The Greatest Gift of All

Good Morning, I hope you had a great Thanksgiving, whether you kept it to immediate family or you got together with others. And I hope you were able to spend time thinking about the things that you are thankful for this year, despite the craziness that 2020 has brought. As I said in last week’s sermon, giving thanks is not something we’re only supposed to once a year, it’s supposed to be something we do all year around, so over the next weeks and months, I encourage you to continue to find things to be thankful to God for.

Lottie Moon Christmas Offering

One of the things I want to put a plug in before we get into studying God’s word is our annual participation in the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Every year, churches all over the U.S. collect an offering during the month of December to give to the Southern Baptist International Mission Board. This annual offering provides the majority of the funds that are used to support SBC missionaries and their ministries around the world. Many of you are aware that Shannon and I spent time overseas as missionaries with the IMB, and one of the great advantages we had compared to other missionaries that were overseas is that we didn’t have to worry about asking people for money, or raising support for our ministry. We got to focus all our efforts on being in the place that God called us to and working to share the Gospel with the people brought our way. Other missionaries sometimes had to take trips back to the States to convince people to support their ministries, or had to go back because they didn’t have the financial support they needed to stay where they felt called to minister.

Back in October we had Sydney Dawson come and share with us about her ministry in South Asia. She told us about the woman who had a team of Americans come by her home twenty years earlier and try to share the Gospel with her, but they only spoke English, and she didn’t understand what they were saying. Still, all those years she had longed to know more about the God that they had told her about. Twenty years later Sydney and some local believers went to her home and she heard the Gospel in her own language, and was SO EXCITED to finally have someone share with her about Jesus and about salvation. The seed that had been waiting for twenty years was finally producing some fruit. Now, I don’t know if you noticed this, but Sydney didn’t ask us to take up an offering or donate towards her ministry, and the reason she didn’t have to do that is that she is being fully funded by the IMB through the offerings that we and thousands of other churches take up each December. So please consider giving generously to that special offering above and beyond what you normally give to our church.

Lottie Moon Christmas Offering Goal: $2,000

This year, our goal for our church is $2000. I realize that this is lower than our goal last year. Last year our goal was $2500, and we almost doubled it. This year, however, we know that some families are struggling financially, but we still want to be a part of this offering, and support missionaries like Sydney and others who have answered God’s call to go to the ends of the earth to tell others about Him. My hope is that we will give generously even in this difficult year and once again blow away our goal, so please pray and ask God how He wants you to be a part of this effort.

Today as we start our Advent series, preparing ourselves for Christmas and putting our hearts in a right frame of mind about what Christmas is all about, I want to talk about how in our culture here in the States and around the world there are really two different versions of Christmas.

Main Street Christmas

Commercial Emphasis

Gifts and Shopping

Food and Drinks

One is the Main Street version of Christmas. It’s the commercial version, with an emphasis on shopping for the latest and greatest gifts, Santa, giving and receiving presents, making and consuming our favorite holiday foods and drinks (I love eggnog and gingerbread cookies). Other countries might have their own particular distinctive ways that they celebrate Christmas, but it’s often some variation of the Main Street Christmas.

Church Street Christmas

Celebrates God’s plan and His gift to humanity

The other version of Christmas is the Church Street Christmas. This is the Christmas that seeks to emphasize and connect with the first Christmas, when Jesus was born as a baby in a small and seemingly unimportant Middle-Eastern village. It is the celebration of God’s plan for humanity, and the gift that He gave to the world through His Son. This is the Christmas that I hope we can connect with and keep first in our minds during the season when we are constantly being bombarded with messages about Main Street Christmas with its focus on material things. I believe that as Christians, we can enjoy the blessings of family, food, and gift-giving even more when we keep the true meaning of the original Christmas first in our minds.

If you have your Bible with you today, please turn with me to the Gospel of John chapter 1. We will start today by reading verses 14-18.

John 1:14–18 CSB

14 The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John testified concerning him and exclaimed, “This was the one of whom I said, ‘The one coming after me ranks ahead of me, because he existed before me.’ ”) 16 Indeed, we have all received grace upon grace from his fullness, 17 for the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. The one and only Son, who is himself God and is at the Father’s side—he has revealed him.

Let’s Pray...

That first Christmas, the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. God the Son left His place in heaven, as Paul writes in his letter to the Philippian church (Phil. 2:6-8), and became a servant for the sake of humanity, in order to save those who put their faith in Him. We call this the “incarnation.” That word comes from the Latin root from which you get the Spanish word “carne,” which means meat or flesh. God put on flesh, or He became flesh, as John puts it.

