Central Church of the Nazarene

Maybe Christmas doesn’t come from a store
Maybe Christmas means a little bit more

• In the classic story of “the Grinch stole Christmas” there is this famous phrase
• The Grinch thought that Joy came from giving presents so he decided to steal all the presents
• The truth is that many believe Christmas comes from a store
• The more presents we buy the better we feel or the more presents I get the better I must have behaved
• And every Christmas, and birthdays and anniversaries and Valentine and Cinco de Mayo! We get presents because we behaved good…
• Through time this has become ingrained in our lifestyle and we apply it to christianity….

• Here we see Simon trying to buy the gift of God
• His thought was that if I pay money I will get God's power in return
• Christmas says that if you behave good you get presents
• Marriages say if you treat me nice you get flowers or 60” flat screen
• Your boss says if you bring me donuts you get that promotion
• Simon wanted God's power and he was used to buying everything
• Consumerism is based on buying stuff you want “I want a shirt, I want a car, I want a an order on mini tacos.”
• Christmas has been transformed to a season of “buying and receiving”
• Many of us think that this principle applies to God
• If I behave well than God will surely bless me because I deserve it
• If pray a lot and read all the bible that makes me a better christian
• We can not buy our salvation, or blessings, or anointing because these are gifts from God
• Consumerism christianity is based upon “What I want”

• God's gift to us was through grace and grace surpassed all of our wrongdoings
• Salvation comes by faith but the bible says that faith without works is dead
• You can't earn salvation but you do earn blessings
• The bible has many promises that are conditional
• When the promise starts with the word “IF” that promise is conditional
• God's love is unconditional but his promises are based on the condition of walking in holiness
• That being said there are consequences for sinning.
• You can not expect a life of victory while living a life full of sin.Sin destroys families, work, friendships
• Sin rips the conscience where the person eventually feels numb to sin and doesnt even know they are sinning
• Simon was acting in a selfish manner
• Sin will always want “I” to conquer
• But sin was conquered by the resurrecting power of Jesus Christ
• God wants us to walk in holiness where our relationship with God produces growth

• Jesus birth give us the gift of salvation ...the first Christmas gift
• Christmas does not come from a store, or a gift, or a tree….Christmas comes from a manger
• As we buy gifts or recieve gifts in this christmas season let us remember that the first gift from God was his son, the Messiah