This document discusses the true meaning of Christmas through three sections. The first section focuses on presents for each other, highlighting families who struggle financially and finding value in spending time together over gifts. The second section explores God's presents for us, including the birth of Jesus as the ultimate gift to forgive humanity. The third section examines our presents for God, such as worshipping Jesus as the Magi did and living lives that honor him. The overarching message is that Christmas is best understood and celebrated through appreciating the relationships and meaning behind it rather than superficial gifts and consumerism.

3. ‘Building a community of people who live out God’s purposes’
Wise up to
Christmas

4. ‘Building a community of people who live out God’s purposes’
• Presents For Each Other
• God’s Presents For Us
• Our Presents For God

5. Presents For Each Other
“I mean this year, it will be tough.
To be honest, I don’t think we’ll have a
Christmas, because there is just no
money for it.”
Vicky, Mother
http://www.family-action.org.uk/

6. Presents For Each Other
“After years of not being able to work,
I had accrued debts of about £10,000.
I was spending a large chunk of my
income on heating and wasn’t coping
well with my new illness.”
Laura, Mother
http://www.family-action.org.uk/

7. Presents For Each Other
“Everything impacted on my daughter,
Josie, and our home was not a happy
one. I just wanted to get Christmas
over and done with”.
Laura, Mother
http://www.family-action.org.uk/

8. Presents For Each Other
“If anyone has material possessions and
sees his brother in need but has no pity on
him, how can the love of God be in him?
Dear children, let us not love with words
or tongue but with actions and in truth.”
1 John 3 v 17-18

9. Presents For Each Other
“If I had the choice between spending
time with my family and a present,
I would definitely choose spending
time with my family.”
Ryan, 10, London
http://www.family-action.org.uk/

10. Presents For Each Other
“I don’t mind what I get.
I just want to make sure
that I see my family”.
Kerry, aged 11.
http://www.family-action.org.uk/

11. God’s Presents For Us
"The virgin shall be with child and will
give birth to a son, and they will call
Him Immanuel - which means,
'God with us.'" Matthew 1 v 23

12. God’s Presents For Us
“The most significant
achievement of our age is
not that man stood on the
moon, but rather that
God in Christ stood on
the earth” James Irwin

13. God’s Presents For Us
“For to us a child is born,
to us a Son is given”
Isaiah 9 v 6

14. God’s Presents For Us
If our greatest need had been information,
God would have sent an educator.
If our greatest need had been money,
God would have sent an economist.
If our greatest need had been technology,
God would have sent us a scientist.

15. God’s Presents For Us
If our greatest need had been pleasure,
God would have sent us an entertainer.
But our greatest need was forgiveness,
so God sent us a Saviour.

16. God’s Presents For Us
“For God so loved the world,
that He gave His one and only
Son, that whoever believes in
Him shall not die but have
eternal life” John 3 v 16

17. Our Presents For God
Matthew 2 v 1 – 12
The Visit of Magi

19. Our Presents For God
“On coming to the house,
they saw the child
with His mother Mary”.
Matthew 2 v 11

20. Our Presents For God
HRH Prince George of
Cambridge was born
on 22 July 2013,
at St Mary’s Hospital
in London,
to the Duke and
Duchess of Cambridge.

21. Our Presents For God

22. Our Presents For God
“they bowed
down and
worshipped
Him”
Matt. 2 v 11

23. ‘Building a community of people who live out God’s purposes’
• Presents For Each Other
• God’s Presents For Us
• Our Presents For God

24. ‘Building a community of people who live out God’s purposes’

25. Our Presents For God

26. ‘Building a community of people who live out God’s purposes’
Wise up to
Christmas