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The “Giver” Who Keeps on Giving”

By Samuel E. Ward

The text version of this sermon is available atwww.cbckck.blogspot.com

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Introduction

God delights in giving the perfect gift. The Bible tells us in James 1:17 -18 . . .

James 1:17-18 (NIV2011) 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

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Jesus characterizes God’s “gifting” in Matthew 7:11.

Matthew 7:9-12 (NIV2011) 9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

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Matthew’s story includes the visit of certain wise men who followed a star.

Matthew 2:9-11 (NIV2011) 9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

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How the wise men came to connect this star in the sky as a heralding of the coming of a king is not known, though some scholars have suggested they drew upon a prophecy made by Balaam in Numbers 24:15-19 about 1400 years before the birth of Jesus…

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Numbers 24:15-19 (NIV2011) 15 Then he spoke his message: “The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly, 16 the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened: 17 “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the people of Sheth.

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18 Edom will be conquered; Seir, his enemy, will be conquered, but Israel will grow strong. 19 A ruler will come out of Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city.”

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The wise men, called “Magi” in the NIV text, came bringing gifts to the One Who is God’s Greatest Gift to the world, the Lord Jesus Christ—the Hope of the World. As we meditate upon this precious thought, let us do so by considering . . .

I. The Magi's Perfect GiftsII. God’s Perfect Gifts,III. God’s Indescribable Gift

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I. The Magi's Perfect Gifts

Matthew 2:10-11 (NIV2011) 10 When [the Magi] they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

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What made these gifts of gold and incense and myrrh perfect? I believe that there were two reasons why the Magi’s gifts were the perfect gifts:

A. Their Gifts Were Symbolic.

John Stott writes, “Gold is the gift fit for a King. Frankincense was in constant use by the priests in the temple. Myrrh was used to embalm the dead. In those three gifts we see who he is, what he came to do, and what it would cost him.”

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B. Their Gifts Were Helpful.

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary says this about the Magi’s gifts to Jesus: “The gifts were simply expensive and not uncommon presents and may have helped finance the trip to Egypt.

Remember, that soon after Jesus was born, Joseph was warned in a dream to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt to protect the child from King Herod. Traveling was expensive and these gifts served as support for their trip and stay in Egypt.

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II. God’s Perfect Gifts

Since we know that God delights in giving the perfect gifts, let’s take a look at some of God’s perfect gifts that he has given us.

A. The Abundance of Spiritual Gifts

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1. God has gifted each person with at least one spiritual gift, 1 Corinthians 12:4-7.

1 Corinthians 12:4-7 (NIV2011) 4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.

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2. The proper use of these spiritual gifts from God is that we might serve others and offer God’s grace to them through the help we give them, 1 Peter 4:10.

1 Peter 4:10 (NIV2011) Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

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B. The Gift of the Holy Spirit.

After Jesus had been raised from the dead, he had this to say to the apostles in …

Acts 1:4-5 (NIV2011) 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

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As believers, by the Holy Spirit,

1. We have God’s counsel and truth, John 14:25-26.

John 14:25-26 (NIV2011) 25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

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2. We have the power to be witnesses of Jesus Christ to the world, Acts 1:7-8.

Acts 1:7-8 (NIV2011) 7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

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3. We develop Christ-like character, Galatians 5:22-23.

Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV2011) 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

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4. We have the guarantee of eternal life, Ephesians 1:13b-14.

Ephesians 1:13b-14 (NIV2011) 13b When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

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B. The Gift of Salvation.

1. It is an undeserved gift, Romans 6:22-23.

Romans 6:22-23 (NIV2011) 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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2. It is an unearned gift, Ephesians 2:8.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV2011) 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

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III. God’s Perfect and Unspeakable Gift

Thanks be to God for his

indescribable gift!

2 Corinthians 9:15 (NIV2011)

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In God’s gift to us of Jesus, we find many principles to guide our own gift giving.

1. We should be cheerful givers, 2 Corinthians 9:7.

2 Corinthians 9:7 (NIV2011) Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

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2. We should be generous givers, 2 Corinthians 9:8-9.

2 Corinthians 9:8-9 (NIV2011) 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.”

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3. We should expect God to respond to our giving spirit by giving us more to give, 2 Corinthians 9:10-11a.

2 Corinthians 9:10-11a (NIV2011) 10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11a You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion.

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4. We should rejoice in the thanksgiving and praise that will be returned to God when we give in His Name, 2 Corinthians 9:12-13.

2 Corinthians 9:12-13 (NIV2011) 12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.

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Conclusion

Though we may not be able to express in words the wonder of God’s gift to us in Jesus Christ, we can surely be grateful that . . .

A. He willfully gave us His Son to supply our greatest need—redemption from sin.

B. He gave the most precious part of Himself when He gave us only begotten Son.

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C. He gave us the Greatest Gift in the Universe, His Son, so that we can give Him to others, likewise, through sharing the gospel.

D. He gave us our Greatest Blessing so that others might bless the God Who gave Him to us with their own thanksgiving and praise for God’s Indescribable Gift.

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What completes the perfect gift? Accepting it.

Have you accepted God’s gift of Jesus? Have you accepted God’s gift of salvation?

They are yours through Christ…just for the asking!