God's Costly Gift

God’s Costly Gift

Selected Passages

December 12, 2004

Advent Message 3

Introduction

One Christmas many years ago I had seen a new toy that was the first of its kind. It was something so special that it had quickly become the hottest item at Christmas. It was an Atari game system and I wanted it really bad. There was one problem, it was a very expensive item and the likelihood of me getting it was slim to none but I wanted it anyway.

You know the same kind of feeling. It comes at various times in life to children and adults. It is a desire for something that will make you life “better” Have you ever wanted something so bad that you could almost taste it? Sure you have and it’s been since you’ve been an adult.

· The desire for that new job

· The desire for the fresh start

· The desire for the baby to arrive

· The desire for the new house

You know what I’m talking about. It’s the desire for something more.

As Christmas morning came that year I rushed out to the living room to start opening presents only to be forced to wait until everyone was ready to start unwrapping the gifts. The wait was agonizing and I was tired of waiting because I wanted to search for the Atari. As I scanned through the presents with my name on them, there was one, way in the back that was big enough to be an Atari. In fact, I was sure that the Atari was sitting there just waiting for me to open it.

My Mom had a rule that year and I hated it. It was the dreaded one present at a time rule. This did not mean that I could only open one present at a time but instead it meant that the whole family only opened one at a time. Let me tell you, to a kid at Christmas it was torture. To make matters worse, Mom made me open the big present last.

After what seemed like an eternity, I finally got to the big present and I started ripping that paper like a madman. You know what that present was? I honestly can’t remember. I just know that it wasn’t the Atari. It wasn’t the gift I had been wanting.

I was disappointed and dismayed that the gift that I wanted was nowhere under the tree that year. I felt like my hopes had been dashed. You know what I’m talking about because you’ve been there.

It may not have happened under a Christmas tree but the feeling of hopes being dashed and dismay setting in are nothing new for you. You know this feeling because it came

· When the relationship you invested in for so long crumbled

· When the child you loved so much was now gone

· When the job you loved booted you out the door

· When the life you wanted so badly seemed to never materialize

I will never forget that Christmas morning, because after a few minutes Mom asked if I was ready for my real gift. There were no more presents under the tree, so I had no idea what she was talking about.

I was told to go out on the front porch and look on the patio seat. All I saw was one of Mom’s old blankets piled up on the seat and to be honest I was not impressed. I started to go back in the house when my sister said that there might be something under the blanket. So we pulled the blanket off and there was a brand new Atari game system. There under that old blanket was exactly what I wanted so badly. I got the expensive gift.

The real gift of Christmas doesn’t always come under the tree. The real gift of Christmas sometimes comes to us in ways we might not expect. The real gift of Christmas comes from one who loves us enough to give us the most costly gift of all.

"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

As we look at the reality of Advent and the hope of Christmas I believe that it is impossible to do so without looking at the real gift of Christmas. The real gift of Christmas was wrapped in swaddling clothes.

Open your bibles to the book of Isaiah as we look at some of the precious promises about the real gift of Christmas.

The Desire for a Costly Gift (Isaiah 9:6)

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6