God Gave Us Jesus
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Series Intro
Series Intro
Our December sermon series follows the December Sunday School lessons the children are learning this month. The Big Give, is about celebrating and imitating God’s generosity. Generosity is at the very core of God’s character – He gave us His own son, Jesus! And because God gave us Jesus and Jesus gave His life, we can be generous towards others. Our generosity towards others is one way we demonstrate that we truly love God.
I’ve mentioned before how I really was troubled the first time I read the giving tree by Shel Silverstein. The idea that a boy who had such a good relationship with a tree - they would play, the kid would swing from the branches. but as he grew so did his interests. In one picture you see him with a girl friend and they carve there initials on the tree. Ouch. But as he grows into manhood his desires grow and grow. He goes away for a long time, until he wants something. He wants money, so the tree offers him his apples. He wants a house, so the tree says cut off my branches. And we read that the tree was happy.
He wants a boat, the tree says cut me down to a stump. Without hesitation, the boy (now a man) cuts her down, and we read that the tree was NOT happy. There are 2 ways to interpret the story: positively, the tree shows a continual desire to give. Negatively, the boy sees a relationship only in terms of what he can get out of it.
We can do that with human relationships - what’s in it for me? We can approach our relationship to God and the church the same way. What’s in it for me? We seek God for the blessings and benefits, but not the sacrifice. My Pentecostal preacher described that mentality like this: “Bless my soul but don’t ask me to make a commitment.”
But that’s not what discipleship is about. That’s not what Christianity is about. That’s not what Christmas is about. That’s not what Jesus is about.
Throughout this series I will be referring to instructions that Paul gave to Timothy:
Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.
The series is about generosity.
The series is about generosity. Giving like Jesus. Non-profits benefit from the generosity of people this time of year. Our offerings go up this time of year. Volunteerism (or discipleship) increases this time of year.
Sermon Intro
Sermon Intro
I can think of 2 things that inhibit our ability to give: lack of resources and lack of knowledge. One of the many tragedies of poverty is that it inhibits or takes away our ability to give. It’s hard to give when we lack resources. It’s also hard to give when we have the wrong idea of what it means to give. (Simpson’s)
Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.
In Christ we have both the resources that enable us to give, and the knowledge of how we are supposed to give. This morning we are going to look at the story of Joseph, where God announced the gift of his son Jesus, and we’re also going to look at a couple of verses in one of John’s letters in the New Testament.
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This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
1 John 4:
Giving means giving up. Whenever we give, we give something up. If I give you my time, I’m giving you time that otherwise I could be spending with family, or binge watching all of my favorite holiday Christmas shows. If I put my money in the offering plate, I’m giving money that otherwise purchase that man cave I’ve always wanted.
If I put my money in the offering plate, I’m giving money that otherwise purchase that man cave I’ve always wanted.
God gave us Jesus. When the angel announced to Joseph that God was giving His son Jesus, he gave him specific instructions. 1) Don’t divorce your fiance, and 2) Name the child Immanuel.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
Hail th’incarnate Deity,
Pleased as man with man to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel.
(Charles Wesley, "Hark! the Herald Angels Sing")
Why did you give your child their name? (Eli - book of Eli) We name for all sorts of reason. Scroll down a list of baby names until you find the one you like? A family member? Did you ever put any thought into the meaning of a name? In the Bible they often did. Not always: the name Mary means stubborn and rebellious.
We name because: like the name; family; check the meaning?
Often names in the Bible were given to tell the story of why or how they were born. Jacob means he who grabs by the heel, because we read that he was clinging to his twin brother’s heel when he was coming out of the womb. We weren’t thinking of that when we named our firstborn. God gave names to describe someone’s purpose: the name Israel means to struggle with God and prevail. The name Jesus means God saves.
God believes the name Immanuel is so important that he defines it for us: God with Us. In Christ, God was with the world. He dwelt among us. But for God to give us the gift of his presence, he had to give up some things, and I”m going to focus on 3: His status, his money and his life.
In Christ, God was with the world. He dwelt among us.
But for God to give us the gift of his presence, he had to give up some things:
God Gave Up His Status
God Gave Up His Status
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
Jesus’ decision to humble Himself and take on the form of a human took place in a specific context: while He was fully God. Instead of holding on to His “rights and privileges,” He chose a different path: He gave up his rights to rule. His rights to be served. His rights to control and command.
Instead of holding on to His “rights and privileges,” He chose a different pathGave up his rights to rule. His rights to be served. His rights to control and command.
He gave this up so he could give us his presence. He was not just an unseen God who dwelled in the heavens high above: he was a human, he took on human limitations. The creator of the world felt pain, got tired and got hungry.
Gave up his rights to rule. His rights to be served. His rights to control and command.
But it wasn’t just a “giving up.” God gave up his status, his divine rights, or the privileges of being God, so he could give us (sympathy, experience our pain, his presence)
He gave this up so he could give us his presence. He was not just an unseen God who dwelled in the heavens high above: he was a human, he took on human limitations. The creator of the world felt pain, got tired and got hungry. But it wasn’t just a “giving up.” God gave up his status, his divine rights, or the privileges of being God, so he could give us (sympathy, experience our pain, his presence)
If Jesus is willing to set aside His own rights to pursue His Father’s higher purposes, then why can’t we do the same? Why can’t we be like-minded and consider other people more important than ourselves?
