In Case You Missed This Last Year

We are moving quickly into the Christmas season. If you are part of a group of one sort or another, Church, club, business, or affinity, you might be looking forward to the annual gift exchange that is a part of your Christmas party.

I always loved the “white elephant” exchanges. My bride and I would watch all year for just the right gift or gifts that we would need for the Sunday School class party. . .or whatever else we knew would pop up during December. Over the years we have made some “finds,” and perhaps some of you have one of them stashed away or have used it to “bless” someone else. I think my all time favorites were the porcelain covered bedpans (can I say that?).

There is an exchange on the mind of Christ as He talked with His disciples in Matthew 16 (see verses 24-38). When I was a boy I traded (exchanged) marbles, baseball cards, and such. As I begin traveling extensively I often traded my cash for Traveler’s Cheques. Maybe, if you are older, you remember when people would barter – eggs for tomatoes – more than is common now.

I want you to think for a moment about the exchanges offered to us by Christ:

Life for Death                                                                                                                                           Peace for No Peace                                                                                                                                    Hope for Hopelessness                                                                                                                         Riches for Poverty                                                                                                                                 Purpose for Purposelessness                                                                                                          Happiness for Sadness                                                                                                                               Joy for Despair                                                                                                                                        Vision for Blindness                                                                                                                              Blessing for Cursing                                                                                                                                     Llove for Hate

And so many more!!

What are you going to exchange with the Savior this year? He is in the business of taking our worthlessness in trade for a life of Holiness and Usefulness.