CONNECTING POINT: Grace, Not Gifts

The American Christmas tradition has become focused on gifts, especially a consumer-driven mentality that can end up misguided and self-centered. I’m not opposed to gift giving; our family shares in this tradition; however, we taught our children early on that Christ is the reason for the season.

The single most important gift we can ever receive is salvation through Jesus Christ, God’s unmerited favor given to anyone who calls on the name of Jesus to be saved. Such a gift is understood as grace. For some time, I’ve been digging deeper into Luke’s writings in the Bible and recently came across this striking conversation with Jesus and the seventy-two disciples. “The seventy-two returned with joy and said, ‘Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.’ He replied, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:17-20)

Universally, as humans, we have this propensity to misdirect our joy, often in far less important matters. Like the seventy-two, we focus on certain successes and experiences, deeming them the top priority. The principle that Jesus expresses is this: our primary joy as Christians should never be found in our accomplishments but in what Christ accomplished for us through His gift of salvation.

The seventy-two disciples were excited upon returning from the mission Jesus sent them on; they saw incredible things that benefited the Kingdom of God. Some of them faced obstacles, even rejection of the Gospel, but Jesus again reigned in their focus that when someone rejects His message, they are, in fact, rejecting God.

Jesus proceeded with some caution. One: Be aware of spiritual pride. Even though the disciples cast out demons and prayed over the sick, seeing many healed, all the good accomplished was done under the name of Jesus. G. Campbell Morgan, an early 20th-century preacher, said, “In the most holy work, there always lurks this danger of the glorification of the self-life.” Pride strikes like lightning, fast and with great force. As disciples of Jesus today, we need to guard our ever-wandering hearts from allowing spiritual pride to get a foothold in our lives. Some people get wrapped up in gift use, but arrogance becomes a downfall when supernatural displays occur to impress others. This is the danger that Jesus is concerned about, which is why He redirected the seventy-two.

Two: Be cautious in taking authority over something unwisely. I’m fully aware of various verses in the Bible that speak about certain believers taking authority over sickness and disease. However, that authority does not apply directly to every situation or person in need today. There are approximately 23 physical healings performed by Jesus recorded in the Bible, while many more occurred according to John 20:30. Certainly, the original 12 and the seventy-two disciples performed miracles in Jesus’ name; all of which were towards the greater purpose of Evangelism to reach the lost.. Do you realize that millions of miracles have taken place since the First Century? Yet, they are still rare and unique in a world of disease and death.

It’s important to know that, as Christians, we can still pray for those who encounter sickness, even for healing. However, we ultimately trust God and His sovereign will in everything. Jesus reminds us that our focus must remain on His grace, not the gifts.