"Season Your Getting"

Sermon Transcript for December 24, 2000

By Rev. Mike Beck

Scripture Reading: Luke 1:26-38

 

Our theme for this Advent and Christmas season here at Grace Church has been "Seasoning the Season". And during the last two Sundays, we have looked at how we can season our greetings and how we can season our giving. On this Christmas Eve morning we want to look at how our getting can be seasoned with the sweet flavor of God’s love and grace.

Now "season your getting" perhaps seems like an odd subject for Christmas Eve. Yet the fact is that many of us find it far easier to give than to receive. What is the attitude of your heart in terms of the gifts you are given? And are there blockages of various kinds within your life that prevents you from freely receiving the gifts of others or the gifts that God desires to give to you? Sadly, too many gifts that are given sincerely and sacrificially are received with apathy or even with criticism. And to use a Christmas analogy, one of the saddest sights is the unopened gift given with love and anticipation, but still unwrapped sitting there under the Christmas tree as the season draws to a close.

In the first chapter of the gospel of Luke, we have a beautiful story of how to receive a gift. The angel Gabriel has startled a young woman, a teenager by the name of Mary, with an unexpected visit. Put yourself in Mary’s shoes. No doubt her mind was spinning, her heart must have been racing as she contemplated this unthinkable scenario. But listen to her marvelous reply. She simply says, "I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said."

Friends, there is a certain grace in receiving in a God-honoring way. Too often we discount the giver by saying, "Oh, please don’t give me a gift". Or how many of you have done as I have done so often when given the gift of a compliment? Our reply of "Oh, it was nothing". Do we realize that what we have really said to the other person is they didn’t know what they were talking about when they gave us the gift of a compliment? Don’t call attention to yourself through false humility. Honor the giver by receiving graciously, for obviously they felt you worthy of what they chose to give.

In a moment, you will have the opportunity to receive holy communion, that visible symbol that Christ left for us of God’s love for us. And in the Bible are promises of so many precious gifts that God wants to give to us. Let me remind you of a few of those:

• Salvation: First of all, the gift of salvation. "For God so loved the world that he gave that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." The gift of salvation has been given, but we must receive in faith and repentance.

• Forgiveness: The marvelous gift of forgiveness. God’s word to each of us here this morning is, "If we confess our sin, God is faithful and just and will forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

• Joy: In the Christmas story we hear so often of the gift of joy. Joy is different from happiness. Happiness is dependant upon outward circumstances. But joy is a gift that God wants to give us on the inside that is not dependant upon circumstances.

• Grace and Strength: God gives to us the gifts of grace and strength. Some of you are very burdened this morning. This is a difficult Christmas for some of you for a variety of reasons. But hear this morning the words of the Lord Jesus who said, "Come unto me all you who are weary and burdened that I will give you rest."

• Love: God gives to us the gift of love. John tells us, "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us that we should be called His children." And if we are children, then we are also heirs. Heirs of all His precious promises.

• Peace: And the gift finally of peace. Jesus’ words to those anxious disciples there in the Upper Room. He says, "I know you’re troubled." But He says, "I give to you a peace that is beyond anything the world can offer."

All of those gifts God desires to give to us. But friends we have to be willing to receive those gifts in simple faith and obedience. And so in closing, I simply would ask you to examine your heart today. What barriers have you erected that are preventing you from receiving the gifts God wants to give to you? Are some of these barriers present in your life?

• Lack of Faith: Perhaps it is a lack of faith. The Bible tells us that that act of simple faith and trust and putting our confidence in God and God alone is a requirement of receiving.

• The Need to be in Control: For some of us we have an awful hard time surrendering control. In the words of Frank Sinatra’s song, "We want to do it our way!" And God, because He has given us the gift of free will, He’ll let us continue to do it our way. But we won’t receive the gifts God has for us until we are willing to let God be the one in control.

• An Unwillingness to Forgive: For some of you this morning, this third one is a biggy. An unwillingness to forgive. The Bible is very clear that if we are not willing to forgive our brother or sister who we have seen, we are unable to appropriate the forgiveness God has for us. Forgiving is hard. It doesn’t come about over night. But God expects us to have within our hearts a willingness to forgive, trusting in God that He will help us to do that.

• A Focus on Worldly Things: And then, finally, many people fail to receive the gifts God has for them because their focus is on worldly things. They’re all caught up in their bank accounts, and their jobs, and their concerns to where there’s no time left for the things of God. Jesus says, "I know everything you need. Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these other things will be added to you."

Are you willing to receive the gifts God has for you? Let’s take a moment to pray about these things as we prepare our hearts to receive communion. "Precious Lord Jesus, the greatest gift the world has ever known, help us in the quiet of this Christmas Eve morning to turn to you that you might help us remove those barriers that keep us from receiving. You will grant the gift of faith if only we will give the gift of trust. Oh Lord, help us to surrender the control of our lives to you. We think so often that if we just do it perfectly we can manage in the world around us. But you have said, "Surrender it to me and let me be in control." Help, oh Lord, the one this morning who is struggling to forgive. The hurt is deep. The wound may have occurred years ago but it’s as fresh as this morning. And Lord, help us not to take a simplistic approach toward forgiveness but help us to turn to you to give us the strength to forgive. Lord, on this Christmas Eve day help our focus throughout this day to be upon you. You know our needs. You know things that concern us. But help us Lord to turn to you, to focus on you so that we might receive the gifts you have for us that can help us with each day of life you’ve given us to live. Lord we want to receive. Hear our prayer and help us to do that for Christ’s sake. Amen"