A Christmas Present Wrapped In Rags

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Recently Carolyn and I went to Tijuana, Mexico for a Christmas Outreach with Reaching the Hungry ministry (led by our good friends Carlos and Lisa Sales). Carlos put me on the Christmas present wrapping team—he’s got a real eye for talent, haha.

Some of the wrapping team in action.

All told, we wrapped 350 donated Christmas presents for the underprivileged children there. I mostly just organized the wrapped presents in age-appropriate categories.

At the end, children left through the muddy streets of Tijuana carrying their beautifully wrapped presents.

I asked someone why the children didn’t unwrap them right away (like I would have). They said that the present was probably the only one they would receive, so they were saving it for Christmas Day.

What a precious and sobering thought.

Here’s an even more precious and sobering thought: on the first Christmas the greatest gift of all, the Lord of the Universe, was wrapped in rags so He and His gift of salvation could be given to all.

Wow, how amazing and wonderful!

How did all this happen?

Philippians 2 tells us how we received the greatest Christmas present wrapped in rags:

01. Jesus was eternally God, the 2nd person of the Trinity. 

“Although he was in the form of God and equal with God,     he did not take advantage of this equality.  Instead, he emptied himself by taking on the form of a servant,     by becoming like other humans,     by having a human appearance.” (Philippians 2:6-7 GW)

Jesus was in the “form of God.” The word translated “form” here is from the Greek word MORPHE. It means a person’s permanent, constant being.

There is another Greek word for “form” that could have been used. It is SCHEMA and it means the fleeting, outward form of a person. For example:

In appearance, the form (SCHEMA) of a man is always changing because of aging and fashion.But in His manhood, the form (MORPHE) of a man doesn’t change.

Jesus was fully God who also became a man (starting as a baby) so he could do the incredible work of the Savior. He never stopped being part of the Godhead when He also took the “form [also MORPHE] of a servant.”

For more help understanding the Trinity see my article: “Five Keys that Help Unlock the Mystery of the Trinity.”

02. Jesus, the gift, was wrapped in rags (or swaddling clothes).

I prefer wrapping with Christmas gift bags—so much easier to just throw gifts in and you’re done!

But Jesus didn’t take a shortcut—he came in the humblest of appearances, as a baby. The Almighty Lord of the universe was born like other human beings, in very lowly circumstances.

The verse above tells us that He became a “servant, by becoming like other humans, by having a human appearance.”

Then Jesus was wrapped in swaddling clothes—he was wrapped in rags. 

Why was it necessary for Jesus to come this way? This was necessary because only a human being can pay for sins.

A few years ago I got a ticket for rolling through a stop sign. In the ticket I had 2 options: pay or contest in court.

Could I send a dog to appear in court and plead my case or pay the fine? No, but I could hire a human being, an attorney. And pay them $500 per hour!

Jesus appeared in court for all of us, paid the price for our sins, and that’s why He came. He doesn’t charge a penny—He gives this gift freely to all who call on Him.

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15 ESV)

03. Jesus was the greatest gift conceivable.

Why was Jesus the greatest gift conceivable? Here’s why: “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”  (Philippians 2:8 ESV)

Jesus gave us a Christmas gift we could not give ourselves. He died for our sins and paid the price for us. Not only did he die, he rose again and overcame death and sin for us so we could have eternal life.

Jesus gave us a Christmas gift we could not give ourselves. | CLICK TO TWEET

This is the greatest gift that could ever be given!

Earlier this year I received a very special gift for my 60th birthday. Carolyn and my assistant collaborated to give me a book of pictures, memories, and tributes from family and friends. It was a gift I couldn’t give myself—a gift of love.

Seems like usually the only time someone gets such a loving gift is at their funeral!

Jesus gave us a gift we couldn’t give ourselves: he died on the cross for our sins, in our place, and for all people and for all time. A gift of incomprehensible love.

Because Jesus is God, he could die for all sins for all time.

“Christ died once for our sins. An innocent person died for those who are guilty. Christ did this to bring you to God, when his body was put to death and his spirit was made alive.” (1 Peter 3:18 CEV)

04. Jesus rose from the dead, and will someday be worshipped by all.

“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11 ESV)

This is the “riches” part of this rags to riches story.

Jesus didn’t just suffer and die for our sins. He overcame death, sin, suffering, and was exalted over all.

He is the one and only Lord of the universe and will be worshiped as such one day when we stand before him.

This is already beginning to happen. More people worship Jesus and believe in Christianity today than any other faith.

It’s ironic: it doesn’t matter if you are Buddhist, Jewish, atheist or agnostic, in much of the world the Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ is recognized and acknowledged during the Christmas season.

A Jewish friend that I play basketball with says that on Christmas Day, when everything else is closed, and nobody else is working, he and his family go to the only restaurant that is open: a Chinese restaurant. Apparently that’s what many Jews and Buddhists do on Christmas Day.

I listen to a lot of Christmas music during the season, and it is striking to hear all kinds of artists that you’d never think are Christians singing Christmas songs and making Christ-mas albums: John Travolta, Olivia Newton John, Chicago, The Eagles, Jon Bon Jovi, Dean Martin, Elton John, John Lennon, Queen, Britney Spears.

They sing songs like:

• Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King. Let every heart prepare Him room…

• Silent night, holy night, all is calm all is bright.

• Round yon Virgin mother and child.

• Holy infant so tender and mild.

• O Holy night, the stars are brightly shining, it is the night of the dear Savior’s birth.

But that’s just the beginning: one day EVERY knee will bow to Jesus and worship him.

Now, how’s that for a rags to riches story!

