LOVE CAME DOWN AT CHRISTMAS
CHRISTMAS, 2014; Ephesians 1:3-10
GOD IS LOVE
 GOD ALWAYS FEELS LOVE FOR US
 AND EXPRESSES LOVE FOR US
 HE CAN’T DO ANYTHING ELSE!
 BECAUSE LOVE IS WHO GOD IS [HIS NATURE/
CHARACTER]
HIS PURPOSE HAS ETERNALLY BEEN TO ESTABLISH
US IN A LOVE RELATIONSHIP WITH HIMSELF
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be
holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to
be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance
with his pleasure and will—Eph 1. 4-5
LOVE CAME DOWN AT CHRISTMAS
 GOD BECAME A HUMAN BEING, ONE OF US
 SO WE COULD BE IN HIM
… the mystery of his will …, which he purposed in Christ, to
be put into effect when the times will have reached their
fulfillment--to bring all things in heaven and on earth together
under one head, even Christ. Ephesians 1:9-10
EMMANUEL—GOD WITH US
 GOD IS ALWAYS WITH US
 BUT GOD DOESN’T JUST SAY SO, HE SHOWS US:
 CHRISTMAS SHOWS US HE’LL GO TO ANY LENGTH
TO BE WITH US
 CALVARY SHOWS HE’LL GO TO ANY LENGTH TO
EXPRESS HIS LOVE FOR US
 ALL SO WE CAN BE IN HIM: LIVE IN THE LOVE THAT
IS GOD
 PERFECT PEACE, SECURITY, WISDOM, STRENGTH,
HOPE, JOY—ALL THAT IS GOD’S GIFT TO YOU AT
CHRISTMAS!
WHAT’S GOING ON?
GOD’S GIFT TO YOU:
 Stress
PERFECT PEACE
 Worry
PERFECT SECURITY
 Uncertainty—don’t know what to do
PERFECT WISDOM
 Fear or Need to prove myself [worthy, capable, strong,
loveable]
PERFECT LOVE
 Lack of energy, strength
PERFECT STRENGTH
 Unhappy / depressed
PERFECT JOY
 Need to control
PERFECT HOPE
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every
spiritual blessing in Christ. [4] For he chose us in him before
the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his
sight. In love [5] he predestined us to be adopted as his sons
through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and
will-- [6] to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has
freely given us in the One he loves. [7] In him we have
redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in
accordance with the riches of God's grace [8] that he
lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. [9] And
he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his
good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, [10] to be put
into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment-to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one
head, even Christ. Ephesians 1:3-10