Watch “The Ultimate Present is His Presence” Jentezen Franklin, host of Kingdom Connection & Pastor of Free Chapel.

the following program is sponsored by

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connection

well we want to wish you a Merry

Christmas thank you for watching the

program today I believe this message is

really going to speak to you and I’m so

glad to have my wife we normally have

all of our kids we’ve got five kids but

they’re all over the place and we

couldn’t get them together but I hope

that you have a wonderful Christmas and

we appreciate you and love you merry

Christmas everyone let this message

speak to your heart so I want to talk to

you for just a moment you know I noticed

that just in the last 10 years or so

there’s something that’s been unique

this happened and it’s called sanitizer

Jail

hand sanitizer have you noticed that

everywhere you go it’s like in the

hospitals I love that by the way in the

lobbies that got hand sanitizer you go

into stores and and they have hand

sanitizer as a matter of fact I brought

some with me especially when you come to

a big place like this you need to carry

your own bottle in your hand it’s Santa

I’m curious in this you’re in God’s

house so you better not lie how many of

you have some of this on you right now

let me see your hand

look at that that’s a lot of sanitizer

and and and the deal with sanitizer is

it is it’s supposed to kill the germs so

that you don’t get infected with the

disease and it gets all in you and so if

you use the sanitizer it will it’ll kill

the germs and I want to talk to you

today because I think what has happened

is we have kind of sanitized Christmas

where we’ve killed the Jesus germs and

nobody really catches the real spirit of

Christmas and what it’s all about which

is not reindeer and presents and gifts

and all of that which is fun all of

that’s beautiful and celebrate it and

enjoy it but we don’t need to sanitize

Christmas and kill the Jesus that it’s

all about that’s what he he is our

message

the ultimate present this is the big

point I want to make the ultimate

present is the presence of Jesus that is

the ultimate present and I want to draw

a quick little contrast between Santa

and the Savior I almost feel silly

preaching the sermon to you deep

theological people but this is me and I

have to keep it simple so so I want to I

want to draw quick and give you four

quick points that that because here’s

what I want you to understand

Sanna ology says the Gospel according to

Santa says that if you’re nice you get

good gifts if you’re naughty you get bad

gifts and the first contrast that I want

to draw is Santa’s presence are based on

behavior but the Savior’s presence is

based on grace it’s a big difference if

you’re good Santa says you get presents

if you’re bad you get a bag of switches

you get in other words what you earn and

what you deserve but Jesus does not give

his presence because Santa gives

presents but the Savior gives his

presence which is the best gift and

Jesus does not give his presence based

on behavior he gives it based on grace

somebody said well I’ve been good but

what you’ve got to understand is good

isn’t good enough but God is God enough

and that’s the message of Christmas

Romans chapter 3 and verse 33 said all

have sinned and fallen short of the

glory of God we all fall short Isaiah

said all of our righteousness all of our

goodness is like offering God filthy

rags and you don’t want to know the

reference if you read that text the

filthy rags what it’s referring to as a

matter

fact the Apostle Paul said when I put

all of my achievements and offer them to

God they are as dung that was the word

he used poop I remember when my children

were small and Charisse and I were

trying to potty train the kids and you

bring the little potty in and every time

they use it it’s a huge celebration and

and when they would use it one of the

girls would use it we they would

Charisse would say come come come

and we would all gather around and she

would stand up and we would all I can

remember the girls saying daddy daddy

aren’t you proud of me I pooped do you

know how ridiculous it is when you say

to our Heavenly Father

Heavenly Father aren’t you proud of me

look how good I’ve been in God says yeah

it’s filthy rags it’s it’s unclean

but when you understand that what he

does is his his presence is not based on

our behavior it’s based on his grace

the second thing I want you to see is

santa santa’s presents are limited but

the Savior’s presence is unlimited this

is as good as it’s gonna get so you

might as well get with my little Santa

calls message so here it goes

Santa’s presents are limited but the

Savior’s presence is unlimited because

Santa you know he lives in the North

Pole with elves and reindeers and mrs.