If you liked this article, you might also like to read about:

• My WORST Christmas Ever

• What If Jesus Had Never Been Born?

• Four Powerful Proofs that Jesus Lives 📷

Some of the fruit of our labor.

What Is The Worst Sin In The World?

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What is the worst sin in the world? Is it murder, rape, child molestation…?

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Here are some hints:

• It is the original sin.

• It is the foundation of all other sins.

• When you commit this sin, you usually don’t even know it.

• Although it is the worst sin, you will virtually never hear a sermon or read a blog about it.

• People who dislike it in others are usually the ones who commit it the most.

• This worst sin carries a biblical promise that no one wants fulfilled.

• The more successful you become, the more likely you are to fall to this sin.

• The better you do at overcoming other sins, the more likely you are to have temptations with this one.

• It is a sin everyone deals with their whole life and when they think they have it licked, that’s a sure sign they don’t!

Well, have you guessed it by now?

Yes, the worst sin in the world is pride.

Why do I say this? Because of the facts listed above:

01. It is the original sin.

This is true in two ways:

• Pride caused Lucifer to be cast out of heaven. The biblical account of the fall of Lucifer is that the devil was an angel who rebelled because he wanted to be greater than Almighty God. (Ezekiel 28:17)

• Pride caused mankind to be cast out of the original paradise (the Garden of Eden.) When Adam and Eve were created, the temptation from the devil was to disobey, eat of the forbidden fruit, and become “like God.” Imagine the arrogance! Incredible. (Genesis 3:5)

02. It is the foundation of all other sins.

The original sin happened as a result of pride.

But that was just the beginning. Any time we sin, we are saying:

• What I want is more important than what you want.

• I am greater than the law.I can trample on you, in order to do or get what I want.I’m most important, far more important than God or others.

Soren Kierkegaard said that if he asked a servant for a glass of water and the servant brought him the most expensive wine in the world, “I would dismiss him until he learned that the enjoyment consists not in what I enjoy but in getting my own way.”

This desire to get our own way leads to all other sins. That’s why this is the worst sin—it is the start of all other sin.

03. When you commit this sin, you usually don’t even know it.

Unlike other sins that are so evident, pride is disguised.

In Star Trek science fiction, Romulan and Klingon ships have cloaking technology that makes them invisible to the USS Enterprise. More than once Captain Kirk and crew have been surprised by a cloaked ship.

Pride has a built in cloak of invisibility. If you have it, you very likely won’t see it.

But others will!

04. Although it is the worst sin, you will virtually never hear a sermon or read a blog about it.

Thomas A. Tarrants, III has written; “One hears surprisingly little from church or parachurch leaders about either of these subjects [pride & humility]. In fact, what throughout history has been recognized as the deadliest of vices is now almost celebrated as a virtue in our culture.”

05. People who dislike it in others are usually the ones who commit it the most.

Do prideful people really bug you? If so, it is likely because you see in them what you dislike in yourself.

(This tendency is not unique to pride—we often dislike in others what we dislike in ourselves.)

06. It carries a biblical promise that no one wants fulfilled.

“Pride goes before destruction,

and a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18 ESV)

Funny, this is such a clear, simple warning, yet we seem so unconcerned about overcoming pride.

07. The more successful you become, the more likely you are to fall to this sin.

One of the great downfalls of success, notoriety, and wealth is that they carry the burden of being tempted by pride.

I have often thanked God that I am not famous, super-successful or rich. I am not at all sure that I could handle the headiness of these traits. When I see people who have these attributes yet remain humble, I have great respect.

08. The better you do at overcoming other sins, the more likely you are to have temptations with this one.

Again, the more accomplished we are, the more we are likely to be tempted with pride.

“Look at me, how godly I am, what I did, how much I give, how much I pray.”

Now this one is tricky, because Scripture says we should be an example. Jesus said, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16 ESV)

The Apostle Paul said, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.” (1 Timothy 1:15 ESV)

But he also said, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1 ESV)

The point is: be godly and be an example, but be a humble example.

09. It is a sin everyone deals with their whole life and when they think they have it licked, that’s a sure sign they don’t!

This one seems self-evident.

Does this mean we shouldn’t try to overcome it? Not at all!

What this means is that we should never STOP trying to overcome pride. Help to do that will be the subject of another blog.

Why Would God Take Away Our Free Will In Heaven For Eternity?

"Christianity Questions and Answers" podcast CQA 019

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This question is a deep one. Someone in our church was thinking about eternity, free will and pondering our ability or inability to sin in heaven for eternity. It’s a great question that I reflected on and researched for a while. Will there be free will in heaven and would God allow us to keep it or would He take away our free will in heaven for eternity?

But I think I came up with a good answer regarding our free will in heaven and you can listen by hitting the play arrow above.

Here are some of the verses related to our free will in heaven:

“If any man is in Christ he is a new creation, all things have passed away, behold all has become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

“I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power[e] within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.” (Romans 7:21-25 NLT)

“You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin. No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him. No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” (1 John 3:5-6, 9)

To read a great article on this question click HERE:

For an interesting article on “free will” on earth click HERE:

To listen via iTunes, click HERE. 

For more help:

• To receive Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord click HERE to learn how.

• To develop your relationship with God, get my free eBook “10 Prayers to Unlock Heaven on Earth” click HERE.

For more about Sin, Heaven and Eternity, see my articles and podcast:

• What is the Worst Sin in the World?

• How Moving is Like Going to Heaven

• How to Prepare for Eternity Now and Face Death with Confidence Later

For more about this podcast and how to submit your questions, click HERE.