BY JACK WARD
PASTOR, TOMAHAWK MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH
Christmas is about Jesus coming to earth to become a man, to live as a man and to die as a man. Jesus was born for us. He was given to us. He died for us.
Why did we need Him? Why was He born? Why did He die?
Jesus was born of the Father’s will, and Jesus died of His own will. He died for our greatest problem, one that we could not correct by ourselves – our sin problem. Jesus took our sins upon Himself for us so that we might live for Him forever. But people who do not live for Him cannot appreciate Him. People who haven’t experienced His forgiveness have not realized the true meaning of Christmas.
Have you tried Jesus? Have you really tried Him?
You ask: “If I try Jesus, what will I have to give up?”
You will have to give up your way of thinking. Yes, you must give up living for yourself, and you must give up putting yourself first. Jesus becomes our life. We have all we need in Him. He is sufficient for all of our needs and our joy.
You will have to give up your guilt. You can have a guilt-free life, free from worrying about things you have done in the past. You are forgiven, past, present and future.
You will have to give up your uncertainty. We are certain of our hope in Christ no matter what happens to us here on this earth.
You will have to give up your frustration with life, feeling like you have missed out on something. You now have the Holy Spirit living in you and He will guide you into peace and all things He wants you to have. You won’t miss a thing that God has prepared for you. He will give you contentment with who you are and what you have.
You will have to give up your future. You are actually already headed for the coming judgment of God. You have a seat already reserved at the Great White Throne of Judgment, where God goes over your every act and sin.
If we trust in Jesus, He gives us freedom from sin and the coming judgment. We are free from the future condemnation that our sin will bring upon us one day. We are free from the future suffering that our sin will bring upon us both mentally and physically in this world.
You will have to give up your pain. I’m talking about the pain of our past, the pain of divorce, the pain of a wayward child, the pain of financial problems, the pain of our own mistakes and missteps in life, the pain of childhood abuse and suffering.
Jesus said, “My peace I give unto you.” This is something that every Christian has at their disposal – the peace of God. God gives us peace through our struggles. God is our partner through our pain. He comforts us; He comes beside us.
I know that’s a lot to give up, but would you try Jesus this Christmas season? I have never talked to anyone in my 42 years of ministry who has ever said, “I wish I hadn’t given up all those things for Christ that I used to have without Him.” Those who trust in Christ will never be disappointed!
Those who trust in Jesus Christ may give up some things but will gain much more in this life and the life to come. It’s just not worth it to hang on to life without Christ. John 14:1-2: “…ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Fathers house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you … that where I am, there ye may also be. Matthew 26:16: “What doth it profit a man if He gain the whole world and lose his soul? What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”
Hear Pastor Jack’s sermons and more at tomahawkmbc.com.