This is “The Power of the Gift”.
♪ ♪
>> Hello and welcome
to Kingdom Connection,
we’re so glad you
joined us today.
This season my wife, Cherise
and I pray that Jesus
would be honored in your home.
And that God would pour out
His goodness, and His love,
and His grace on your house
this Christmas season
on your family.
He’s the reason we celebrate,
and I wanna wish you,
from the bottom of my heart,
a very merry Christmas.
You’re about to join in one
of our favorite traditions
that we have at Free Chapel,
it’s called our
candlelight service,
and it’s beautiful.
It’s when we sing songs
of praise to God,
and we remember all that Jesus
gave us when He gave us Himself
clothed in flesh.
Join us as we go into this
candlelight service
and celebrate the birth
of our Savior Jesus Christ.
♪ ♪
>> I wanna talk to you
about how there’s a gift
that is promised that is so
pertinent to the story
of Christmas that
is completely overlooked.
If the king of Israel invited
you to come and you came
without a gift,
it was considered
to be an insult.
So important was this gift,
even though the king
was immeasurably wealthy,
and you could be extremely poor.
It was never acceptable
for a person to come into
Hebrew culture before the king
of the Hebrew people and not
bring with them a gift.
So important was gift giving
in the Hebrew culture
that the Hebrew language
contains no less than 15
expressions that explain
or give ways of giving,
it was so important.
It was true in the nation
and in the culture of Israel,
but it was also true in
the kingdom of God
under the Old Testament.
Everyone, anytime they
approached the tabernacle
was required to bring a gift.
In Leviticus 5 it said,
“If a soul — if a person sin
that they would bring
a lamb as a gift.
And if they couldn’t afford
a lamb then they could bring
a turtledove.
And if they couldn’t afford
a turtledove,
they could bring fine flour.”
But no one was to appear
empty handed before the God
of the Old Testament, Jehovah.
If you wanted to interact
with Him, you had to bring
a gift for Him.
Some gifts were
given voluntarily,
but they were also involuntarily
expected gifts from God.
No gift, no access
under the old covenant.
It was a high insult to not
bring a gift to God.
The Bible calls the Holy Spirit,
“The gift of the Father.”
It’s amazing that I can
choose not to receive a gift,
there’s three choices really,
you have if someone
offers you a gift,
number one you can receive it
and enjoy it.
Or number two you can take it
and throw it in the trash
when they walk away.
Or number three,
and I just learned about
this one in preparing this
message, there’s something
called re-gifting.
I had never heard of it
in my life, I was not aware.
There are entire websites,
can you believe it,
on re-gifting.
It’s when someone gives you
a gift that you don’t like,
and you turn around
and when they leave,
you package it back up
and you give it to somebody
that you don’t like much either.
And that’s called re-gifting,
it’s a real thing.
A website on this,
I read from it because
I was considering it.
I get a lot of gifts and I’m —
let’s keep moving.
What they — here’s what
they said, “Here’s rules
for re-gifting,
when you’re going to regift
a gift don’t use
the wrapping paper that you
tore open.
The Scotch tape
is a dead giveaway
that you are re-using
or re-gifting that gift.
Be careful that you don’t
regift the gift to the same
person who gave it to you.”
That’s very important,
and Cherise and I are always
very careful when we re-give —
I’m kidding.
The difference that I want you
to understand and I’m preaching
about tonight is the gift
of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is a gift,
He really is and He’s available
to us tonight.
A gift under the New Testament
something miraculous happened.
Under the Old Covenant
it was man giving gifts to God,
man giving gifts to God,
but something powerful happens
as you move and, you know,
when they would bring the gift,
they would almost hold
their breath
and they would hope,
“I hope it’s acceptable.
I hope it’s good enough.
I hope the lamb is good enough.
I hope the turtledove
is clean enough.
I hope.
I hope.”
And it was the —
always not quite measuring up.
Always wondering,
“Will I, through what I’m doing,
measure up to this holy,
powerful God.”
But in the New Testament
something shocking
and surprising happened
that first Christmas,
instead of gifts being given
by men going upward,
the gift of — that God gave
came downward to men.
It’s God in the New Testament
that gives us the gifts,
not us that gives Him the gifts.
That’s the amazing thing,
the gift giving is
in a whole new way under
the New Covenant.
First time in human history
God gave a gift
was in Bethlehem.
Psalms 68:18 in
the Old Covenant says this,
“Thou hast ascended on high.”
So, he didn’t even know what
he was talking about,
but he saw a vision and he said,
“There’s a God, His name
is Jehovah and I see Him
ascending on high and thou
has led captivity captive
and thou hast,”
listen to the words,
“received gifts from men.”
