The One Gift

Things in your life have been rough this year, to say the least.  Confusion.  Hurt. Disappoinment. Emptiness. Distress.  Pain.  Impossible Situations.  Hopelessness. Rejection.  But, ever since the tree was put up, you have been watching a certain package. You have looked at that package every day. When first you saw it, a little voice inside you said, “When you open that package, everything will be allright.  Confusion.  Hurt. Disappoinment. Emptiness. Distress.  Pain.  Impossible Situations.  Hopelessness. Rejection.  ...…it will all make sense, it will be better!” You are certain this package will satisfy the deep emptiness inside of you. “I will have meaning in my life once I open that package.”  You are not sure how you know; you are not sure why you believe this, but nonetheless, you are convinced.  After all, there has to be something to make sense out of all you have been through. 

The gifts are being passed around one by one.  You wait in barely controlled anticipation for the gift to be given.  “Everything will be all right once I open it!” The emptiness and hopelessness are nagging at you – …”but they will soon be gone.  Just as soon as I open that gift! Just wait and see,” you tell yourself.

Finally, the gift is handed to you.  It seems lighter than you would have expected, but you are still certain it holds the answer to your present condition.  With trembling hands you unwrap the paper.  You carefully take a knife to cut the tape holding the box closed.  Reaching inside while you hold your breath, you come out with a handful of newspaper packing.  “It is in there, I know it!” You reach deeper.  Yes, there’s something in the bottom of the box.  You grab hold of it, and pull it carefully out of the box……only to find …..a black lump of coal.  “There must be some mistake.” This can’t be! This gift was going to take care of all my troubles; it was going to make sense of all my Confusion. Hurt. Disappoinment. Emptiness. Distress.  Pain.  Impossible Situations.  Hopelessness. Rejection.    “It can’t be a worthless lump of coal!” You are nearly beside yourself with despair.

Noone else seems to be paying attention.  They are all busy unwrapping the neat presents that they have received.  As you watch the obvious joy and happiness on all of their faces, a sinking feeling has begun to creep into your consciousness. Hopelessness. There is no solution to the Impossible Situation. There is no healing for the rejection.  There is nothing to heal the pain.  The emptiness gnaws away at you once again, having been temporarily stilled by the anticipation of the “gift” that turned out to be worthless.

All of us at one time or another have been convinced that this gift or that gift, this accomplishment or that, this relationship or that would fill the emptiness, give us hope, make sense of the rejection, the pain, the Impossible Situations – take away the hurt.  Yet…..Every time, that anticipation has turned to disappointment.  It has become a pattern in your life.  Nothing will change it. You are sinking quickly. I am meant to live with Confusion.  Hurt. Disappoinment. Emptiness. Distress.  Pain.  Impossible Situations.  Hopelessness. Rejection.  “It is my lot in life,” you say grimly.

“No single gift, no single relationship, no single possession of any kind can ever cure these problems.  They are too complex. Too broad.  Too deep inside of me.”

Into the darkness of your hopelessness and despair this Christmas season, there is a word of hope….

Matt. 4:16 MKJV  The people who sat in darkness saw a great Light; and Light has sprung up to those who sat in the region and shadow of death."

You see, it is not entirely accurate to say that

“No single gift, no single relationship, no single possession of

any kind can ever cure these problems.  …..”

There is one gift.

There is one relationship.

There is one possession that can and does cure ALL those          difficulties. Listen…..

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given….

….He shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace, Mighty God, the Everlasting Father. Isaiah 9:6

Into your emptiness, a child is born….a son is given!

To Your Confusion and Hurt – He is the Wonderful Counselor.

To Your Distress and Pain – He is the Prince of Peace! 

To Your Impossible Situations – He is the Mighty God.

To Your Hopelessness and Rejection – He is the Everlasting Father. Consistent forever.

You are right to think that some kind of solution exists is right. 

There is a solution.  As long as you attempt to solve these difficulties yourself, your own way – seeking some gift, some relationship, some possession to cure the Confusion.  Hurt. Disappointment. Emptiness. Distress.  Pain.  Impossible Situations.  Hopelessness. Rejection…..….you will be unsuccessful.

You cannot solve this yourself – so stop trying.  No solution would be big enough or strong enough. Only God’s way gives hope. Only by doing it God’s way is there any chance of success.

Why not open your hearts this evening

to receive this ONE gift?

Why not open your hearts this evening

to begin this ONE relationship?

Why not accept this ONE possession – eternal life?

·       Your pride stands in the way of receiving this gift. I can do it by myself, you say.

·       Your independence stands in the way of beginning this relationship. I don’t need someone else, you say.

·       Your self-sufficiency stands in the way of accepting the most wonderful possession of all time – eternal life through Jesus Christ. 

   Admit you can’t do it on your own, and accept His Gift!

   Admit you do need someone else and begin a relationship with the God of everything!

   Agree with God that you have been unsuccessful on your own and accept the greatest gift of all time – a new life - eternal life through Jesus Christ!

Tonight, as we pass around the light, I am going to ask you to do something a little different.  The pastoral staff and our families are going to sing one final Christmas Carol with you, and then we are going to pass the light.  As you give the light to someone else, please say:

Accept the light of Jesus Christ in exchange for the darkness of your sin.

As you accept the light, please say this: