For many people Christmas is the time when family and loved ones visit to enjoy the festivities together. It is also a time when Christians celebrate the greatest visitor of all: Jesus Christ. As the Son of God, he visited us from heaven to reconcile the world to God.

We might feel very familiar with the Christmas story and the reason we repeat it every year is because there is real treasure in Jesus and the gift he was that first Christmas

We might feel very familiar with the Christmas story and the reason we repeat it every year is because there is real treasure in Jesus and the gift he was that first Christmas

In our reading this morning the angels said to the shepherds ‘I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all people. today in the town of David a saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah.’

We’re going on a treasure hunt this morning under the pews are seven little treasure chests. You might have already found one, but if you’ve got one I’d like you to hold onto it and they’re all numbered from one to 7 and we’re gonna unpack that treasure this morning because Jesus came as a treasure and he gives us treasure and we can explore the treasure that he’s gives us this morning through our treasure chests.

Jesus is good news – he’s treasure and gives us treasure too.

So we need treasure chest number one.  Can you open it read out the message inside and tell us the treasure that is within it. That’s what each person needs to do when we get to that as I want you to show us the treasure and then read out the message that’s inside.

The first treasure is the Jesus came to give us his love, each one of us is so precious to God the father that he is willing to send his son Jesus to earth and Jesus came with a message from our heavenly father: “I love you”. Just like the love hearts have messages of love – through the treasure of Jesus we can know that we are greatly loved.

The second treasure is an eraser, a rubber. And the word forgiveness. Jesus didn’t simply come to tell us how much we are loved. He also showed us. Remember that verse in Luke: ‘today in the town of David a saviour has been born to you.’ a saviour is someone who comes to save. Why do we need a saviour? We need a saviour because we’ve rebelled against God which the Bible calls sin and as a result of the rebellion and the wrong things that we’ve done we cannot know our heavenly father and we’re eternally separated from him. Jesus came to earth so we could be reunited with our father. He paid the price for us since when he died on the cross and rose from the dead three days later. In that act, Jesus erases our rebellion if we choose to put our trust in him, it’s like he takes a big rubber and rubs out all the wrong things that we’ve done and we are forgiven.

Not only are we loved and forgiven, but there’s a third treasure, being forgiven allows that personal relationship with God – we have peace with him and a dove is a symbol of that peace. Remember, the angel said to the shepherds “glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those in whom his favour rests”. Knowing Jesus can bring a real personal peace. That’s why knowing Jesus is the best gift, that’s why there’s so much treasure in knowing him.

But there’s more. Treasure 4 says eternal life. In John 17:3 Jesus said “This is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent”. Eternal life is about having a relationship with God, not simply in this life, but for all eternity, we need no longer fear death, for the Bible promises us that one day we will be raised from the dead into Gods eternal kingdom. The sunflower seeds remind us of the promise of eternal life. They might look dead. Sometimes people eat these directly, but when buried in the ground, one day they’ll be raised in new life and produce beautiful plants, and that’s the promise of the treasure of Jesus.

We remember the Christmas story every year, because of the great treasure that Jesus brings for the whole world. The treasure of Gods love the treasure of Gods forgiveness, the treasure of peace with God and the treasure of eternal life. And we still have three more.

The fifth treasure, represented by bubbles you can blow shows us Jesus came to bring joy when we know that we loved and forgiven by God and are walking with him through life. We can know a deep joy inside our hearts that even exists in the toughest of times, it’s joy that bubbles up out of us like these bubbles, you can’t stop them from doing the bubbly thing and Jesus can bring that same deep joy, it can’t be taken from us even in those difficult times and it can be hard to explain, but it’s definitely something that I’ve experienced and know a true joy from knowing who I am in Jesus and that he loves me

One of the reasons the joy can’t be taken from us is in our next treasure. The sixth treasure that Jesus has come to give us is his powerful presence. Jesus has promised to be with his followers always and he promised his followers that he would give them his spirit, and that will come and live inside them. You could say that the Holy Spirit is a bit like a powerful battery pack for the believer. He gives us all that we need to live the life that God called us to live, and he reassures us through the hard times that God has not abandoned us and is at work in our lives.

The seventh treasure that Jesus is coming to give us is hope. One day. Jesus has promised to return to earth when he comes, he’ll reign over us, he is King, which the crown reminds us of in Gods kingdom. There is joy and peace, love and kindness, as when Jesus returns, there will be no more pain or death, no more suffering and evil.

All those years ago, Jesus came as a treasure, and all these years since he gives us all of these treasures, love, forgiveness, eternal life, peace, Godly joy, his presence and hope.

All we have to do to receive this treasure is turn our hearts towards Jesus, believing in him, choosing to turn away from our self-centred lives, and to welcome him into our lives. 

Let’s just pause for a few moments as we realise how amazing it is that Jesus came that first Christmas to offer us all these wonderful treasures. And let this verse really sink into our lives. ‘God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.’

One of the key traditions of Christmas is the giving and receiving of presents.
But how easy is it these days to buy the perfect present? To give a gift that is truly worth giving?

Gifts worth Giving?

One of the key traditions of Christmas is the giving and receiving of presents.

But how easy is it these days to buy the perfect present? To give a gift that is truly worth giving?

Perhaps you could give a gift of something practical that you see someone needs? I remember as a child noticing that we needed a new toilet roll holder, so I bought my dad one for his birthday! It was a practical gift, but I am sure if one of my children bought me a toilet roll holder I would not be well pleased!!

What about alcohol? A couple of years ago, I thoughtlessly bought Claire, a Christmas present of a bottle of wine – only to be reminded that she is tea-total!

It is hard to buy a gift that is truly worth giving, especially for adults. Probably most of you are better at it than me, but I think it is genuinely becoming harder.

Technology does not help. Whereas in the past you could buy young people, toys, books or perhaps some kind of craft making kit, now days none of these have much interest for youngsters or even adults who spend much of their free time glued to their smart phones.

Is there such a thing as a meaningful Christmas present anymore? Or should we just enjoy the wrapping and unwrapping of presents and the joy of giving and receiving and forget about whether the gifts are any good.

Is there meaning in the Christmas Message

Perhaps that’s what you feel about church at Christmas. You enjoy singing the old familiar carols and hearing the story of the nativity recounted again. It lifts the spirits at this time of year. In other words you love the wrapping paper of the Christian Christmas, but you do not think there is a meaningful gift at its heart. Perhaps you think the stories are like fairy tales, based on superstitions and ignorance that we as modern people have grown out of.

But, although I may be rubbish at buying a decent Christmas present, I passionately believe, that at the heart of the Christian Christmas is a gift that is truly meaningful and worthwhile. This age old story has far more to offer than the technological progress of our modern age.

After all where has technology brought us? By all accounts mental health has nose-dived since the introduction of mobile phones and social media. Technology can be used for good, but much of it is designed to capture our attention, so that others can make money from it.

In contrast, the evidence is that religion is good for us. In a survey carried out in the UK in September of this year, it was discovered that those of faith are more resilient or happier, than atheists and other non-religious people.

Those who regularly attended religious services were “notably more likely to report positive psychological well-being and mental health outcomes when compared to those who either occasionally or never attend such services.”

Maybe, the gift at the heart of the Christian Christmas has more to offer than you realise?

Christmas: God’s Gift

And unlike fairy tales, the Christmas story is not about human heroes and villains, but about God’s gift. The human characters merely respond and react to what God is doing:

Mary agrees to be the bearer of this special child.

Joseph heeds the instruction of the angel to accept that Mary is pregnant with God’s saviour.

The Shepherds respond to the message of the angels about a wonderful new child being born by finding out whether it was true and rejoicing that it is.

The Wise Men come with gifts, but only as a way of honouring, the one they understand to be God’s newborn king.

The whole story revolves around the birth of a helpless tiny baby that is nonetheless constantly described as being something new and wonderful. They act in the way they do, because they understand that this is not a meaningless gift, but one really worth giving. But why does this baby of all babies mean so much?

The Gift worth Giving: Re-birth & Renewal

A few months ago, my oldest son went for a job interview to be a technician in a university, using very advanced machinery to analyse people’s DNA. During the interview, they asked him a question: “What would you do if an error message appeared on one of the machines and you did not know what to do and there was no-one around to help you?” After some thought, he responded hesitantly, “Turn it off and on again?” It was the right answer! He got the job.

With computers, phones and other complicated gadgets or machines. One of the best strategies to try to sort out the problem, is to turn it off and on again. 90% of the time that is the fix that works!

But what about the problem of the human race? Humanity as a whole seems bent on the destruction of the planet we live on, especially with the growing threat of human caused climate change. We long for peace, but seem incapable of achieving it in a permanent manner. Indeed, wars and conflict are on the increase. And despite our progress in health, science and technology, we are lonelier, less happy and less mentally well than ever. It seems that as humans we need to be turned off and on again. We need a restart, a rebirth, a renewal.

In the Bible is a letter written by Paul to his friend Titus. In it he summarises what is so powerful about the gift of Jesus and why this is a gift that really matters:

“But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” ( Titus 3:4-7)

This is why the virgin birth matters. In order to achieve a rebirth from a world of corruption and death, the human race needed a reboot. Jesus was that reboot. Born of a woman, a true human, but born also from God, not inheriting the corruption of the human race, but creating the possibility of a new start a new beginning.

And we can become part of this new start, but the power of the Holy Spirit that God brings. We can be made children of God, part of Jesus’s new family, so that we can be transformed into the people God always meant us to be and share in Jesus’ inheritance of eternal life. This is the gift that Christians celebrate at Christmas. Not a meaningless outdated gift, but one that has power to offer hope of rebirth and renewal.

This Christmas, will you unwrap the message contained in the carols and Christmas readings and discover for yourself the most important and most meaningful gift ever given? Will you choose to follow Jesus?

This third Sunday of Advent is traditionally one where we remember John the Baptist as the modern prophet who came to testify about who Jesus was. John’s part in God’s stroy was to come and be a witness. He invited people to come and be ready to receive the truth about Jesus in their lives, and to believe in him.

In our carol service this morning we’ve heard about many journeys happening, we have the wisemen, he travelled from the east, we had Mary and Joseph travelling to Bethlehem from Nazareth. Jesus the son of God gave up his God-ness and became a human baby, and the shepherds came down from the hills to find the baby that the angels are talking about. They were invited to come and see this thing that had been done for them and for all mankind, there in a manger they would find a baby that would be the saviour of the world.

We’re going to be thinking about that invitation that the shepherds received, an invitation that is offered to us every Christmas and every day to go on that journey of exploring and finding out about who Jesus is.

I have a suitcase with me this morning, we’re going to unpack the suitcase and as we do it, unpack the importance of the Christmas story, why that invite was the best invite the shepherds were ever going to receive and why the invite to find out about Jesus for ourselves is the best invite we could ever receive so let’s unpack this suitcase.

We have a nice little party frock here but Jesus didn’t come in party clothes, Jesus came as a baby. In Philippians 2 :7, it talks about how Jesus made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant and was made in human likeness. Jesus came to earth in human flesh not in kingly robes, he was born as a baby to live among us which is an incredible thing.

What else is in our case?

We have a box of luxury mince pies, maybe it’s to add to the Christmas feast, I don’t know about you but when I go and visit friends at Christmas they might sort the main meal but we might bring extra bits and pieces along and say this might be part of the feast so I think we’re going to have some mince pies afterwards. When Jesus came to earth there was no big celebration, he was born in poverty in a room where animals had been kept and where his bed was an animal feeding trough, so the shepherds weren’t invited to come and see a king in luxury but a baby, flesh and blood and in poverty.

What else do we have. I’ve got a pair of comfy slippers here, it looks like the persons come to relax to put their feet up and enjoy somebody else serving them for a few days. I have to admit when I go and stay with people I quite enjoy being looked after for a bit, I help out but it’s nice isn’t it to be served. Nice for a parent sometimes when we go out for dinner because they don’t have to cook or wash up afterwards. Jesus didn’t come expecting us to serve him he came to serve us as it says in Matthews gospel: the son of man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.

And then finally we have gifts this persons bought, some gifts to give to the people that they come to be with, When Jesus came, he came with a special gift for each one of us. Jesus made an incredible journey Gods son made from the glory of heaven and came to this dark Earth, he came to be with us as a baby, he came to be with us in poverty, he came to be with us to serve and he came to give us a special gift.

Why did he come? Well because God the father loves us, each one of us is deeply precious to God, he loves us with an unconditional love, love that’s not dependent on what we do and don’t do and because God loves us so much he sent Jesus as a precious gift, he sent Jesus to say that we wouldn’t die but have eternal life, he gave Jesus that we could have a restored relationship with God now and for all eternity.

God’s son has come close to us, making the big journey from heaven to earth so that we can come close to him, we are invited to become members of his family and enjoy a life giving and satisfying relationship with him that begins now and goes on for eternity. It might be a little hard to get your head around that God loves you so much he wants you to be close to him, so close that you become his child but it’s the truth and why we celebrate Christmas.

Jesus came to share God’s love with all people: because of his love he gave up his God-ness and became a baby to give us a choice to accept the invite to learn about who Jesus is. The reading from John that we heard says ‘yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name he gave the right to become children of God, and children born not of natural descent nor of human decision or a husbands will, but born of God.’

When Jesus came and became a man he served us in the most amazing way. Too make it possible for us to become children of God, he willingly gave up his life, being nailed to a cross for crimes that he hadn’t committed, rising from the dead three days later. Jesus did this because it was the only way that simple people could come close to a holy God. Jesus willingly came to give you and me a gift that we cannot earn ourselves, the gift of becoming a child of God. Because God loves us and came close to us we can come close to him, what an amazing gift and what an invitation to come and see Jesus.

That’s what the shepherds did that first Christmas, they were chosen to go and see Jesus for themselves and we are invited to come and see Jesus from ourselves and to receive the gift that he’s come to bring us, we won’t find Jesus laying as a baby in a manger, he’s now living with the father God in heaven but his presence is with us now and if we turn to him by faith and put our trust in him we will receive the gift of becoming a child of God whose life will be transformed. I will invite us to come near to God and he will come near to you. (James 4:6)

So this Christmas may we remember Gods story that led up to that first Christmas, when Jesus came as a baby, giving up his God-ness and came into poverty, to serve and to invite us to become children of God, whose lives can be transformed. Let’s keep accepting the invitation to follow Jesus each day and come and see what he’s doing in our lives and in others.

Last week Paul challenged us in this season of Advent to commit to what will last. We want to be prepared for eternity, Jesus is going to come back and we want to encourage others to be prepared to meet with Him too.

Be prepared is the scouting moto. Skills are taught that are to help mould young minds and give them the ability to grow into self sufficient adults. It equips them with skills to withstand crises, survival skills are also taught. Being prepared is an important skill to have in whatever circumstance.

With regard to Christmas I wonder how prepared you are feeling right now? Christmas is only 15 days away. There are cards to think about if you send cards, making Sure you get them in the post in time. There are presents to think about thinking about what gift would be great for each particular person that you might want to give a gift to. Then with the cost of posting you might think well let’s be prepared and arrange to meet up and exchange presents. If you’re going to attempt a roast dinner on Christmas Day preparation is key. I Quite like Jamie Oliver and he has a plan for Christmas dinner and all the things that can be prepared for in advance and a plan of how to get it all prepared in time on the actual day. If you’re travelling this preparation of your vehicle mode of transport the route that you’re going to take the clothes that you might need snacks for the journey lots to prepare for.  The idea is that the better prepared you are the more smoothly things might go.

Advent is the time when in the build up to Christmas we are not only thinking about that first Christmas or counting down to this one but also thinking as Paul touched on last week about being prepared spiritually – thinking about how advent points us to think of when Jesus will come again – are we prepared to meet him. I love the time of advent and lighting the advent candles helps us to think about Gods whole story with hints in the stories of the patriarchs pointing to Jesus – Abraham being told all nations will be blessed through his family and David being promised that there would be a king sitting on the throne from his family forever.

