Love

Christmas is about giving because Christmas is about love!
What’s love got to do with it? Jesus commanded that we love others! John 15:12 “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”(NKJV)
Love is an essential ingredient in Christian living. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.”(NKJV)
In this passage, we learn that without love:
1. Our greatest speech is just noise
2. Our greatest faith is empty
3. Our greatest giving is worthless (Mark 12:33)
With love:
1. Our speech leads to maturity (Eph. 4:15)
2. Our faith avails much (Gal. 5:6)
3. Our sacrifice expresses Christ-likeness (John 15:13)
What’s love got to do with it? Loving others shows love to Jesus Christ. 1 John 3:16 “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”(NKJV) John 14:15 “‘If you love Me, keep My commandments.’”(NKJV)
In all our giving, speaking, and living, let us love others as a thanksgiving for God’s indescribable gift! (2 Cor. 9:15)