A Gift Ready To Be Received
A Gift Ready To Be Received
John 1:12
Rev. Brian Bill
December 21-22, 2013
That last song reminds me of the little girl who was sitting on her grandpa’s lap rattling off her long Christmas list. The grandfather recognized that this was “a teachable moment,” and so he said, “Honey, it’s better to give than it is to receive.” To which the granddaughter replied, “I know that, Grandpa, but receiving is good enough for me.”
What are you hoping to receive this Christmas? American Express did a survey recently and found that 31% of people said that receiving a “fruitcake” would be the worst gift of all. In fact, more people indicated that given a choice between a fruitcake and receiving nothing at all, they would choose “nothing.” The survey also discovered how people get rid of a gift that they don’t want.
• 30% hide it in a closet
• 21% return it
• 19% give it to someone else by “re-gifting”
One of the best ways to get rid of a gift you don’t want is to have a white elephant exchange. That’s what we did at our staff Christmas party Thursday night. The idea was to bring something that reminded us of a Christmas memory. I brought some “footie pajamas” in honor of the Christmas where my mom sewed some matching full-length pajamas for my four sisters…and for me. I wasn’t too happy about it. I think I’m almost over it.
People were often speechless when they opened their gifts but for some reason Pastor Jeff seemed very pleased to get the pajamas. I don’t know what’s up with that. I received a poster of a team other than the Packers commemorating their Super Bowl win. I accidently (on purpose) bent it in two and then put it under Pastor Ed and Sheila’s tree. When we left I found it on my windshield. I quickly regifted it and slipped it under Ed’s wipers. I’m not sure where it is now.
While it sure seemed more fun to give then it was to receive, at its core, Christmas teaches us that it’s better to receive than it is to give.
Didn’t see that one coming did you? If the truth be told, most of us find giving easy. It’s part of our culture at Christmas. But when it comes to receiving, well, that’s a different story. At Christmas, Jesus came down to us so that we don’t have to reach up to Him. We don’t have to “do” anything because it’s already been “done” for us.
As we’ve just heard sung, the all-time best gift that has ever been given is Jesus Christ. And, once you open this gift, you will never want to return it, and you will never be the same!
The Apostle Paul, when gazing at the Jesus Gift, said in 2 Corinthians 9:15: “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” When pondering the present he had received, Paul could only say, “I can’t describe Him. All I can do is fall on my knees and thank God for His extravagant gift.”
Some of you have received this gift and you can’t even put into words how much He means to you. Others of you have come close to opening the Jesus gift, but you haven’t fully received Him. Or maybe you’ve accepted Him but have been trying to hide Him somewhere or give Him back somehow.
The Greatest Presence of All
We could say three things about the gift of Christmas.
1. The gift is Jesus Christ Himself. With all the other trappings of the season, we must never forget the Christ of Christmas. The greatest present is the presence of Christ. That’s what Immanuel means: God with us.
2. This gift has great value. Sadly, some of you have your hands closed, refusing to receive this indescribable gift with your name on it.
Dr. Bruce Emmert suggests three types of people who close themselves off from the Christ of Christmas:
• The proud. The proud person has his arms folded across his chest, his heart closed to anything that God wants to give [Demonstrate].
• The powerful. There are others who consider themselves too self-sufficient to need a Savior. The powerful raise their fists in independence, refusing to surrender [Demonstrate].
• The pacified. This third group has a difficult time receiving the Jesus gift because they are too comfortable to need Him. If you’re full, food doesn’t look very good. If you’re warm, you don’t need a coat. If you feel like you have everything you need, then God’s love will mean very little. If your hands are busy patting your stomach, then you won’t reach out and accept the bread of heaven [Demonstrate].
Do any of these categories describe you? You won’t accept God’s gift if your arms are folded in pride. You can’t receive God’s mercy if your fists are clenched in power. And you certainly won’t want God’s grace if you’ve gorged yourself on other things.
