Celebrating God's Great Gifts

Big Idea

Gratitude for God’s Gifts as we watch and wait.

Key Verse

1 Corinthians 1:7 NRSV

so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Me

Gail’s messages and gifts when we’re apart

Those of you who are married or are in a relationship - do you ever leave a message or present for the person you love when you’re apart?

I am one lucky man!

If I’m away, G will often put a note in my overnight bag, or add one of our soft toys to my packing.

If she’s away, she’ll often leave me a little note or prop her teddy bear up on her side of the bed to keep me company!

Isn’t she romantic?

I only wish I was as romantic as she was!

Have you ever done something like that?

God

Jesus’ gifts to those watching and waiting

When J left the earth, he left us many presents behind.

For those who had walked and worked with him over three years, he left memories of their time in Galilee and Jerusalem.

Those who had heard him teach or seen him perform a miracle, could hold on to that.

And he’d told them he would return one day.

That gave them something to look forward to.

But while they waited, for some, there was a sense of anticlimax.

Do you know what I mean?

Can you remember back to the time when you were a child.

Did you get all excited when the Christmas decorations were put up, only to discover there were still weeks and weeks left before Santa would appear?!

Maybe you still feel like that.

The early Christians lived between two great events.

J’s first coming to earth and his return, his second coming.

There must have been times when they felt deflated and directionless.

Paul wrote to a group of them in Corinth.

At the opening of his letter, he launches straight into the various presents that J left to fire up the church.

He reminded them that in the time of now but not yet, they had many causes for celebration:

1 Corinthians 1:3-9, p.1144

1 Corinthians 1:3–9 NIV

3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5 For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge— 6 God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. 7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8 He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Present 1 - Peace

Pick up Present 1 - Peace.

Paul reminds the early Christians in Corinth that they now have peace.

J had dealt with the conflict between God and humanity caused by our sin on the cross.

Because of this, we can have peace with God, and with one another.

Present 2 - Grace

Pick up Present 2 - Grace.

Paul reminds the Corinthian Christians of God’s grace.

Through J, God has poured out his favour and love on the world.

We call this “grace” because we have done nothing to deserve it.

In fact, quite the opposite!

Grace means receiving something you don’t deserve.

Present 3 - Everywhere

Pick up Present 3 - Everywhere.

For 33 years, the Bible tells us that J, the Son of God, purposely subjected himself to human limitations.

One of those limitations was geography.

Like all human beings, when he was on earth, J could be only in one place at one time.

For the whole of his earthly life, he didn’t travel far.

But after his resurrection, ascension and the coming of his Holy Spirit, he was available to Christians everywhere.

He continued to be in Galilee.

He continued to be in Jerusalem.

But now he was also in Corinth.

And throughout the world.

This is another of J’s presents to us.

Present 4 - Speaking

Pick up Present 4 - Speaking.

Corinth had once been a part of the Greek empire.

The Christian Corinthians lived in a culture that placed a great importance on the powers of persuasive speaking and knowing the truth.

They loved talking.

They loved debating.

Paul reminded them that God’s power enabled them to speak his truth, his message, his Good News.

Present 5 - Knowledge

Pick up Present 5 - Knowledge.

Because of J we have knowledge.

Through him, we can grasp the truth about God.

We can know what life is about.

And we can know how to live it.

Present 6 - Changed

Pick up Present 6 - Change(d) (lives).

Paul says one of the things the church can celebrate whilst we wait for J to return is changed lives.

Paul reminds the Corinthians they once lived for themselves.

There was a time when they refused to believe Paul’s message about J.

Then they came to realise that the Good News about J was true.

And it changed their lives!

Their lives were turned around.

They were transformed.

Paul had seen it happen and could testify that it was something to celebrate.

Present 7 - Gifts

Pick up Present 7 - Gifts.

After his death and resurrection, J sent Christians, including those in Corinth, his Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit was J’s gift to the church.

And the HS gave gifts that enabled people to preach, to encourage, to prophesy and to speak in tongues.

Present 8 - Fellowship

Pick up Present 8 - Fellowship.

The final present Paul mentions, is the gift of fellowship.

People who believed in J and belonged to him were drawn into fellowship - into relationship - with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

This then drew them into fellowship - into relationship - with one another.

Christians belong to one another, in fellowship together.

And that’s a great gift!

You

Sing your gratitude to God as you watch and wait

Put the boxes in order - 8 at the bottom to 1 at the top.

You and I live in the same in-between time the Corinthians lived in.

We watch and wait between J’s first coming - which we celebrate during Advent and Christmas - and his second coming.

But like the Corinthians, we can be reminded that whilst we watch and wait, J has left us with great gifts to celebrate.

You can experience his peace today.

You can sense his grace to you.

You can feel his presence with you, wherever you are.

You have been given the ability to speak about J to those you meet.

You have the knowledge of the truth about God.

You can see the way in which G has changed the lives of those around you.

Each one of you has been given at least one special gift by the HS.

And each of you can experience the fellowship of this church.

For all of these reasons, Paul simply gives thanks.

He shows gratitude for God’s gifts as he watches and waits.

You and I should do the same.

One of those most important ways you can do this is to sing:

Psalm 147:7 The Living Bible

Sing out your thanks to him; sing praises to our God, accompanied by harps.

Nothing makes you more aware of God’s presence than singing out your praise and thanks to him.

That’s why it is so helpful to you to meet here every time we worship.

You need the emotional expression that comes from singing thanks to God.

Otherwise, your heart simply shrivels.

Singing can warm up a cold heart.

It can renew your strength.

It can restore you.

It can recharge your batteries.

Listening to music and singing praise to God can renew your soul.

So, this Advent, find as many opportunities as you can to play your Christmas carols, and sing along.

Find as many opportunities as you can to attend worship and join in as we sing praise and thanks to God.

Show your gratitude for God’s gifts as you watch and wait for J to come again.

Next Steps

Toy Service & SB 363 - Give thanks to the Lord, our God and King

Give thanks to the Lord, our God and King: His love endures forever. For he is good, he is above all things: His love endures forever. Sing praise, sing praise. 2 With a mighty hand and outstretched arm: His love endures forever. For the life that’s been reborn: His love endures forever. Sing praise, sing praise, Sing praise, sing praise. Forever God is faithful, Forever God is strong. Forever God is with us, Forever, Forever God is faithful, Forever God is strong. Forever God is with us, Forever, forever. 3 From the rising to the setting sun: His love endures forever. By the grace of God we will carry on: His love endures forever. Sing praise, sing praise, Sing praise, sing praise. Chris Tomlin © 1978 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music adm. by Capitol CMG Publishing worldwide excl. UK admin. by Integritymusic.com, a division of David C. Cook, [e-mail] Used by permission.  Used By Permission. CCL Licence No. 30158 Copied from The Song Book of The Salvation Army Song Number 363

Prayer

All-Age Lectionary Services, Year B - Advent Sunday, pp.18-19