2023-12-10 - Christmas 3

All I Want For Christmas

Intro:

Many of us are familiar with the song “All I Want For Christmas.” Where the child just wants their two front teeth. Or the goofy song, “I want a hippopotamus for Christmas,” Where the child only wants a hippo for Christmas. Then there is “Santa Baby,” Where she wants only the best, a diamond ring, new cars, a deed to a platinum mine so the $$$ can keep rolling in and much more.

Link:

We all like things, new things, more things, money… But when this is all we want, we need to stop and get in check with reality and allow God to seek our heart out for why we get lost in all this.

I wouldn't think we all have this problem really bad, or perhaps some of us do more then we want to admit.

But what I do want to ask is this question: “What do you want for Christmas?”

Everything Good In This World Comes From God

James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”

So what is a good and perfect gift?

Is it, just what you wanted? Just what you hoped for?

Or

Is it just what you needed or what God wants to give you in order to bring Him glory?

Let’s look at what Warren Wiersbe says about James 1:17 and good and perfect gifts?

Everything good in this world comes from God. If it did not come from God, it is not good. If it comes from God, it must be good, even if we do not see the goodness in it immediately. Paul’s thorn in the flesh was given to him by God and it seemed to be a strange gift; yet it became a tremendous blessing to him, see: (2 Corinthians 12:1–10 (NKJV)

1 It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—4 how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 5 Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities. 6 For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me. 7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

(Talk about these verses as you feel lead)

The Way God Gives Is Good

The phrase “And every Perfect gift,” could be translated “And every act of giving.”

It is possible for someone to give us a gift in a manner that is less then loving. The value of the gift could be diminished by the way it is given to us.

God never gives us good gifts in an unperfect way, they are always given to us in loving and gracious manner.

To say, “The gifts God gives and how God gives them are both good,” is a fundamentally true statement.

We were all given wonderful gifts as children. One of the best gifts we received was an education. Now, if you were like me, when this gift was given, I didn’t see it as a gift, I saw it as nothing less then torture. Why, because I didn’t understand the full definition of a gift. My parents never sat back and schemed how they could make my life more miserable and so they came up with the idea of sending me to school to learn to read, write and do math. No more does God sit back and say, hmm, I wonder how I could make life miserable for the folks at Groton FBC.

We need to recognize what a gift from God is, b/c

it may not be all wrapped up in a pretty package and it may not have a beautiful bow on top and glistening in the light and when unwrapped its they keys to a new car or a beautiful puppy...

it may be wrapped up just like that but inside is what seems to us, work, outside of our comfort zone, etc. Kinda like the 4’ level I got as a teenager. I was so down when I opened it up. My dad noticed and said, I’ll buy it from you so you can get what you want, but the reason we got it for you is b/c one day you’ll need that and you’ll appreciate the fact we got it for you. I had to make a decision. (Bring & Show my 4’ Mayes Level and say, what decision do you think I made. And how do you think I feel about my gift now?)

It may not be wrapped up at all, it may seem to be one of those things that just “Fell into my lap.” It was the “had that was dealt to me.”

He Gives Constantly

The phrase “Cometh Down” is a present participle: meaning “It keeps on coming down.”

So we can see that the good gifts of God come down constantly to us. They aren’t just for us to enjoy and be benefited buy but they are more like that 4’ Level I got. So that I could learn and work with my dad to build and remodel together with him, to be able to be self sufficient in another area of my life. A good tool and a good gift of knowledge is kinda like, “The gift that keeps on giving the whole year around.”

God Does Not Change

“With whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” With God there is no changing. His gifts to us are and will always be good. They can’t get worse b/c He is Holy. They can’t get better b/c He is already perfect. He knows the beginning from the end and he knows just what you need in between to accomplish that good work which He started in you.

Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ”

God Wants Us to Enjoy His Good Gifts

Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 (NLT) Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God has given them, and to accept their lot in life. 19 And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life—this is indeed a gift from God. 20 God keeps such people so busy enjoying life that they take no time to brood (ponder) over the past.

Gods Good Gift:

Solomon here was recapping a wisdom and wealth conversation here, talking of how we should look at the good gift of Gods wealth to us. As he was sharing, he made a specific point about Gods gift, His blessing of things. When we look at Vs. 20 it may mean that the person who rejoices in God’s daily blessings will never regret it. The person who does that will not need to look back with sorrow on his past, for God gives him joy.

It may also mean that the believer who gratefully accepts God’s gifts today will not fret and worry about how long he or sh will live.

The important thing is that we love the Lord, accept the lot He has assigned to us, and enjoy the blessings He graciously has bestowed upon us.

CAUTION to God’s Good Gifts:

If we focus on the gift rather than the gift giver, we are guilty of idolatry.

If we accept His gifts, but complain about them, we are guilty of ingratitude.

If we hoard His gifts and will not share them with others, we are guilty of indulgence.

BUT, if we yield to His will and use what He gives us for His glory, then we can enjoy life and be satisfied.

Challenge:

1. Make sure you’r desiring and asking for God’s good Gifts this Christmas and all your life long. Never ask for bad gifts. Bad gifts come from Satan.

God’s gifts are always better than Satan’s bargains. Satan never gives any gifts, because you end up paying for them dearly. “It is the blessing of the Lord that makes rich, and He adds no sorrow to it” - Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 344.

2. Make sure you recognize God’s gifts as gifts and not as punishments, as weights, or things to get you down. But recognize that they are from God and they are indeed good.

Unsaved: ABC God wants to give you his most precious gift, Eternal Life. Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Closing Song:

Matthew 2:11 “And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”