Christmas: God’s Grace at Work

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas: God’s Grace at Work
by Rick Warren

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.

Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

Ephesians 2:8-9

 

God says, “I will give you my grace.” What is grace? That’s when God gives you what you need, not what you deserve.

Grace is when God says, “I’m going to take your problem and make it my problem.”

Grace is God’s Riches given to you At Christ’s Expense.

 

The Bible says: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves,

it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

In other words, you can’t earn your way to heaven. You can’t work your way in. It’s just a gift.

 

Did you know that’s why we give gifts at Christmas?

Because that’s when God gave the gift of his Son to you – by grace.

We give gifts because God gave us the greatest gift at Christmas.

 

I know I don’t look like it today, but for three years I was a lifeguard.

And every lifeguard knows you can’t save someone as long as they are trying to save themselves.

If somebody is drowning and flailing around in panic, a lifeguard knows to just stay back for a few seconds

and wait until they give up.

Because if you try to save them while they’re trying to save themselves, they will pull you under too.

 

When they finally give up, they relax, you put your arm around them and just swim back to shore. It’s really quite easy.

 

God wants to save you. Jesus Christ wants to save you from your hurts, your habits, and your hang-ups.

He wants to save you for his purpose and by his grace. But you’ve got to quit trying to do it yourself.

You’ve got to relax. You need to let go and let God be God.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Brings Reconciliation
by Rick Warren

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

Luke 2:13-14

 

Peace on earth and good will toward men – that’s reconciliation.

What is reconciliation? It’s when a broken relationship is restored.

When a boyfriend and girlfriend or a husband and wife get back together, there’s reconciliation.

When a father and son restore peace between each other, there’s reconciliation.

 

Where do you need peace in your life this Christmas?

That’s what Christmas is all about – peace on earth, good will toward men.

I asked people, “Where would you like to see peace?”

 

These are the answers I got:

· “I’d like to see peace in the broken families.”

· “I’d love to see peace in politics.”

· “With each other.”

· “In my heart.”

· “I’d like to see it at home.”

· “I’d like to see peace in my life.”

· “Peace? Right in this country of ours.”

· “Everywhere!”

 

Everywhere! Is it realistic to have peace everywhere?

Isn’t it just a pipe dream to hope for peace on earth, good will toward men?

 

There will never be peace in the world until there is peace in nations.

And there will never be peace in nations until there is peace in communities.

And there will never be peace in communities until there is peace in families.

And there will never be peace in families until there is peace in individuals.

 

And there will never be peace in individuals until we invite the Prince of Peace – Jesus – to reign in our hearts.

 

 

 

Christmas: Saved for a Purpose
by Rick Warren

He saved us and he called us to be his own people, not because of what we have done,

but because of his own purpose and grace.

2 Timothy 1:9

 

The Bible also teaches that Jesus came to save you for something.

God has a purpose and a plan for your life; he created you for a specific mission.

 

The Bible says: “He saved us and he called us to be his own people, not because of what we have done,

but because of his own purpose and grace” (2 Timothy 1:9).

You can live life at one of three levels: survival, success, or the highest level – significance.

 

Most of the world lives at the survival level. Half of the world’s six billion people live on less than $2 a day. That’s survival.

If you’re an American, even if you are the poorest of the poor in the United States, you live at the success level.

Most of the world would love to have your problems. But you say, “If I’m so successful, why don’t I feel fulfilled?”

 

You don’t feel fulfilled because you were made for more than success.

The ultimate goal of life is significance, not success.

You were made for significance – and significance comes from knowing God,

knowing his purpose for your life, and then doing it.

Then you realize, “This is what I was made for! This is my niche! It’s me! Now I know why I’m here on the planet.”

All the success in the world can’t give you that.

 

That’s why the very first sentence of The Purpose Driven Life is a very counter-cultural statement: “It’s not about you.”

That’s the exact opposite of what our culture says. Our entire culture says, “It’s all about you.”

 

You’ll never find satisfaction and significance by living for yourself because God didn’t wire you that way.

You were made for God. There will always be a hole in your heart because you need something greater than yourself.

You need God’s purpose. You’ve tried everything else. Why not try God?

 

So Jesus said, “I want to save you from your past. I want to save you for a purpose.

And I want to save you by something.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas: God Changes Us
by Rick Warren

I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope.

Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question?

Romans 7:24

Have you figured out yet that a lot of times you are your own worst enemy?

It’s your own reactions, your own fears, your own inadequacies that cause you to act in foolish ways.