This was the greatest gift ever given. Because of the incarnation, the world was changed, humanity’s eternal destiny was re-directed for those who put their faith in Christ. God revealed Himself in a new and more complete way than He had ever revealed Himself. Here is what the writer of Hebrews says:

Hebrews 1:1–3 CSB

1 Long ago God spoke to our ancestors by the prophets at different times and in different ways. 2 In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son. God has appointed him heir of all things and made the universe through him. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

So Jesus is the exact expression or representation of God’s nature.

Looking at Jesus gives us a deeper understanding of God’s nature.

Before Jesus was born, God had been communicating who He was, His plan, and His desires for humanity in various ways, but those methods of communication were limited in how they could communicate who God is. But that changed with the coming of Jesus. Though the life of Jesus, we learned more about God, His character and His nature. Through the prophet Hosea in the Old Testament God says this:

Hosea 6:6 CSB

6 For I desire faithful love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

and later in the Gospel of Matthew Jesus expounds on it.

Matthew 9:10–13 CSB

10 While he was reclining at the table in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came to eat with Jesus and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 Now when he heard this, he said, “It is not those who are well who need a doctor, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice. For I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

You see, the religious leaders had taken the revelation of God but had missed what it really meant. They had become preoccupied with trying to impress God with their religious activity and sacrifices, but in the process had stopped caring for their fellow human beings. When Jesus came, he corrected and revealed what God had meant in many of the Old Testament Scriptures.

Jesus revealed that God’s goodness, generosity and love is greater than anyone had understood before Jesus came.

Jesus’ interactions with people often surprised those around Him. He reached out to the outcast and those who were common and even unpopular. He hung out with sinners and people of questionable reputations, even with those who were considered unclean and untouchable by society. The Israelites had known that God loved them, they were His Chosen People, after all; but they didn’t realize that God loved sinners, sick people, foreigners, poor people, and even His enemies as well.

Jesus made it clear that focusing only on doing things for God and neglecting taking care of our fellow human beings was inconsistent with God’s character and plans. In God’s economy, love for God and love for other people were tied to one another.

Loving others is part of how we show God that we love Him.

Love was the greatest virtue of all, and it was behind much of the activity of God in the world. In fact, love is what compelled God to give the greatest gift of all.

John 3:16 CSB

16 For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

This is the Gospel. It is the message of Good News that we’ve been entrusted with and tasked with taking to the whole world.

Unfortunately, we are constantly bombarded by the messages of this world and what it values and believes is important. Sometimes this leads us to begin to believe what the world believes, and to value what the world values. Even the disciples who were walking with Jesus and were witnessing His miracles and sat at His feet while He taught were not immune to this. At one point James and John, two brothers who were also two of Jesus’ inner circle, asked Jesus to give them positions of honor and respect in His Kingdom. The other disciples heard about it and got upset at the two, probably because they also wanted those same places of honor. Here is how Jesus responded to the conflict within His followers:

Mark 10:42–45 CSB

42 Jesus called them over and said to them, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions act as tyrants over them. 43 But it is not so among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you will be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first among you will be a slave to all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Main Street focuses on what I can GET for ME. Church Street focuses on what I can DO for YOU.

When Jesus saw that even His closest disciples had a hard time not buying into the world’s lies, He addressed it and taught them the right way by showing them not only in words, but by how He lived. Jesus set the example for His followers on how we were to live a life of true meaning and purpose. His way was so different from the worlds ways that it was revolutionary, and still hasn’t caught on. Even in this day and age, followers of Jesus need to remember that God’s way is different than the world’s way.

Jesus kept hammering away at this teaching again and again. He encouraged His followers to keep an eternal perspective on life, and not just a temporary one. The world has a short-sighted view of life. “All you have is this life,” many people think. So they try to get as much for themselves as they can in the short time they are alive here on earth.

Main Street focuses on storing up treasures on earth. Church Street focuses on storing up treasures in Heaven.

1 Thessalonians 2:19–20 CSB

19 For who is our hope or joy or crown of boasting in the presence of our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? 20 Indeed you are our glory and joy!

As followers of Jesus, though, we have been taught that we need to be willing to make sacrifices here on earth because there is something much greater and long-lasting in the life to come. Our focus needs to be on investing in that eternity rather than in this temporary season.

There is nothing of greater value on this earth than the souls of men and women who are created in the image of God. God considered us to be of such value that He sent His Son to die on the cross so that we could join Him in heaven. So if God was willing to pay such a high price for us, should we not also be focused on helping bring as many people as possible with us to heaven?

