New Life Bible Fellowship Church
12-24-25 Christmas Eve Service

      • Isaiah 9:1–7ESV

      • Galatians 4:1–7ESV

      • John 1:1–14ESV

      • Isaiah 9:1–7ESV

      • Galatians 4:1–7ESV

  • Angels We Have Heard On High
  • Good Christian Men Rejoice
  • O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

      • John 1:1–14ESV

  • Introduction:

    Over the last three sermons, we have witnessed an incredible journey. We began with The Gift Promised, seeing how God spoke hope into ancient darkness through the prophet Isaiah. We moved to The Gift Prepared, marveling at God’s perfect timing as He orchestrated history for the arrival of His Son. Then this past Sunday, we celebrated The Gift Delivered, standing in awe as the eternal Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
    But there is a final, vital truth we must face today: A gift, no matter how valuable, how carefully prepared, or how lovingly delivered, is only truly yours when it is received.
    Imagine a beautifully wrapped box sitting under a tree. It contains everything you’ve ever needed—hope, peace, and eternal life. But if that box remains unopened, it changes nothing. The tragedy we saw in Sunday’s passage was that 'His own received Him not'. Tonight, we conclude our series by looking at the most important response of all: The Gift Received.
    Drawing from the words of Paul in Romans and Ephesians, we will explore:
    The Contrast Revealed: Understanding the difference between the wages we have earned and the gift we are offered.
    The Gift Defined: Identifying what this ultimate gift actually is—the most important of all needs.
    The Method Clarified: Recognizing that this gift because it is a gift is not earned by our own works.
    The Purpose Fulfilled: Seeing how this gift transforms us to live out what God prepared for us from the beginning.
    It’s time to stop looking at the gift from a distance and finally reach out and make it your own.

    Text: Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-10

    Romans 6:23 ESV
    23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
    Ephesians 2:8–10 ESV
    8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

    Main Idea: The ultimate Christmas gift of eternal life is a free act of divine grace that must be personally received through faith —not earned by works—moving us from the wages of death to a life of purposeful good works.

    Background:

    Romans 6:23 – The Judicial Reality

    The Context: Paul is writing to the church in Rome, systematically explaining the Gospel. In chapter 6, he is addressing the transition from being "slaves to sin" to being "slaves to God".
    The Setting: He uses the language of the Roman marketplace and military. "Wages" (opsonion) referred to the daily rations or pay a soldier earned for his service.
    The Stage: This sets the stage by showing that death isn't just a "bad thing" that happens; it is the earned result of our own rebellion, making the "gift" of life a radical legal pardon.

    Ephesians 2:8-9 – The Theological Grounding

    The Context: Writing from prison, Paul reminds the Ephesians of their past spiritual deadness and God’s immense mercy.
    The Setting: Ephesus was a city obsessed with performing religious duties to appease various deities (like Artemis). The idea that a God would do all the work of salvation was counter-cultural.
    The Stage: This passage clarifies the mechanics of the gift. It ensures the congregation understands that the "Ultimate Gift" cannot be bought with holiday traditions or moral "goodness"—it is accessed only through faith.

    Ephesians 2:10 – The Practical Result

    The Context: Immediately following the declaration of grace, Paul explains the "new creation" status of the believer.
    The Setting: The word used for "workmanship" (poiema) is where we get the word "poem." It suggests a masterpiece or a work of art designed by a creator.
    The Stage: This sets the final stage for the series by answering the question: "Now that I have the gift, how do I live?" It moves the listener from receiving a gift to becoming a living witness of the Giver.

    I. The Contrast Revealed (Ro 6:23a)

    23a For the wages of sin is death, …
    Earlier in Romans, Paul makes it crystal clear that all are sinners, by birth and by choice:
    Romans 3:23 ESV
    23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
    "The wages of sin is death"
    What we've earned versus what God is offering
    Justice demands payment for sin, this payment is death, not just physical, but eternal.
    Revelation 21:8 ESV
    8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
    So is there no hope, are we all destined for this second death? There certainly is hope, as we see next…

    II. The Gift Defined (Ro 6:23b)

    23b …but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
    the free gift of God is eternal life
    "The gift of God is eternal life"
    Note that we’ve changed from the word wages (what we’ve earned), to the word gift (something we didn’t earn but was given by God)
    in Christ Jesus our Lord - Through, or by means of, Jesus Christ our Lord
    The ultimate Christmas gift is explained and links together the last three advent messages:
    Isaiah 9:6 ESV
    6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
    Galatians 4:4–5 ESV
    4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
    John 1:14 ESV
    14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
    What this gift did was nothing short of a divine miracle:
    2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV
    21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
    So what method do we use to receive this gift? Paul tells us this next in his epistle to the Ephesians where he clearly discloses how we are to receive this gift in…

    III. The Method Clarified (Eph 2:8-9)

    8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
    For by grace you have been saved through faith - He begins by explaining that you have been saved (saved from the second death) by grace (unearned favor of God) through (by means of) faith (trusting in Christ alone). To make sure you truly get what he is saying he uses the phrases:
    this is not your own doing…not a result of works - Not of works…so why is Paul so emphatic about this?
    it is the gift of God…so that no one may boast - it is so that no one can boast and get the credit for what only God has done. In other words, the gift must be received by faith, not earned by our works.
    So is that it? All we need to do is believe and have faith in Christ’s work on the cross for us, and now we escape the second death and can enjoy life free of worry, sort of getting back to normal with our lives now that our fire insurance is paid? Well, yes and no. It is true that through faith in Christ alone we escape the second death and can as a result not fear death, however, since God does all things for His glory, even our salvation was a part of a grander purpose, look what Paul says next as he describes…

    IV. The Purpose Fulfilled (Eph 2:10)

    10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
    For we are his workmanship (poiema [noun] - “masterpiece” (poem)) - Paul explains clearly that we are His masterpiece
    created (something brand new) in Christ Jesus for (the purpose of being) good works - Created in Christ Jesus for good works
    2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV
    17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
    which God prepared beforehand - this was no afterthought but was prepared beforehand by God
    that we should walk in them - The gift transforms the receiver and becomes our new normal, living as those who have received the ultimate gift. All this for the glory of God! Jesus gives us a glimpse of this purpose in His Sermon on the mount:
    Matthew 5:13–16 ESV
    13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
    Therefore to be in Christ means we no longer live for ourselves but for Him who gave us The Ultimate Christmas Gift and not the wages of our sin.

    So What?

    Do we realize that we all our sinners by birth and sinners by choice?
    Do we realize that our sin pays an eternal wage of death in the lake of fire called the second death.
    Do we realize that the only escape from that death is the Ultimate Christmas Gift, Jesus Christ?
    Do we realize finally, that when we receive that gift, and are transformed by it, our lives take on the new normal of doing good works for the Glory of the gift giver?

      • Romans 6:23ESV

      • Ephesians 2:8–10ESV

      • Romans 6:23ESV

      • Romans 3:23ESV

      • Revelation 21:8ESV

      • Romans 6:23ESV

      • Isaiah 9:6ESV

      • Galatians 4:4–5ESV

      • John 1:14ESV

      • 2 Corinthians 5:21ESV

      • Ephesians 2:8–9ESV

      • Ephesians 2:10ESV

      • 2 Corinthians 5:17ESV

      • Matthew 5:13–16ESV

  • Silent Night
New Life Bible Fellowship Church
dick.bickings@gmail.com
(302) 945-8145
https://newlifebfcde.org
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