John 1:43-51 -- "God Give the Greater Gift"

God gives, and his people receive. This is the most basic relation between God and his people. From the beginning of time until today, God gives many gifts along with his greatest gift. More often than not, however, the people of God act like spoiled children. They complain about God’s gifts at best and reject them at worst. And in reaction to both, they often take what they want. In spite of all of this, our text shows us that God continues to give, and he does not withhold his greatest gift.

Today our Lord gives to Philip and Nathanael, and every day through his means of grace to us,

God Gives and His People Receive the Greatest Gift.

I. God promises his people the greatest gift.

From the days of old, God has promised to give gifts to his people. To a land-less and son-less Abraham, God promised to give the gifts of land and a son. These are gifts that any individual would want, and yet, God promised much more. The promise of a son that God made to Abraham reached back into the Garden of Eden, where God first promised to fallen Adam and Eve the greatest gift: a Seed that would crush the head of the serpent. And so, the promise of a son by Sarah to Abraham was not just any gift, but rather looked into the future toward the greatest gift: the Seed that would one day crush the head of the serpent.

At this promise, Abraham scoffed and Sarah laughed. Because Sarah was too old to give birth, Abraham fathered Ishmael by Hagar, a servant woman. God promised that the gift of a son was to be born of Sarah, but Abraham and Sarah doubted that God could give what he promised, and so Abraham took what he wanted. In spite of their sinful actions, God gave to them as promised: a son.

The promise of God and the actions of his people were no different in the following generation. The Seed, first promised to Adam and Eve and later promised to Abraham and Sarah, was again promised to Isaac and Rebekah. Esau, the elder of twin sons, was expected to fulfill God’s promise, but the younger twin, Jacob, in cahoots with his mother, deceived his aged and blind father and stole his father’s blessing, which was intended for Esau. Despite of their sinful actions, God gave to them as promised: a son.

This is the pattern: God gives and his people receive. And even when the people of God doubt his promises and reject his abilities to give as promised and take what they want, God continues to fulfill all of his promises and give to them the greatest gift.

II. God gives his people the greatest gift.

Christmas — the nativity of your Lord — is the celebration of God giving the greatest gift. The promise, first made to Adam and Eve and each subsequent generation of God’s people, was finally fulfilled in the birth of Jesus. God gave this gift, and Philip and Nathanael received this gift. To Philip, he said, “Follow me,” and in so saying, Jesus gave Himself to Philip. To Nathanael, Jesus said, “Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit” (Jn 1:47 ESV). Nathanael was without deceit in that he received God’s gift, unlike, at best, Jacob who dishonestly stole the blessing from his brother; and, at worst, the people of Jesus’ day who rejected this gift:

[Jesus] was in the world,

and the world was made through Him,

and the world did not know Him.

[Jesus] came to His own,

and His own did not receive Him. (Jn 1:10–11 NKJV)

Some wanted through Jesus only enough bread to fill their stomachs, while others wanted the military power to overthrow Roman rule. Neither of those, however, was the great gift that God was giving. In Jesus, God gave the Seed that would crush the head of the serpent. Despite their sin, God did not take back the greatest gift.

On that dark Friday, the serpent bit the heel of Jesus, and Jesus bled and died and was buried. The next day, Saturday, Jesus descended to hell and broke open the prison of the serpent to release its captives. And the next day, that glorious Sunday, Jesus stepped upon the head of the serpent, crushing it, as he rose up out of the grave from death to life.

III. By his grace, God’s people receive the greatest gift.

And friends, God gives the greatest gift and you receive it in the Lord’s Supper. Jesus says to you, “Take, eat; this is my body. . . . Drink of it [the cup], all of you, for this is my blood” (Mt 26:26–28 ESV). With your teeth and tongue, you eat and drink the body and blood of the greatest gift of God for the “remission of sins” (Mt 26:28 KJV).

There are, however, those among you who complain about this gift: it is too fleshly; it seems rather primitive; it is not what you want. Others reject the promise attached to this gift outright: how can any spiritual benefits be attached to bread and wine? And some attempt to take only what they want: miracles and power. Remember, though, the words of Jesus to Nathanael, “You will see greater things than these” (Jn 1:50 ESV). Jesus foresaw Nathanael and provided a multitude of gifts through miracles, but you, friends, are to expect more, much more. You are to receive the greatest gift: Jesus in his most Holy Supper.

In spite of your sin—complaints and rejections and taking what you want—God continues to give to you the greatest gift each and every Sunday. Upon the altar, and hidden beneath the elements of bread and wine, is Jesus. The body and blood of Jesus, promised of old and born of the Virgin Mary, are given to you to eat and drink for the remission of sins. The celebration of Christmas — the nativity of your Lord — continues.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.