When we were studying Paul’s letter to the Ephesians a few weeks ago, one of the things we read was that part of our purpose as followers of Jesus is to do the good works God prepared in advance for us to do. Are those good works just for the purpose of earning ourselves a few heavenly gold coins? No, here is what Matthew says about good works:

Matthew 5:15–16 CSB

15 No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

Our good works point people to God, and they are intended for others to give God glory. When people are pointed to God and they give God glory, they are much more likely to put their faith in Him and become His sons or daughters. The passage in Matthew 6 where Jesus is telling his disciples to store up treasures in heaven instead of on earth points out that our heavenly treasure won’t be lost or destroyed or stolen. I’m not sure exactly what all the details are regarding what our heavenly treasure will be, if it will be some kind of reward like the faithful servants that were good managers of the minas their master gave them, one earned ten more minas and the other five, so they were put in charge of the same number of cities in their master’s kingdom (Luke 19). Or maybe it is the crown that we are promised for remaining faithful to Christ even during difficult trials, or for the good works we do on earth. But probably more valuable than any of those things will be the people who we will see next to us in heaven worshiping God as a result of our obedience to tell others about Christ and His salvation. Family members, friends and co-workers, neighbors, and even strangers who we have an impact on and put their faith in Jesus because of our obedience will surely be among the greatest reward we could ever have in heaven. As Paul wrote to the Thessalonian church, telling them that they were His crown which he had to boast of in God’s presence, he communicated the importance and joy of storing up for ourselves the greatest treasure in heaven possible, the salvation of others made in God’s image.

The greatest treasure we can bring with us to heaven is the souls of men and women who have been saved because we helped lead them to Christ.

This is truly getting back to the original Spirit of Christmas, because when God sent His Son to earth to take on human form as a baby, the whole purpose for His coming was to bring peace between God and humanity, and to provide a way for us to spend eternity with God. So if this is what Christmas is all about, and what we need to remember, then what do we need to DO in response? How can we imitate Christ’s generosity during this Christmas season?

Be generous with your resources.

Jesus gave His resources generously to others, whether it was feeding them, healing them, or restoring them to wholeness emotionally and spiritually. God has given us resources too. Whether you are generous with your money in helping others, giving to the poor, or supporting a ministry, give generously. If you have other resources, like a skill, or you can leverage your influence for the blessing of someone else, do so with joy and with a spirit of generosity.

Let me say something about giving financially at this time, or at any other time. There are many organizations and causes that often use the Christmas season to ask for support. I have always believed that the best organizations that I can support financially are those that make an eternal impact. A Christian ministry, a missions organization, a Christian orphanage or hospital, all of these not only minister to people’s bodies, they address the greatest need of all, the salvation of the lost. I know many people love animals, or they have a cause that is special in their hearts. I won’t tell you not to give to organizations that appeal to you, but I urge you to spend time these next few weeks praying and asking God how He wants you to use the money you have set aside to support different causes. Ask Him to help you invest in things that will make an impact into eternity, and not just for the next months and years.

Be generous with your time and attention.

Jesus made time and paid attention to those who others left out. Don’t let the business of life or the stress of what is going on around you blind you to the people who need a few minutes of your time, who need a listening ear, or a kind or encouraging word. For some people, a little time to be seen, listened to, cared for, and validated makes all the difference. Sometimes it may seem like a small thing; do it anyway. Sometimes it may seem like a big inconvenience; do it anyway. Some of Christ’s greatest teaching moments, and the disciples’ greatest learning moments, were when Jesus stopped and spent time and gave His attention to someone most people would never have noticed. Don’t miss out on being a blessing, and on getting the blessing of being generous with your time and attention.

Finally...

Be generous with your love.

Love your spouse, your family, your friends, your neighbors, even the stranger… EVEN your enemies. Just the other day, my daughter was in a particularly cuddly mood and she told me, “Daddy, I want ALL of your love.” As I thought about her statement, I thought to myself that love is one of those great things that doesn’t run out. There isn’t a limited supply that you can run low on, or that if you love one child there is less for the other one. And because there is an endless supply of love to be given, we ought to be generous with it. Give it even when you don’t think you’ll get love back from that person. Give it when someone doesn’t deserve it. Give it when someone least expects it. Figure out what makes other people feel loved and love them in that way, not just the way you like to receive love. Love generously, because when we love others, we are most like our Heavenly Father on that first Christmas morning, our God who loved the world in this way, that He gave his one and only Son to the World, so that anyone who puts their faith in Him will not experience spiritual death, but experience the amazing reality that is eternal life as God’s son or daughter.

Let’s pray...

So go this week, and instead of approaching life like the world does, where they try to get the most of life that they can for themselves, be like Christ, who came to serve and to see what He could do for others, and by doing so he flipped the tables on how the world really is supposed to work.

Hebrews 13:20–21 CSB

20 Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus—the great Shepherd of the sheep—through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 equip you with everything good to do his will, working in us what is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.