Did you know the average Australian spend $646 on Christmas gifts last year? And guess what? That’s more than the Indonesian minimum wage which is only $500 per month. No wonder Christmas is the biggest month for retailers.

As Christmas approaches, our Melbourne CBD is transforming into a festive wonderland. The Ivanhoe suburb glows with its famous Christmas lights. Myer Bourke Street displays its Christmas windows. Extravagant decorations fill shopping malls. People are celebrating a Christless Christmas everywhere.

This year, let’s pause and ponder the true meaning of Christmas for us who have been saved. Let me spoil it for you, it’s not about presents.

The True Meaning of Christmas

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” John 3:16-17

The true meaning of Christmas is about God’s love. The Christmas story is about God becoming a human being in Jesus Christ.

Why did God have to send His only Son?

It’s because we are separated from God by our sins and cannot save ourselves. Thus, we need a Saviour to reconcile our relationship with our creator, our God.

So have we realised that we’ve received the best gift ever? 

People don’t need another phone, handbag or watch. People need to be reconciled with God.

Instead of giving them “temporary” gifts, let’s give them the eternal gift of salvation by sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Let’s share the good news of Jesus Christ with our family and friends. He died on the cross to deliver us from sin and death.

“She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21

The Heart to Share The Gospel

Just like Pastor Gideon preached from Matthew 9:35-38 (The Workers Are Few).

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.  When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

Do we have compassion for the lost people as Jesus did?

• A great need of lost people;
• A great harvest of lost people;
• A great need for more workers in the harvest of lost people.

The Motivation to Share The Gospel

Our motivation is the great love of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus. He came to this sinful world, saw our great need, and died on the cross for our sins. For we are saved not because of our works, but because of the grace of Christ.

When we have received that salvation, then we are one of His workers. Our Lord, Jesus, wants us to see as He sees, feel as He feels, and do as He does. We ought to have heart for the lost for His sake.

Like the workers in the field who cannot change the nature of the soil. That work belongs to God. It is God who puts “a new heart and a new spirit” in His people and removes the “heart of stone.”

As workers in God’s field, we are called to take part. We must sow, reap, and pray faithfully. But, the fruit of our labour is in God’s hands.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

The Holy Spirit will grant us the ability and courage to be witnesses. So ultimately when we share the Gospel, God is the One who saves.

“When we are afraid to share the Gospel, don’t pray for less fear, but pray for more LOVE for others.” Ray Comfort

Prayer:

Our Father in Heaven, thank you for sending your only Son to die on the cross to save us from sin and death. May this Christmas, we have compassion to share the Good News with the lost people by the power of the Holy Spirit. Since we know that it is the best gift that we can share with our loved ones. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.