For men and from men,
that’s what that means.
From men, you received
the gifts,
that’s God under
the Old Covenant
and then it goes on to say,
“Blessed be the Lord God,
who daily loads us
down with benefits,
even the God of our salvation.”
Under the Old Covenant you
brought a gift,
and if God accepted it,
He loaded you down
with benefits daily.
But then in Ephesians 4
under the New Covenant,
the New Testament,
the apostle Paul
says something profound,
and he quotes from that
Old Testament verse and here’s
what he says, “But unto every
one of you He has given grace
according to the measure
of the gift of Christ.”
Watch this, “Wherefore He saith,
when He ascended on high,
He led captivity captive,
and He gave gifts unto men.”
He said,
“Under the Old Testament the —
Jehovah God received gifts.
That’s the only way that you
could get access.
But under the New Covenant,”
the very same verse Paul
changed it and he said,
“He gave gifts unto men.”
He who ascended, who is that?
Jesus when He went down
into the grave and into hell
has now ascended.
He descended,
now He has ascended,
and He who ascended
from the grave.
Well, I wanna ask you
a question, who ascended
from the grave?
Who came up out of the grave?
The Old Testament Jehovah
is the New Testament
Jesus Christ.
That is who was born
into human form in Bethlehem,
it was the same God Jehovah
in the Old Testament
is Jesus in the New Covenant.
Let me tell you why I know
Jesus was God because
in Ezekiel 37:13 this is what
God said, He said,
“You shall know that
I am the Lord,”
here’s what you look for
if you’re looking for God
to show up on planet Earth,
“When I opened your graves,
O My people,
and I bring people out
of the graves.”
The people that
are in the grave.
Well, I wanna ask you
a question,
who opened the graves?
There’s one who said,
“Lazarus come forth.”
There is one who raised
the dead over, and over,
and over in the New Testament
His name was Jesus.
And then in Job 9:8 He said,
“Who alone,” Job saw a vision
and he saw God and he said,
“I see one God who’s the creator
and He’s spreading out
the heavens,” listen,
“And God alone treads
upon the waves of the sea.”
Job didn’t know what he
was seeing but be —
the oldest book of the Bible,
but he saw a vision of a God
walking on the water.
And I ask you again,
who walked on the water
in the New Testament?
Who came in the middle
of a storm when the disciples
were going under and said,
“Peace be still.”
And the winds and the waves
obeyed His will,
and He walked on the water back
to the boat?
His name is Jesus.
And then 600 years before
Bethlehem in Isaiah 35:4
he says, “Say to them that
are of fearful heart,
be strong, God will come,”
He’s coming, God’s coming,
“He’s coming in vengeance,
and He will come and save you.”
And then he makes this,
and you will know
that He has come then,
that word them means
this is how you’ll know,
“When you start seeing the eyes
— the blinded eyes begin
to be opened,
the ears of the deaf unstopped
and the lame will leap,”
next verse, “The lame will leap
as a deer and the tongue
of the dumb will sing.”
When you start seeing
blind people’s eyes open —
Well, who is the New Testament
opened blind eyes?
Blind Bartimaeus said,
“I couldn’t see,
but now I can see.”
What — Who did that?
Jesus did it.
Who caused the lame
to leap like a deer?
Who caused the deaf ear to hear?
Who caused the man who could
not speak all of his life —
the Bible said,
“Jesus loosed the string off
of his tongue
and he spoke plainly
and glorified God.”
Who did that?
His name is Jesus,
and we ought to realize
He is the gift.
Give Him a mighty praise
right now if you love Him.
[Cheering and Applause]
You can do better than that
on Christmas Eve.
Thank Him for the gift.
[Cheering and Applause]
Sometimes we make like
the whole New Testament
is about you giving your life,
and giving your past,
and giving your present,
and giving your future to Jesus.
I’m sorry to tell you that
the whole Gospel
is not about you.
It’s not about what you
give God.
That’s important,
give Him your life,
but boy you won’t have problems
giving Him your life
if you ever realize it —
God is the giver not you.
He will load you down
if you would just honor Him,
and love Him, and serve Him.
I’m trying to be good,
but I feel like we take
for granted
the most ultimate gift.
His name is Jesus
and it’s not common,
it’s a spectacular, unspeakable,
unbelievable, unimaginable gift
that we have been given
in Jesus Christ.
And I wanna finish with this
and I want you to lean in.
In Luke 11:13 it talks
about gifts, and it says,
“If you being evil, know how
to give good gifts
to your children.”
Question, how many of you intend
on making sure your children
have some gifts in the morning
when they wake up
on Christmas morning?
Raise your hand and say,
“It’s me.”
Right now.
