Revelation 22:17 17 ¶ And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.