You can only receive a gift when your hands are open [Demonstrate]. And so, if you’re proud, get rid of your pompousness. If you think you’re powerful, it’s time to lose all pretenses. If you’re pacified, maybe you need to lose some of your prosperity.
Christmas teaches us that it’s better to receive than it is to give.
1. The greatest gift is Jesus.
2. This gift has great value.
That leads to the third truth.
3. This gift must be received. Friend, you can only receive God’s love when you reach out to Him with arms and hands open wide. While this seems easy to understand, there are at least two ways some of us get sidetracked.
• We can’t earn it. Remember, if you have to earn something, it’s not a gift; it’s a wage. The Bible says that the only thing we can earn as a result of our efforts is death. Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…” I’m thankful that this verse doesn’t end there. Our salary may be separation from God, “… but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
• We can’t buy it. Salvation is not for sale which is a good thing because we could never afford it anyway. But here’s the good news - the price has already been paid.
Friend, have you ever received Jesus Christ? He is all the provision you will ever need. Right now, Jesus is offering Himself to you as a gift. You’ve done nothing to deserve Him and you certainly could never afford Him. He offers Himself freely to you because He loves you.
Christmas ultimately comes down to a choice. Will you receive Him? Will you accept what He did for you on the Cross, when He died in your place, paying the full penalty for your sins as He exchanged His life for yours? Or, are you too prideful or too powerful, or too pacified?
Christmas teaches us that it’s better to receive than it is to give.
The gift of Christmas is free but it’s not cheap. It cost God the death of his one-and-only Son. Salvation is available to anyone and everyone who wants it. John 1:12 sums up the ultimate Christmas choice: “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
To “receive” means to welcome a visitor into your home. It’s what happens when someone knocks at your door and you open the door and invite him or her to come in. To “receive” Christ means to welcome him as an honored guest and to have him make your heart his home. It also refers to accepting a gift and opening it. In a real sense, if you have never invited Jesus into your life, He is still on the outside.
A Gift With Your Name On It
I have a gift here for someone [ ]. It has your name on it. It’s been chosen for you and is exactly what you need. You’ll never want to return it or regift it. What do you have to do to make it yours? You must take it. You must receive it. When you do it becomes yours.
Christmas teaches us that it’s better to receive than it is to give.
Let’s face it. For many of us its harder to receive than it is to give. But there’s something really powerful in the act of receiving. One writer puts it like this:
• Receiving brings the offer of a gift full circle and brings fulfillment to both parties
• Receiving kindles relationship
• Refusing the gift is an affront to the giver and reveals that the one for whom it is intended is arrogant
There’s nothing I can do to earn this gift, and there’s nothing I can do to pay for it. The only choice you have is to refuse it and lose it, or to choose it and find what you’ve been searching for. He’s done it all…and now it’s time to receive what He’s done for you. You see, there’s an exchange necessary – not a white elephant but an exchange where…
• You repent and receive the Jesus Gift
• He will take your sins and give you salvation
• You give him your life, and He’ll give you eternal life
• Hand him your heart and you’ll be given Heaven
John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
I see two parts to this verse…God’s giving and our receiving.
1. God loved the world so much that He gave His Son. That’s the birth of Jesus. God loves, therefore He gave.
2. That whoever believes in Him shall have eternal life. That’s the second birth. We believe, and then we receive eternal life.
If you’ve never received Christ, don’t leave the gift of God’s grace unopened. You could pray something like this: “God, forgive me for ignoring you at times and for deliberately turning from you other times. I confess that I’m a sinner and I’ve been proud, acting like I’m powerful and pacified when really I’m weak and empty. Thank you for sending the gift of your Son. I believe He died on the cross for my sins and rose again on the third day. I repent from how I’ve been living and receive Him right now into my life. Save me from my sins and make me into the person you want me to be. I ask this in Jesus’ name.”
After receiving Jesus the only response is to rejoice. Hallelujah! Glory to God in the highest.
Closing Reprise
Closing Remarks
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