The glory of the gospel is the exchange that took place through the cross, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Christmas is a time we exchange gifts but nothing can compare to the gifts that Father, Son, and Holy Ghost exchanged with us through Christ.
TRANSCRIPT
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In thinking around the subject of Christmas and the season that we’re now in the subject of gift giving and exchanging of gifts is something that is like just everywhere, isn’t it? All of the shops trying to sell whatever it is they want to put in your hands so you can put it in the hands of another. But it got me thinking about the exchange, the biggest and greatest exchange that took place in history. And that was the exchange that took place through the cross, the burial and the resurrection of Jesus.
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As we’ve said, Christmas is a time that we exchange gifts.
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But absolutely nothing can compare with the gifts that Father, Son, and Holy Ghost exchanged with us through Christ. Quite honestly, our part in that exchange was the giving of something that no one in their right mind would ever want to receive. But Jesus, in his incredible humility, Jesus, in his overwhelming love for you and I and for humanity, chose to enter into a transaction in the spirit world that left us free from the burden of sin and the recipient of righteousness. When people say that Jesus was just a teacher, they completely missed the point.
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Jesus didn’t come just to teach some moral law or even a new way of living.
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He didn’t come just as an example to us to follow. We find a fervent prayer to the Father that he prayed. And he said, Now My soul is troubled. What shall I say, Father? Save me from this hour.
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He was speaking of the horrors that he was about to face as he was crucified. But then he said this and prayed this. But for this purpose, I came to this hour, John 12:27 for this purpose, I came. Jesus was in one sense, born to die. It was through his death and his resurrection that his overwhelming victory was proven and established.
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He did not come to die as a martyr for a cause. He didn’t come as an example to follow. There was so much more. Jesus did not come to establish a religion or, as I say, die for a cause. Now, many people have done that for very Noble reasons.
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But Jesus was coming for something far greater and so far reaching that it touches every human being on this planet. Today he came as a perfect spotless lamb, in exchange for the dark and sinful soul of mankind. That exchange took place on the cross. We bring our sin. He brings his righteousness.
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We bring our darkness. He brings his light, and we exchange through the blood in that body on the tree. In a sense, he became you. He became me. An exchange took place.
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He died. And when he died, you died. You died to your old way of life. You died to the power of sin. And you were raised again together with him to a new life.
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His life is the greatest gift that has ever been given. And it’s one that opened the way for every other gift to be bestowed upon us. One Peter two, verse 24 says he himself bore our sins in his own body, on the tree that we having died to. Sins might live for righteousness. What an incredible gift.
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Well, thanks for listening. Hopefully, it’s been an encouragement to you today. If you want to connect any further, you can do so through my website davidleemartin.com have a great day. Bye.
