The Greatest Gift

There is a theme that appears in the scriptures which tell the Christmas story. The theme is fear. I'll share two places where fear is mentioned. The first is in Luke 1:30 when Mary is visited by the angel to tell her that she had been chosen to bear a son, Jesus, the messiah. The angel told her "fear not." Again, when the angel appeared to the shepherds as they watched their sheep not far from Bethlehem, he said to them, "fear not." [Luke 2:10] Fear is mentioned more often in the Bible than heaven or hell.

Scripture also states that "perfect love casts out fear." Our single greatest need is to be loved just as we are. Only God can do that perfectly!

I want to discuss the greatest gift as seen in the 8th chapter of Romans. Pastor Ben Cross called this "the love chapter."

In Rom. 8:1 we see salvation past. It states that "there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." If you have accepted Jesus into your life (and are in Him), then you have been JUSTIFIED, and you have been delivered from the penalty of sin.

Verse 12 and following is talking about salvation in the present. We are debtors, but not to the flesh. We are no longer obligated to our carnal nature. Rather, by the Holy Spirit we overcome the ways of the flesh and obey Jesus as Lord. We are delivered from the power of sin. This is called SANCTIFICATION.

In verse 17 it speaks of salvation future. "... we must share His suffering if we are to share His glory." He has promised us to share His glory, but ONLY if we also share His suffering. This is called GLORIFICATION.

Now skip ahead to verse 29. "For who He foreknew, He also destined ... to be molded into the image of His Son ... And those who He thus foreordained, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified. And those whom He justified, He also glorified."

So, He foreknew, destined, called, justified and glorified. That's a full package! As we see in the chapter all that God has done for us we know that we are definitely loved!

In verse 26 we see that God's spirit is inside of us praying for us. In verse 28 we see that God is working everything together for our good.

Finally, look at verse 32. "He who did not withhold or spare [even] His own Son but gave Him up for us all, will He not also with Him freely and graciously give us all [other] things."

From God's perspective - it's all done!