 This Christmas are we prepared to relive Gods story in the build up to the good news of Jesus? are we prepared to learn new things about God? about ourselves? are we prepared to put things right?

God wants his people to be prepared.

In our passage this morning, in the NIV Bible, the heading at the start of marks gospel is ‘John the Baptist prepares the way’ and he begins his gospel by saying ‘ the beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ the son of God’ the people who added those headings obviously feel that that sums up this section of marks gospel that it was John the Baptist who came to prepare the way that John came to make sure people are prepared to receive the good news of Jesus Christ and we’re gonna unpack what that means this morning

Marks gospel is action packed. It doesn’t contain much of Jesus’ words and sermons – there’s no sermon on the mount as in Matthew’s gospel or sermon on the plain as in Luke’s. There’s no nativity story. There’s lots of action. And Mark’s action begins by drawing his readers back to what has been written.

Mark includes two prophecies here one for Malachi chapter 3, verse one, and then another from Isaiah 40 verse three here amalgamates, these two prophecies into one. In the second week of advent is lit to remember the profits, and the profits were often pointing God’s people back to him. They said of being prepared was part of the Jewish history, and Mark is framing it a fresh and linking it closely to the good news of Jesus.

He continued to build on this theme by introducing John the Baptist. He describes what John was wearing his appearance that he wore camels hair clothes and a leather belt, and he ate locus and wild honey. It’s very similar to the description of Elijah in second kings chapter 1, verse eight. Again, Mark is using this imagery from the old Testament to make connections between the prophets who were preparing the way and John.

At Saint Georges next week the readings will be focusing again on John as John is the third candle that we light in advent. The purpose of John was that he was a modern age of his time prophet. He was revealing God’s plan and getting people ready.

How was John getting them ready? Well he offered a baptism of repentance and forgiveness of sins? What was the response to that offer? the whole of the countryside and all people are Jerusalem went out, confessed their sins and were baptised. There is a sense that the people needed to be ready to come across their messiah. Their hearts needed to be ready they needed to be right with God. That’s why we confess at the beginning of every service, so that we prepare ourselves to meet with God afresh in worship. John was getting them ready to encounter Jesus when he came.

And we know by his words John didn’t just come and baptise, but he had a message and the message was ‘after me, will come more powerful than I.’ The rest of Mark ‘s Gospel shows us Jesus’ power. Even in the rest of the chapter, we read how Jesus healed many, people from leprosy and how he drove out impure spirits. Just like the hymn I wrote about in our church email this week – There’s power in the name of Jesus. because of Jesus: demons will flee, captives are freed, God’s enemies shall be crushed, we are saved and given the ability to stand in faith.  That is the good news of Jesus, and he has the power and not need to give forgiveness, but to transform our lives. Jesus can transform our lives because he has defeated sin and death on the cross at Easter. That is the good news of Jesus that he made a relationship with God possible again by dealing with this in that often gets in the way. John‘s message is pointing to one more powerful than him. John,In the second part of his message  says this ‘ I baptise you with water, but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.’ The good news about Jesus doesn’t end with his death and resurrection sign posts his followers to the sending of the Holy Spirit. John 14:26, we read that the’ advocate the Holy Spirit, whom the father will send him my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. This is the good news of Jesus we are not alone we can be transformed by the power of his Holy Spirit

So, when Mark uses, the Isaiah quote ‘prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him – he’s communicating to his listeners, but Jesus is a fulfilment of God story that repentance forgiveness baptism, part of that journey for Gods people.

What does making straight path look like for you?

How can we be prepared to receive from God today? 

We’re gonna do something I’ve never done here I want us to sit quietly for a moment, and to ask God this question, what does making straight Path look like for us? There might be something we need to ask forgiveness for or to even forgive ourselves for there might be behaviours and habits that we need to adopt? You might have never done this before and sat quietly. Some people might be comfortable with this for others It might help you to just read through those eight verses again. I want us to sit there and ask God how do I need to prepare to meet you Jesus?

How do you need to prepare to meet Jesus?

Father help us this season to be prepared to meet with you and to refocus on you.