Ultimate Investment

It is Sunday night and I am sitting in the living room trying to unwind from all the holiday festivities that have been taking place over the past few weeks.  I can't believe it is only 4 days to Christmas.  It seems like only yesterday we were in the dog days of summer but tonight they are calling for 20 degrees.  I love it!

The tree is up, the lights are on, the house is fully decorated.  Church this morning was a sea of red and green sweaters in the midst of a poinsettia forrest.  The old Christmas favorites were sung, cards were being distributed and "Merry Christmas" was the greeting of the day.  

What a great day it was!  We finished our 401kingdom series with a message entitled The Ultimate Investment."  God used that message to teach us that the greatest investment we could ever make in God's kingdom work is our own life.  

Jesus, at the end of His ministry said: "These things I have said in order that you might have peace, in this world you will have tribulation . . ."  I thought it so interesting that He said "you might have peace," but He told us we would certainly have tribulation.  Trials are certain, peace is a choice.  We can choose to receive the peace from God, or to reject it.

How ironic is it that at the end of Christ's earthly ministry He offers peace, and at the start of His life on earth the angels announced His birth by saying, "Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace to men of good will?"  

Peace is the result of listening to the things that He taught us.  As we learned today He taught us 4 major things dealing with peace.  He taught us to love each other as He loves us, to believe He will accomplish that which He has promised to do, He taught us to walk in fellowship with Him to the cross, and to abide in Him always.  When we do these things  we have peace with God and with one another, just as He said we would. "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give."

He left peace with us, because He wants us to give it to others just like He gave it to us.  He wants us to give it away.  

How do we give it away? 

The same way He gave it away; 

by laying down His life for the sake of others.  

"Greater Love hath no man than this, then that He lay down His life for His friends."  That My friends is the ultimate investment, and what Christmas is all about.