Claus and and he comes one day out of

the year because his presents are

limited and he gives you what he’s gonna

give you one day if you’ve deserved it

and you earn it and you’re good and then

he’s boats back to the North Pole and he

doesn’t come back his presence they are

they are limited but the Savior’s

presence is unlimited

he is Immanuel he is God with us the

word became flesh and dwelt among us

he’s with us that’s the message of

Christmas

you know the politicians every year when

they run they use a strategy called the

identification strategy and the bottom

line on it is this is is they try to

identify with the average voter and so

what they will do is they will pull up

in a motorcade all these limousines or

whatever and the politician will slip

out of his pinstripe expensive suit and

take his tie off and roll his

shirtsleeve he’ll put on some safety

goggles and a hard hat and he’ll walk

through the factory and he’ll act like

he really is an illusion of

identification but he’ll pretend like

he’s interested and he’ll stand there as

a photo-op and all an amazing thing is

the people in the factory yes he’s one

of us he’s one of us he understands us

and as soon as the photo

poses over he boats out to the car he

doesn’t give up his law degree he

doesn’t give up his suite he doesn’t

give up all of his titles and his fame

and his fortune he puts his pinstripe

back on and he goes to the next place

it’s over it was an illusion of

identification but we have a savior who

came down from the galaxies through the

Stars and he did not present an illusion

of identification with us but he was

born in a manger and he lived for thirty

years and he never preached a sermon and

he never healed a person he never sung a

song he worked as a carpenter with his

hands he laid foundations he framed

houses he built things he dealt with

delinquent accounts he worked he he did

yard work he worked for thirty years he

lived it was not an illusion of

identification he knew and went through

everything that we are experiencing he

experienced it and then the last three

years of his life

he was despised and rejected and

betrayed and spit upon and crucified it

wasn’t an illusion of identification

that’s the message of Christmas is that

Jesus absolutely understands us and you

may be listening to me right now and you

may be sitting there you may be

streaming live and you may say you just

don’t understand relationally this

Christmas my life is falling apart I’m

facing the holiday alone my spouse is

left to be or my family’s in shambles my

kids on drugs I’m in trouble I feel like

giving up and no one understands and I

want to add two words to your sentence

except Jesus oh but I’m under pressure

and financially I don’t know what I’m

gonna do and I’m worried about my future

and I’m worried about my finances and

I’m worried about my family I just feel

I’m struggling with this addiction I’m

dealing with this depression I have so

much anger and

I you just don’t understand I’m living a

lie basically and no one understands and

I just want to add two words except

Jesus he is touched with the feeling of

our infirmities and the message of

Christmas is Jesus lived righteously he

died sacrificially and he rose by de

leeuw and he offers his presence as your

present for Christmas and he says I am

Emmanuel I will never leave you I will

never forsake you I’ll be with you when

everyone else gives up on you I’ll hold

your hand everybody take a praise break

if you don’t talking about your Jesus

right now the third thing the third

contrast between Santa and the Savior is

Santa’s presence or what we want but the

Savior’s presence is what we need you

know we all have and it it lists that’s

it you know it represents that that gift

that I’m then if I could just get that

you’re it maybe a computer for Christmas

yeah you’re it maybe a coat or shoes or

the latest gadget and now I want you to

think back in your life to your first it

in life once I get it oh if I can just

get it then I’ll have it in my life and

I oh I wouldn’t probably ever want

anything else again you first it was it

a house if I could get that house in

that neighborhood oh if I could get that

car if I could get that job if I could

get that man if I could get that that

that woman if I could get that girl and

I hate to bust your balloon but once you

get it is that in

I live in that neighborhood is that him

I’m here is that here I’ve got all the

money is that here I’m making more is

that it is that it it isn’t it it loses

its shine

Santa’s presence or what we want but the

Savior’s presence is what we need

because what our families really need is

his presence his presence that heals his

presence that forgives his presence that

drives unforgiveness and bitterness and

hatred and anger out in my prayer this

Christmas somewhere that we stop the

busyness and we understand that the real

present is his presence and there’s

nothing like the presence of Jesus and

he’s here right now would you welcome

him with your praise somebody somebody

show the value of his presence in your

life with a praise come on come on come

on I know it’s Christmas service and but

but we ought to get emotional this time

of the year Jesus Emmanuel he’s with me

and it’s not based on my performance

it’s based on His grace the last point

is Santa’s presents are under the tree

but the Savior’s presence was on a tree

the wages of sin is death but the gift

of God is eternal life Jesus hung on a

tree the ultimate gift his blood his

body the communion set that you hold in

your hand his cross represents his

presence in your life I want to say

something big listen big now the blood

of Jesus can power wash your soul the

blood of Jesus can power wash your

guilty conscience the blood of Jesus can

power wash your guilt and your shame and

your condemnation the blood of Jesus can

power wash your addictions and set you

free and so many times will get it wrong

last point I will make is this the

message of Christmas is Jesus was the

initiator of our love relationship

because we get it backwards I think men

ought to be men I think if there’s gonna

be a relationship in the natural the guy

ought to initiate it

our girls when they were growing up we

would tell them they would say he’s so

cute should I should a face book him

should I talk I should attack

simcha to calling no you just sit there

and look beautiful and make him sweat

because a real man will initiate the

relationship a real man is the one who

pursues when when I met sharise and we

went out on our first date we we weren’t

you know I just met her one time and it

