A Thankful Christmas

Rev Ricky Ho

25/12/2009

Introduction
*The name Jesus, means Saviour
- one who rescues another from distress
-one who risks his own life to save another
-one who saves another person from certain death

*The greatest problem every person faces
Matthew 1:21 She will have a son, and you will name him Jesus- because he will save his people from their sins.
*SIN!
"For he shall save his people from their sins"

1 John 3:4 "Sin is the transgression of the law"
*Sin is a big problem
-sin is to life what rust is to metal
-sin is to life what a virus is to a computer
-sin is to life what stain is to white clothes
-sin is to life what cancer is to a health functioning organ in the body
*successful in life but failure in family won't go anywhere

Greatest news
*good news that God has provided the solution for our sins

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him may not perish but have eternal life"

Greatest decision everyone faces
-life is a series of choices
-we make choices then we live with the consequences
-Jesus made a decision to leave heaven and come down to earth and be born into human flesh and bones
- you can move places if you don't like the weather, change a job if you don't like what your working now but there is not turning back in making a decision to accept Christ or not
-Jesus mentions hell more than heaven

Phillipians 2:5-11
The attitude you should have is the one that Christ Jesus had:
He always had the nature of God, but he did not think that by forve he should try to become equal with God.

Instead of this, of his own free will he gave up all he had, and took the nature of a servant.

He became like man and appeared in human likeness.

He was humble and walked the path of obedience all the way to death -- his death on the cross.

For this reason God raised him to the highest place above and gave him the name that is greater than any other name.

And so, in honour of the name of Jesus all beings in heaven, on earth, and in the world below will fall on their knees, and all will openly proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

-end of verse tells us you and I will bow before Jesus and you will hear these words coming out of your own mouth
-Let us be thankful then..

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**