Emmanuel

Emmanuel is the greatest inheritance. An inheritance is often a gift. What is the greatest gift that you have ever gotten for Christmas. I am sure that you can look back and remember your favorite Christmas gifts that you have ever gotten. I know that some immediately come to mind for me. I think of the sleds my brother and I got when we were probably 6-8 years old. My brother and I used those things for years. I also remember the Cavs tickets my dad got me and we got to go to Cleveland together. Getting the newest video games and movies were always some of the best gifts too. I'll never forget when my sweet mother, discovered the website where you could buy edited (language) movies and she was all about that. If you know my mother very well, this will make you laugh. She would get me so many of those movies. She was even buying movies like Toy Story and Nemo that were edited. I am not sure why but when I look back at it I can't help but smile and be thankful. I look back at the past couple of Christmas' and the gifts I've gotten have been things that I need, and only things that I need. It makes me feel like I am getting older...which I am. Long story short, my brother and I have been very blessed to always get gifts for Christmas and this time of the year is the best mainly because of the time I get to spend with my family. Playing college basketball is amazing and I wouldn't trade it for the world. The time commitment is also insane. I get two and a half days at home and love every single second of it. Any college kids reading this, don't take your time at home for granted. It's such a blessing to be able to spend time with the people you love. 

So why is Emmanuel the greatest gift. Emmanuel means "God with us." Jesus if the greatest gift that there will ever be. I want to share some scripture from John that talks about the gift. 

John 1:1-18: 

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a] it.

6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of graceand truth.

15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) 16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and[b] is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

So why is Emmanuel the greatest gift? There are three reasons. 

1.) "In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind." (Verse 4) 

- He has given us life. There is no greater gift than life.

2.) "Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God." (Verse 12-13)

- He gave us relationships and the freedom to have relationships with as many people as we wish. There is no greater gift that being able to have relationships with people. 

3.) "Out of his fullness we have received grace in place of grace already given." (Verse 16)

- Grace is love and there is not greater gift than the God loving us. 

If you struggle to long for a gift like this, here are four ways that you can cultivate longing. I am not going to go in depth with this but rather give you 4 bullet points that correlate directly to scripture. 

1.) preach the mystery (Luke 7:36-50)

2.) come alongside others (Luke 10:25-27)

3.) enjoy or get rid of good gifts (1 Tim. 6:11-19)

4.) learn from others how to long (Luke 10:38-42)

I hope that this encourages you today to understand that the greatest gift of the season is baby Jesus. Emmanuel. God is with us. I also hope that those four bullet points cultivate a longing for Jesus and a relationship with Christ. 

Merry Christmas!