Growing Closer to God PT. 30

Be the Gift

I thought that I was going to have to take a break from our series to do a more Christmas centered sermon this morning, but you have to love how God works. If I were to summarize our last 3 weeks of sermons I would be through the title BE THE GIFT. Most of us, if not all of us, know the story of our Saviors birth so I don’t feel like I really have to go into detail concerning His birth. However, if I were to be honest I must state that I tend to get grumpy during this time of year. The reason isn’t because I am anti-Christmas, but rather it’s because, I believe many focus on finding that perfect gift. As I sit in classrooms the tone of I want or I better get rings not only in the classroom, but in the teachers lounges as well. Now I enjoy giving and receiving a good thought out gift from time to time, but it’s much important, I believe to be the thought out out gift than to give a well thought out gift.

We know :

Luke 2:12 ESV

And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

Now over the years of preaching this verse I have preached and have heard preached many different variations of the verse depending on what word the Pastor chooses to focus on, but as I read this verse two words pop out.

Baby—of course Jesus

Wrapped.

Jesus was the first wrapped gift of the season. Although people brought him presents, and those presents spoke to His kingship and authority, Jesus came ot be the present. He, once fully entered into the world, got wrapped and delivered to us for the forgiveness of our sins. Jesus is the ultimate gift.

There are many verses telling us that we have Christ in us. That we are apart of the body of Christ. That we ae God’s children, a chosen people, a royal priesthood. That we are to imitate Christ. Die to self. Pick up our cross. Follow Jesus.

Now we know that we cannot BE Christ. There is only one savior, one perfect and spotless lamb. One who although he was tempted, knew no sin, but we can be the embodiment of Christ to those who don’t know him. We can, through our actions, words, and life reflect the ultimate gift of love and sacrifice.

Which brings us to today’s verse:

Romans 12:20–21 ESV

To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:20

Jesus did not come to be a part of the world, but to overcome the world. You are put here on earth not be simulate into society, but to overcome societies darkness with the light that shines in you.

We cannot overcome evil with evil. We cannot bring salvation to the lost with an attitude. The only way to bring salvation to the world is kindness in the light of adversity. Some of the best Christmas stories aren’t those with trees lavished with gifts and ribbons, but the biggest smiles comes from a meal given to someone who may not eat that day. Or a kind word to someone who is seemingly having a bad day.

So the big question we come to is

How?

The answer is:

Grace.

John 1:16 ESV

For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

John

What is grace upon Grace. It isn’t more Grace because in our minds that would equal more sin to forgive. What John is writing about here is the full embodiment of Jesus Christ. Us given Christ’s authority in this life to do what he did and more. To live how he lived and more.

1 John 4:17 ESV

By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.

As He (Jesus) Is so are we

Meaning we are God’s gift to the world. As Christians we are God’s greatest gift to the lost. But we have to ask ourselves: Do we act like God’s greatest gift? Are we working at our full compacity? Are we in the fullnes of Jesus Christ on a daily basis?

If we are not it would be like running an Iwatch on an android device. The Iwatch can be hooked up to ana android phone, but will only work at a quarter of what it’s supposed to do. In order to run it at it’s full potential it has to be linked with apple products.

In order to do this there are some things I have to willing to leave behind. Android makes phones will cool stilases. Something I wish apple did, but they don’t. Android has different styles of phones. Apple only has small medium and large of the same device. I could switch devices but I would lose the connectivity between my watch, my phone, and my computer. Also I would lose the connectivity between my wife’s phone and my phone as well.

What am I saying?

In order to be fully connected to Christ, to be the entire gift to the world God wants us to be we must first be willing to give the gift of sacrifice. Christ sacrificed his thrown to come to us. WE must sacrifice for others to be Christ to them.

The greatest gift we could give this year may be letting go our right to be offended by everything. Maybe it’s letting go of being right even though you may be right because to prove our right could damage your testimony and relationship. Maybe it’s allowing yourself to be used.

I had this conversation about the food bank. Someone asked how do we stop people from abusing the system? My answer is maybe we allow them to abuse the system so the system stays in tack for those who really need it.

Maybe we have to let go of how our feelings of being used to meet the needs of those who are in need.

This year as we move into and past Christmas. AS we take down the lights and the trees. As we look into 2019 the question we need to ask ourselves is how do we become the gift to others.

How do we embody Christ? How to we manifest His presence for others to see and feel? Because in giving we are truly receiving.