Every one of us has faced the difficult task of purchasing a Christmas gift for the individual who already has everything. In reality it only seems that this person has everything. No person has everything. However, God does have everything. God states in Exodus 19, Deuteronomy 10, Psalm 24, Psalm 50, and 1 Corinthians 10 that the whole world and all it contains and all who live on the earth belong to Him. God has everything and needs absolutely nothing from us. Christmas is nothing, if it is not a celebration of the birthday of God the Son. What could a human bring as a gift to the One who really does have everything? John 1 says that all things were created through Jesus, that nothing was created apart from Him. Colossians 1 says that all things were created through Him and for Him and that all things are held together by Him. Jesus has everything; He has no needs. However, Jesus has a want; He wants our love.

Jesus stated in John 14 that the one who keeps His commandments is the one who loves Him. 1 John 2 and 1 John 3 provide a more complete explanation of this love that Christ spoke of. Love is not some theoretical, undiscoverable, immeasurable mush. Love can be observed and measured. Keeping the commands of Christ is loving Christ. Christ gave quite a few commands but I would like to focus on the last command that He gave before ascending to the Father. Matthew 28 records Jesus telling His disciples to evangelize and disciple the whole world. In this passage, Jesus specifically told the disciples to teach others to keep His commands. The gift that Jesus longs to receive from us is for us love Him which is verified by keeping His commands. It seems to me that the last command given just prior to ascension would carry great weight. Keeping this particular command means that we would be giving the perfect Christmas gift not only to the Creator but to the creatures as well.

This is the one great need of every human being: being taught about the forgiveness of sin found in Christ and about all of His commands. Traditionally, Christians give presents to friends and family at Christmas. Some of our friends and family are very difficult to buy for. The gift of teaching about Jesus is always appropriate. Everyone needs this gift. This gift is never the wrong size. This gift will never be thrown in the trash, hidden in the closet, or returned to the store. This gift will be treasured for the rest of life on earth and in eternity. This Christmas, I urge you to accomplish three things with one gift. Make three people happy with one gift: you, another person, and Jesus. Each of you will be thrilled that you made the effort to carry out Matthew 28:19-20, Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. (NASU) Making disciples of Jesus is the perfect Christmas gift. This gift displays your love to Jesus; it meets the real need of every human being, yielding eternal life; and it will warm your own heart in a way that nothing else can. This year, give the perfect Christmas gift: the gift of making disciples.

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