Gifts are Meant for Giving

I greet you this morning with the words of James, brother of Jesus, who wrote:

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17, NIV

We give thanks to God for every good and perfect gift from above.

He never changes, he never wavers.

His love is constant, and his presence is steadfast.

Father, “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’ Psalm 122:1. May your Spirit guide our time together, uniting our hearts with yours. Transform us by the renewing of our minds through the teaching of your Word. We make this prayer in the name of your Son, Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Amen

Amen!

World Cup Sunday! Does anyone want to know the score?

What an amazing roller coaster ride this World Cup has been!

--- say a few more words about the World Cup, connecting to favored Latin countries.

In the weeks leading up to the World Cup, a number of my friends recommended that I watch Ted Lasso.

Any Ted Lasso fans in the house or watching online?

After the 12th person recommended this series to me, my wife and I sat to watch the first episode, which quickly turned into 5 , and I realized that there are two types of people in this world: fans of Ted Lasso and then people who haven’t seen it yet.

It’s funny and witty and meaningful, and also chock full of leadership principles.

The series is about a Division 2 mid-west American college football coach who becomes the manager of an English premier league football club.

No one believes in Ted Lasso, except for Ted Lasso.

He’s a buoyant, charming optimist who won’t accept criticism as part of his identity.

In fact, he moves closer to his critics, and seeks to win them over through compassion, empathy, and understanding.

One of the ways that Ted Lasso seeks to win over his critics is by giving a unique and specific gift tailor made to that individual.

On one occasion, he gifted a book to every player on the team. On another occasion, he found just the right birthday gift for one homesick player named Sam. Take a look:

play clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8i6A3ENB8g :12 - 1:20

“We brought a little bit of home to you.”

Coach Lasso won over Sam by finding the perfect gift to help him make his team feel like home.

Giving the perfect gift can change a person’s life.

Can you think of a time when you couldn’t wait to give that perfect gift to your loved one because you just knew that they would love it?!?!

How did you feel when you purchased it, wrapped it, and held onto it until the moment came for you to give it?

Did you feel excited? Nervous? Eager?

How did you feel when you watched your loved one unwrap your perfect gift and and then say, ‘oh, it’s perfect!’

In the months leading up to last year’s Christmas, my son, Levi, asked over and over for a Spiderman bike.

Dad, I want a Spiderman bike. Mom, I want a Spiderman bike. Santa, I want a Spiderman bike. Dad, maybe we should call grandma for a Spiderman bike?

He was relentless in his pursuit for a Spiderman bike… so you can imagine my delight when I watched him walk into the living room on Christmas morning to find his brand new Spiderman bike.

There’s nothing like giving the perfect gift.

In fact, you’re wired for it!

In a recent scientific study done by the University of Zurich, researchers traced the brain functions of one group who purchased items for themselves and another who purchased items for someone else.

The study discovered that those who purchased gifts for someone other than themselves activated the parts of the brain that control empathy and happiness. “A Neuroscientist Explains Why It's Better to Give Than to Receive.” Discover Magazine https://www.discovermagazine.com/mind/a-neuroscientist-explains-why-its-better-to-give-than-to-receive

Intuitively, most of us know that shop therapy doesn’t bring us happiness, but it does give us a shot of dopamine, which increases pleasure, so we take the hit, instead of pursuing true happiness.

Pleasure and happiness are not synonymous terms. Sometimes, they coincide, but sometimes, they don’t.

True happiness, true joy is giving the perfect gift.

There’s nothing like it.

There’s nothing like giving the perfect gift to your special loved one, is there?

Now, imagine your Heavenly Father feeling that same way about you, his special loved one and prized possession.

Do you believe that about yourself?

Do you know that about God, your Heavenly Father, that he calls you his own special possession?

You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9, NIV

In our day and age, the word possession connotes selfishness or, even, an abusive relationship, but not with God.

Possession in this context means belonging through sacrifice, which at its core embodies selflessness.

The perfect gift that God chose to give to his loved ones, to all people across all time, to you and me, was the perfect gift of himself. God the Father emptied himself into Christ the Son so that he may offer his life as a sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sin to bring us back into familia con Senior.

You are his special loved one.

You are chosen.

You are holy.

And you have been called out of darkness into his wonderful light.

What a perfect gift for those who feel lost this Christmas season.

If your feel lost today, down and out, then Jesus gave a word for you.

In Luke chapter 15, Jesus told three stories about something lost: a lost sheep, a lost coin, and a lost son.

After the sharing the story about a lost sheep that was found, Jesus said, “In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away! Luke 15:7. NLT

Likewise, after sharing the story about a lost coin that was found, Jesus said, “In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.” Luke 15:10. NLT

Then, to illustrate the extent to which God welcomes home the sinner, Jesus told the heart-wrenching story about a son who severed his relationship with his father, left home with his inheritance, squandered all of it, and then shamefully returned home in need of his Father.

It’s a familiar story called the Prodigal Son, and many of you know it, but you may not have realized is why Jesus shared this story.