And let me see your hand,
the rest of you are not
telling the truth.
If you have children you want
’em to have gifts and that’s
why it said,
“If you being evil.”
It’s not a put down,
He’s saying,
“Compared to God none
of us measure up.”
But he said, “If you,
in a flawed state compared
to God, have the heart
to really wanna give gifts
to your children
and grandchildren.
How much more will your Father
give the Holy Spirit
to them that ask Him!”
He didn’t say, “He’ll give
you forgiveness.”
Why didn’t He say, “Mercy.”
Why didn’t He say, “Grace.”
He understood that when I give
you the Holy Spirit,
I give you me.
The real purpose of Christmas
was not just a baby
born in Bethlehem,
that was one time He came,
and it was beautiful,
and we celebrate it.
But the real message
of Christmas is,
He’s not Emmanuel until
you receive the gift
of the Holy Spirit,
and He lives with
you continually.
Countless times today
the Holy Spirit
has spoken to you.
Countless times today
the Holy Spirit
has watched over you.
Countless times today
the Holy Spirit has noticed you,
your attitude,
everything about you.
He’s with us.
We cannot — David said,
“If I go to hell
the spirit is there.
I can’t get away from it.”
When I’m good, when I’m bad,
when I’m naughty,
it’s not like Santa Claus,
He won’t leave me alone.
He loves me.
He comforts me.
He lifts me.
He encourages me.
And I couldn’t have made it
without the precious
Holy Spirit,
the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Hallelujah!
Praise the Lord somebody.
[Cheering and Applause]
No, I mean really praise Him.
I don’t care if you brought
your best friend, praise Him.
Praise Him.
I’m thankful
for the Holy Spirit.
Woo!
There are three times
in the New Testament
where the apostles
use the word unspeakable.
Unspeakable.
The first time is when Paul
in 2 Corinthians 12
is caught up into Heaven,
and he was taken
on a tour of Heaven.
And the things that he saw
in particularly he said,
“The words that I heard
were unspeakable words
that I cannot repeat.
It was so overwhelming,
the sounds and the words
that I heard –”
I don’t know who he bumped into.
I don’t know if he bumped
into Abraham, Isaac, Jes —
I don’t know who he bumped into,
but whoever he bumped into
he said,
“The words that I heard
when I was in the third Heaven
were unspeakable.”
And then the apostle Peter
in 1 Peter 1:8 he said,
“When I saw
the resurrected Savior,
now even you who love Him,
though now you see Him not,
yet believing, I saw Him
and one day
you’re gonna see Him,”
if you read the lead up to that,
and he says, “You will when
you see Him rejoice
with joy unspeakable.”
But we don’t have much joy
down here, it just feels like —
these are some har —
this has been a rough year.
But one of these days
we’re going to see Him
and we’re gonna rejoice
with joy ahead of us.
I hear the Lord saying,
“Next year’s
going to be better.”
Well, hallelujah!
And it’s gonna be joy,
everybody say, “unspeakable.”
Shout it out loud,
“Joy unspeakable
and full of glory.”
Clap your hands in expectation.
Clap your hands in faith.
Clap your hands saying,
“I’m believing
for unspeakable joy.”
Can’t even put it —
the word unspeakable
means unimaginable.
Unexplainable.
Cannot — Undefinable.
Unspeakable.
And there’s one more time
it’s found, 2 Corinthians 9:15.
The apostle Paul when he thought
about the gift that you and I
have been given
through Jesus Christ.
But listen folks,
Jesus was one man,
the baby was one baby
born in Bethlehem.
Grew up, became a man,
at 33 carried a cross
to Golgotha.
Took my sin, my sickness,
your sin, your shame,
nailed it to the cross,
died a brutal death,
rose three days later.
And then 40 days later
went up on a cloudy elevator
and sits in the seat
of authority and all power
is given unto His name.
But listen, He said,
“It’s expedient that I go away,
for if I don’t leave you –”
The story really is not just
a story of Bethlehem,
the cradle,
and calvary, the cross.
“But I’ll send the Holy Spirit,
I’ll send the gift.”
And this is what Paul said
about that gift
in 2 Corinthians.
Everybody read this out loud
and say it from your heart,
“Thanks be unto God
for His unspeakable gift.”
Does that go off inside of you?
That I have an unspeakable gift
this Christmas and I can’t even
put into words that when
I felt like giving up,
He won’t let me give up.
And when I feel discouraged,
He’ll let me wallow there
for a minute,
but it’s not long before
I feel Him nudging me saying,
“I’m not through,
better days are coming.
Hold on, I’m the God
of breakthrough.”
And I want you right now,
one more time to shout,
“Thanks be unto God.”
