December 24th, 2011 Christmas Eve

Celebrating the true gift of Christmas.

If you want a study tool to go along with the podcast, see Lift Notes here:

The True Gift of Christmas

December 24th, 2011  by Kasey Crawford

Reflection #1

God is the ultimate ________-giver:

This year, with each present received, let it help us remember the ____ who is the ultimate gift-giver.

Even the tradition of Santa emerged for this reason.

• Santa Claus comes from the word _____________ which is a Dutch translation of _________ __________. Saint Nicholas was a 4^th century Christian _________ of Myra (in modern day turkey) who was known for his ___________, __________ gift-giving to the poor. 

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.  James 1:17

• The real Saint Nick teaches us that the ________ reason why we give and receive gifts is to _____________ the ultimate gift giver.

Do you know God as the ultimate gift-giver

Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.   Luke 12:32 

Of all the wonderful gifts God gave us, Christmas is the time to reflect and celebrate that God gave us the greatest gift ever: _____________!

The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”—which means, “God with us.”      Matthew 1:23

Reflection #2

Christmas is the greatest gift because it had the greatest ­­________.

Christ Jesus, who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God the Father something to cling to, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a slave, being born in human likeness.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!     Philippians 2:6-11

• The stakes couldn’t have been __________, the cost couldn’t have been __________, but it was Jesus’ clear choice:

“No one takes my life from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.”  

                                                                                  John 10:18

Reflection #3

Christmas is the greatest gift because it’s for your greatest ______.

• One of the key things to making a gift great is that its something that the person actually ________ and _________.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy, but I have come that they may have life and have it abundantly.”  John 10:10

• In the Christmas gift, Jesus couldn’t have met a more dire ________ or brought a deeper _______.

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