Arizona sun., 1946-12-20

When Jesus was born in Bethle-
hem there were only few men and
women of faith who could see in the
Babe of the manger the glory and
the power Of Christ. 1t was dark
and unbelieving age into which he
was born-and who will say that it
is different in the day in which we
celebrate Christmas, 1946.
Indifferent, ignorant and sinful
people are glad to try to capitalize
on the spirit of Christmas. but they
still despise and turn away from the
Son of God, Jesus the Saviour.
It behooves us, therefore. to pre-
sent once more the message OF the
Saviour who came at Christmas.
that all men may hear of him.
Our lesson speaks Of Gods great
gift of love and tells what manner
of men and women we should be be-
cause he did give his Son for us.
L. Gods Christmas Gift to Us
(John 3:16).
God loved-so God gave. Love
prompts the heart to give. One may
give without loving, it is true, but
one cannot love without giving.
Gods love for man existed from
all eternity. It provided a way Of
redemption for man and in due sea-
son the Saviour came, to live, to
love, to die for all mankind.
It was no chance event, no acci-
dent in history; it was the heart Of
God speaking in his ''unspeakable
gift" QI Cor. 9:15) of his only be-
gotten Son.
That leads us to our second Scrip
ture and our second point We who
receive gifts try to express our
appreciation in a polite and proper
way.
III. Our ''Thank YOU to God
(Eph. 3:14-2D.
Paups prayer for the Ephesian
church (and for us also who are in
the family" " 15) tells us how
we may by our lives as Christians
express our gratitude to God.
The church of Christ, made up Of
those who are believers in him,
should show its relationship to God,
and it's appreciation Of his grace by
its
1. Strength ". 16). It does not
honor God nor is he properly rep
resented in the world by those who
are spiritually weak and Ineffective.
It is the privilege of the believer
to be strengthened with might" ".
16) and this takes place as the
Holy Spirit has liberty with power
penetrating to your inmost being" :"
as Weymouth translates it. No part
of mans inner being is then left
weak or without the light and grace
of the Holy Spirit.
2. Love ". ID. This is the strong
foundation of all spiritual develop
ment and usefulness. Roots are
put down deep Gas we change the
figure of speech) to hold the life
steady, and to provide the nourish-
ment for spiritual living.
This is all possible because Christ
makes his home in the heart. Think
of the privilege of making such a
guest feel at home in our hearts!
Let us be grateful, and let us rec
ognize him and honor his presence.
8. knowledge (vv., 18, 19). The be-
lever has to know not only the
movable, but also that which passes
knowledge, namely, the love Of
Christ
We shall grow in grace as we
grow in the knowledge of the
love of Christ III. Pet 3:18. We
with all of Gods people-what a
great and delightful company-are
to comprehend, to really grasp, the
length and breadth and height and
depth of his love.
We say with the psalmist, Such
knowledge is too wonderful for me;
1t is high, I cannot attain to it,
Cps. 1880. But then we remem-
Der that it is as Christ dwells in
our hearts by faith" ". I'D that we
are able to comprehend such truth
Most Christians live on very
low plane. going along with linn
tied and unsatisfactory Christian ex-
perience when all this is available
to them by faith. u N
4. Faith w. 20) Here we see why
it is possible to do the impossible,
to know that which passes knowl-
edge, to see the unseen. It is by
faith in him who sis able to do in
finitely beyond all our highest
prayers and thoughts" Weymouth.
v. 2O) that we attain unto this
blessed place of blessing.
So this is the Thank you" that
God wants this Christmas. He wants
the unbeliever to turn to him in
faith, and the believer to really be
what be ought to be and can be in
Christ. Then a mans whole life will
say, THANK you. Lord, for saving
my SOUL"
For the tenth successive year the
writer of these notes expresses to
his readers everywhere his good
wish for a most blessed Christmas
both in heart and home May the