was real quick and then then there was

this other time when when I knew I

probably won’t see this girl again

so you know you know how you kind of

feel like you think they like you but

you’re not sure they like you and and I

was only I was on it I was like I may

not be back here so I’m going for it and

she was standing around with a bunch of

her friends and I was standing there and

they were all talking and I think it’s

about a restaurant or something well I

like this I like I like pizza I like

this I like that I like this and I just

looked right in the middle of all of it

didn’t know her and look right in her

beautiful brown eyes and I said I like

you

that was my opening line

and just like the wise man she was

starstruck she I had her I like just try

that I like you just walk up to a girl

guy come on be the initiator if you like

some girl woke up to her drink I’m

talking to you walk up to her say hi I’m

Drake anybody ever tell you you look

like Amy Grant I don’t know come up with

something y’all don’t even know who Amy

Grant is Farrah Fawcett whatever I don’t

know Jesus she’s going to what does I

say listen what’s interesting what’s

interesting is this the church is called

the bride and Jesus is called the groom

but we get it backwards we think we’re

the initiators of the love relationship

god I’m trying real hard and if I do

this and if I don’t do that you’ll love

me ain’t God God if I’m perfect you’ll

love me and God I’m really trying to do

good so you’ll love me I’m really really

I want it I want to text you I want to

call you oh oh please please please help

me please take me please you don’t even

understand the message of Christmas the

message of Christmas is he was the

initiator of your love relationship and

all you have to do is sit there look

beautiful because he came down from the

galaxies through the stars and wrapped

himself in flesh to initiate to chase

you to find his bride and you are his

bride and he has pursued you all of your

life even when you weren’t living for

him he was standing there he was there

all the time he would never give up on

you loving you pursuing you still

wanting you even when you had other

lovers he said I still love you

first John puts it this way we love him

everybody read that we love him because

he first loved us

Oh get happy right there I don’t have to

earn his love he already initiated it

well that’ll set you free and here’s the

deal

so holiness in your life is a response

to what he initiated I’m sure we live

wholly sure there are things we don’t do

but it’s not because of a list of rules

it’s my response to the one who’s chased

me in one minute my faith is a response

it’s not something I work trying to get

him to love me it’s a response to his

love dying on a cross

my my my standards and we all need

standards but it’s not what’s a makes

him love me because you’re good some

days and some days you really mess up

the boy feel ever get the fact that

Christmas is a message that he he’s the

one who who loved me first that’ll set

you free

and I’m saved by grace not by works but

because I love him I want to please him

and be like him and that’s the message

of Christmas every head bowed and every

eye closed normally we call people down

front we don’t have time to do that and

I’m fixing it we’re fixing to have

communion boy I really feel this deep in

my heart that people have been running

and backsliders are here and lost people

are here and people who’ve never made a

commitment to Jesus and something’s

major missing in your life and God

brought you to this Christmas service so

that you might know that God so loved

the world that He gave His presence for

your present and you can be forgiven and

the only thing he wants from you for

Christmas is the only thing that you can

give him that he can’t give himself and

that’s your sin

give him your sin for Christmas that’s

what he wants from you if you’re in this

room today and you want Jesus Christ to

be your Savior he never comes where he’s

not invited and you must invite it I

won’t embarrass you I won’t humiliate

you I’m gonna pray with you right where

you are in a moment we’re gonna have

communion it’s gonna power wash you

praise God power wash your family how

many of you like for the blood of Jesus

to power wash your family all the

bitterness get out all the hurt get out

all nothing but healing and love there

pray this prayer if you mean business

and you want to get right with God every

Christian in this room bow your head and

begin to pray I mean pray earnestly

because their souls in this room pastor

pray for me today I want to get washed

in the blood I realize he loves me

and it’s not based on performance he

loves me pray for me if that’s you you

want to get right with God boldly raise

your hand right where you’re standing on

see it hands hands hands hands hands

beautiful raise it high and unashamed

all over this room all over this room

raise it high up in the balcony they’re

being raised up there there there there

keep it up just keep it up another

moment about all over this room I want

you to look and if you see someone with

their hand raised gently put your hand

on their shoulder they’re all around you

they’re all around you it’s beautiful

all the way up in the balcony whole rows

so great is so great if you’re in

overflow

there’s pasture they raise your hand if

you’re streaming live just raise your

hand Jesus will see it anyone else

all right let’s pray this prayer

together say Lord Jesus I give you my

life I believe you lived a righteous

life sinless I believe you died a

sacrificial death and I believe you rose

vitally you rose from the dead so that I

could have new life so I receive you you

chased me when I was running from you

but now I receive the ultimate gift I

receive your presence for my present and

I receive Emanuel he lives in me he goes

with me from this day forward in Jesus

name and Jesus said this bread

represents my body take the piece of

bread and would you stand to your feet

please all over the room

this bread represents my body which is

broken for you take eat this do in

remembrance of me and I speak healing

and health over every person’s body

under the sound of my voice we rebuke

sickness in the name of Jesus let health

power wash our bodies with the blood of

Jesus and healing power take eat this do

in remembrance of me

in this cup is my blood which is shed

for the remission of sins

everybody say Jesus power wash my life

power wash my family my body my mind my

sins my past in Jesus name

take drink this do in remembrance of me

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