The implication is that if Jesus is willing to set aside His own rights in obedience to the Father’s higher purposes, then why can’t we do the same? Why can’t we be like-minded and consider others more important than ourselves?
Jesus’ decision to humble Himself and die on the cross took place in a specific context: while He was fully God. Instead of holding on to His “rights and privileges,” He chose a different path. This path is described by Paul in both positive and negative terms. Even though He could have asserted His divine right, He chose instead not to regard equality with God as something to be grasped. On the contrary, He emptied and humbled Himself. The implication is that if Jesus is willing to set aside His own rights in obedience to the Father’s higher purposes, then why can’t we do the same? Why can’t we be like-minded and consider others more important than ourselves?
Even though Jesus had the divine clout to do anything He wanted, He chose not to stick up for His rights.
So if we can say that God gave up his status, then it follows that he gave up his...
God Gave Up His Wealth
God Gave Up His Wealth
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
Status and wealth are closely connected: Success and status are both measured by wealth. But the topic of money deserves its own attention. I’m not sure how often we think of Christ’s wealth, and I’m not sure how often we think about the fact that Jesus willingly left that behind and took on poverty.
but the topic of money deserves its own attention. I’m not sure how often we think of Christ’s wealth, and I’m not sure how often we think about the fact that Jesus willingly left that behind and took on poverty.
To the Lord your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it.
In other words, God is pretty rich. And Jesus being God in the flesh left it all behind.
In The Lord of the Rings, we meet a ranger named Strider, who is a skilled warrior, and a hero, but a wanderer. No on with status or importance. We don't find out his true identity for much later in the story: Even the author Tolkien himself didn't know at first when he was writing the story. Strider was Aragorn, the rightful king.
In The Lord of the Rings, we meet a ranger named Strider, who is a skilled warrior, and a hero, but a wanderer. No on with status or importance. We don't find out his true identity for much later in the story: Even the author Tolkien himself didn't know at first when he was writing the story. Strider was Aragorn, the rightful king.
There are several examples in literature of kings descending the throne, dressing like a common person to walk among the general population for a variety of reasons: safety. To listen to a crowd’s opinion of him. To avoid the spotlight (I’m thinking of Princess Jasmine in Aladdin).
Francis of Assisi set aside his family’s wealth and took a vow of poverty. Pope Francis has been known to go out at night dressed as a parish priest and help the needy and homeless.
But Jesus, made poverty his way of life.
But there are few stories about royalty permanently settling and dwelling among their people.
Pope Francis has been known to go out at night dressed as a parish priest and help the needy and homeless.
Success is measured by wealth.
Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
Pope Francis has been known to go out at night dressed as a parish priest and help the needy and homeless.
If Jesus is willing to set aside money - along with the pleasure, comfort and security that come with it, then why can’t we do the same? Few today are called to take vows of poverty, but we are all called to examine our relationship with money. We’re all called to generosity. We’re all called to give as Christ gave.
Jesus did not measure the importance of his life in that way. Jesus denied the pleasure and comfort that comes with wealth
As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
ex. hockey jersey: nearly bought, “pray about it.” We shop: make price comparisons, think of what that person would like; how would this benefit me or my family; is useful? what are the benefits of making this purchase? do I need it? What if our final question was, “After praying about this, should I buy this?” Or could this money be put to use in the Kingdom of god?
God Gave Up His Life.
God Gave Up His Life.
God Gave Up His Life.
God Gave Up His Life.
God Gave Up His Life.
God Gave Up His Life.
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
He did this so that we can live.
He did this so that we can live.
He did this so that we can live.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
We aren’t called to sacrifice in the ultimate sense like Jesus did, but
This was Jesus’ purpose. This is
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
We plan our schedules: Somethings are out of our control - what does my job require of me? What does my family need? What do I need? What would I like to do? What if we prayed when making that final decision? Would that change the time we give to serve Christ by serving others?
This is the basis for our generosity.
Closing
Closing
Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
We need 2 things in order to give the way God wants us to give: The resources - we can’t give what we don’t have, and the example - we can’t give when we don’t know what that word really means. 1) The resources. God has given us every spiritual blessing in Christ. We have all we need, so we can give. 2) In Christ, God gives us an example of what it means to give: give up your status, give up your wealth, and give up your life.
For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.
Our giving, our generosity, our self-denial is an indicator of our discipleship.
What if giving no longer felt like a burdensome obligation? What if we realized that our lives are not our own? What if we realized that the kingdom
We plan our schedules: Somethings are out of our control - what does my job require of me? What does my family need? What do I need? What would I like to do? What if we prayed when making that final decision? Would that change the time we give to serve Christ by serving others?
What if giving no longer felt like a burdensome obligation? What if we realized that our lives are not our own? What if we realized that the kingdom
what if our final question was, “After praying about this, should I buy this?” Should I do this?
If we prioritize our own comfort over following Christ
If we prioritize our own comfort over following Christ
This was Jesus’ purpose. This is
This is the basis for our generosity.