No, we don’t come out here
to fold our arms
and burn a candle,
“Thanks be unto God
for His unspeakable gift.”
What is His name?
Jesus Christ.
And would you welcome
that unspeakable gift called
the Holy Spirit into your heart,
into your life?
The only way that He is in you,
Emmanuel, is if you receive
Jesus Christ through
the Holy Spirit
coming into your life.
And tonight, you may have never
recognized it,
but there is one who is here
called the Holy Spirit.
He’s Jesus’ spirit
and when you accept Jesus,
you receive His Holy Spirit.
And He says,
“I’ll never let you go.
I’ll never leave you alone,
I am Emmanuel, God with you.”
♪ ♪
Everybody pray this prayer,
“Lord Jesus I repent.
I receive the gift
that is unspeakable,
indescribable,
unexplainable.
I don’t know how to explain it,
but I’m forgiven,
I’m clean, I believe,
I believe in you Jesus.
I’ve never seen you,
but I believe in you,
and I’m willing to give
my life to you.
Take my mind, take my body,
take my spirit,
and I wanna live for you
because you are
my unspeakable gift,
Jesus Christ.”
Everybody say, “Amen.”
♪ ♪
>> As we are ending
this program today,
I cannot end this program
without telling you about
the exciting things
we’re doing
in the nation of Israel.
This perhaps is my favorite
project that we’ve ever done.
God has called us to a new
opportunity to bring help
and comfort to the people
of Northern Israel.
Together we’re going to build
the JFMM Northern
Israel Emergency Center,
it will provide urgent care,
emergency services
that will save lives
in the Galilee region,
the upper Galilee region.
Just a few miles from this
region on the other
side of the border, Hezbollah
terrorists are threatening
war all the time.
This hospital is the biggest
need in this region
and with your help
we’re building it,
and there’s a blessing waiting
for those who bless Israel,
it’s found in
Genesis 12: 3, “I will
bless those who bless you,
I will curse those
who curse you.”
What a magnificent blessing.
And you can be a part
of that blessing today.
We cannot make any of this
happen without you,
our amazing, amazing supporters.
Please consider making
an end of the year gift
that will help us preach
the gospel around the world
and continue to create resources
like Bibles and books
and all kinds of material
that we send out to build
the faith of people.
And to support life-changing
outreaches just like
this hospital wing in Israel.
Pray and ask God
what He would have you do.
I believe there are people
watching me right now,
you can make this —
it’s a major commitment
that we’ve made,
a 3-million-dollar
commitment to build this wing
that will save lives 24 hours
of day in the nation of Israel,
Jewish lives.
And you know that blessing
connects you to the covenant
blessing that God has provided
through His own son
Jesus Christ.
Thank you and merry
Christmas to everyone,
I hope that God blesses you
and your family in
magnificent ways
this Christmas season.
>> ANNOUNCER: Since 2019,
Jentezen Franklin
Media Ministries,
together with our friends
and partners,
have partnered with
the Jewish National Fund
from the Amazing Kingdom
Play School, as well as
four community centers
in the Eshkol region
of Israel.
These amazing projects
have already saved
so many lives during
rocket attacks from Hamas
on Israel’s southern border.
But in the north, Hezbollah,
the Iranian backed
terrorist organization,
is planning its next war.
Hezbollah has over
150,000 missiles
aimed at Israel,
as well as underground tunnels
which they have threatened
to use to kidnap
and murder Israelis
and invade northern Israel.
This area has no
medical facilities
in case of emergency.
Right now, Jewish people
living in the area
must travel an hour.
It’s difficult enough
that they live and work
only miles from the border
with Lebanon,
where Hezbollah terrorist,
backed by an armed Iran,
operate freely.
Jentezen Franklin
Media Ministries
is stepping up in another
major effort in Israel
and providing
the Northern Israel
Emergency Center.
And if war breaks out,
the Northern Israel
Emergency Center
will be a major asset
to protect Israelis
and save lives.
This is the biggest project
we have ever taken on in Israel.
We will not be able to do this
without your generous support.
There is a blessing promised
to those who bless Israel.
“I will bless those
who bless you,
and I will curse him
who curses you.”
We believe God has
strategically positioned us
to play a role
in protecting and blessing
the nation of Israel.
Be a part of the blessing today,
call now or
go online today.
♪ ♪
>> Next week on
Kingdom Connection,
gather your family
and tune in on Christmas day
and experience an unforgettable
live production
as we bring the story
of Jesus to life,
with stunning visuals
and amazing
musical performances.
Experience Christmas
like you never have before.
Jentezen Franklin presents
Christmas Spectacular
airing on Kingdom Connection
Christmas day.
♪ ♪
♪ ♪