I know that’s true for me.

 

I need to be saved from myself because there are things I don’t like about me – things I wish I had done differently,

things I’d like to change. But I can’t change them, not on my own power. I need an outside power source.

 

You may be saying, “I can change.” I hate to say this, but you can’t.

In January, you’re going to make a list of New Year’s resolutions.

And, by the end of January, that list will be in the dumpster.

Why? Because you can’t change on your own; you need God’s power.

You need a Savior, someone who can make the changes you can’t make yourself.

 

Let me make an important point here: God never wastes energy.

He doesn’t waste effort on things that are unnecessary.

In other words, if you didn’t need a Savior, he wouldn’t have sent one.

The very fact that God sent a Savior means you need one.

 

The truth is, if you are honest about it, sometimes you feel like your life is out of control.

That’s a pretty common feeling. Welcome to the human race!

 

The apostle Paul felt that way 2,000 years ago. Paul says this in the Bible: “I’ve tried everything and nothing helps.

I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me?

The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does” (Romans 7:24-25). That’s the answer!

 

Let me be honest with you. You may be looking for salvation in the wrong places, that’s why you’re frustrated.

You’re looking for that one thing that’s going to give you fulfillment and meaning and peace in life.

 

Some of us think that if we could just get married, or if we could just get a certain job, or a promotion,

or attain a certain level of wealth,

or have a baby – or if our babies would grow up and graduate! – things would be great.

You’re looking in the wrong places.

 

A lot of people are looking for salvation in a self-help book. Or they’re looking for it in therapy or in a fad or diet.

Or they’re looking for it in a vacation, “If I could just escape to Tahiti, everything would be great.”

The problem is that if you go to Tahiti, you’re taking you with you!

 

The answer is not in a place. It’s not in a program or a pill.

The answer is a person: Jesus Christ.

You were made by God and for God, and until you understand that, life is never going to make sense.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas: Saved from Our Sin
by Rick Warren

She will bring a son to birth, and when she does, you, Joseph, will name him Jesus — “God saves”

— because he will save his people from their sins. Matthew 1:21

 

The term sin is tossed around so often that, for many people, it’s lost any significant meaning.

They think of sin as a list of things they shouldn’t do.

And, since everybody has their own list of sins,

what may seem bad to me might not be such a bad behavior for you.

 

The problem with thinking of sin in this way is that I will look at my list and think,

“If I just don’t do these things, then I’m not a sinful person.” And, you’ll look at your list, and think the same thing.

And, we’ll both look at each other’s list and think,

“His list is all wrong! A really good person would follow my list, not his!”

 

Get this: Sin is an attitude. It’s not something you do. It’s an attitude.

What’s the middle letter of sin? “I”

What’s the middle letter of pride? “I”

 

Sin is an “I” problem. Sin is saying,

“I want to be my own boss. I don’t need God. I’m doing just fine, thank you very much.”

Sin is saying, “God, I know what will make me happy more than you do.

So I’m going to do what I want to do with my life, not what you put me on earth to do.” That’s sin.

 

The Bible says every one of us has had that attitude at some time or another.

That attitude has caused us to be separated from God.

That’s why, when you pray, you feel like your prayers bounce off the ceiling – because they do.

There’s a separation between you and God. That’s why God sent Jesus as the Savior.

 

Every one of your problems is caused by sin – the separation from God. Sin causes confusion in your life.

It causes guilt. It causes shame. It causes regret, bitterness, resentment, grudges, worry, fear, anxiety,

depression, discouragement, emptiness, despair, and conflict between you and other people.

 

Every one of your problems is the result of you not being connected to God.

You are separated from God by your own sin.

 

The Bible says that Jesus came to save you from your sin, your “I’m going to do my own thing” past.

No matter what you’ve done, Jesus can give you a clean slate.

His ability to save you from your past is more powerful than anything you ever did in your past.

 

The name Jesus means “to save people from their sin.” He came to set you free from your sin.

 

Jesus wants to set you free from the burden of guilt.

Did you know God doesn’t want you to carry guilt around?

That’s why Jesus came – to pay for all your guilt so you can be forgiven.

 

Jesus wants to set you free from the pain of bitterness.

When you hate other people, when you hold resentment of others in your heart, it’s like a cancer.

It’s going to eat you alive.

 

Jesus wants to set you free from the expectations of other people,

from your worry of, “What would other people think?”

 

Jesus wants to set you free from the fear of death,

from the burden of worry, from anxiety and stress.

God says, “I want to set you free from all that.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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