For 3 weeks now, I have been sharing with you My version of A Christmas Carol and that is my intention again this morning; to FINISH my story (or your story as we shall see) as my gift to you this Christmas—a gift to get you thinking about what really matters.

Several weeks ago we began a fantastic journey that started with you in your bed on Christmas eve only to be awoken by an angel who whisked you out of that bed and in to the pit of hell where are you smelled saw and heard awful things; the worst of all being that there was a very good chance that when you die you might end up there.

And that because of a life lived in continual disobedience to Jesus and his commands.

Fortunately for you this was not the end of your story. Christmas eve was not going to be the day of your death. there was still hope.  And you knew that to be true because all of a sudden you were back in your bed and it was Christmas Day.

That being said it was unlike any Christmas day you had experienced before. It was the first Christmas day…

Christ had just been born and you were there to witness it. It however was not the only thing you witnessed. Time was moving very fast; so fast as a matter of fact, that you were able to witness the entire life of Christ within a couple of hours.

And that is when the angel spoke these words, “it is time to learn what the master learned”

“it is time to gain the wisdom that Jesus himself gained– and you have now witnessed, during his earthly life–since this too – along with obeying Jesus’ commands, is key to keeping out of hell and making it to heaven.”

And last week we discussed two of those things (wisdom that Jesus learned during his earthly life) and those were:

1. The world is out to get you. (iow: they are all under the power and influence of Satan and can therefore never have your best interest as a Christian in mind)
2. God’s House (and people) are where it’s at. (These are the people and place of blessing – the people and place which should be our focus in this life)

Which brings us to our final two points for today (here IOW is what else Jesus learned during his earthly life –wisdom that we will need to make it to heaven)…

3. Fly by your instruments and not appearances
4. Talk is cheap; trials are what count