Let's Go Christmas Shopping!

LET’S GO CHRISTMAS SHOPPING!

2 Cor. 9:15

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR

1. A teacher decided to ask her students what their Christmas traditions were. “What traditions does your family do at Christmas?”

2. The first student was a Catholic girl; “On Christmas Eve we go to Church, say our prayers with the rosary, and take the Mass and sing a hymn.”

3. The second student was a protestant boy; “We open presents early on Christmas morning and then go to church and hear a sermon on Christ’s birth.”

4. The third student was a Jew, so the teacher hesitated, but finally said, “And what do you do on Christmas morning?” The Jewish boy said, “We all get in our Mercedes-Benz and drive to my dad’s toy factory. We go into the big empty warehouse, get in a circle and sing, ‘What a friend we have in Jesus!’” (I got this from a Jewish website)

B. TEXT

2 Cor. 9:15, “Thanks be unto God for His Unspeakable gift!”

C. THESIS

1. The tradition of gift giving dates back to the Wisemen bringing gifts to the Christ-child in the manger. We all know how they brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

2. Three small boys were in a Christmas play at their school. They represented the three wise men and they were to give their gifts to baby Jesus. The one boy stepped forward, held out his hands and said, “Gold”. When he stepped back, the second boy stepped forward and said, “Myrrh”. When the third boy stepped forward, held out his hands and said, “Frank sent this.”

3. As we go about shopping for Christmas gifts this year, I want to suggest we take a tip from God. God knows how to give good gifts.

4. James 1:17, “17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (NKJV).

5. He’s given us many good gifts – health, prosperity, freedom, families, etc.

6. But when God decided to give us His best gift, He gave us Jesus Christ!

7. So, as we go shopping, we can take a tip from God on what makes the best kind of gift we can give.

8. The title of this message is, “Let’s Go Christmas Shopping.” 4 Characteristics of God’s Best Gift.

9. This morning I want to help you with your Christmas shopping and I want to talk to you about God’s great Christmas gift to us.

10. If you are looking for the perfect gift for that “someone special” make sure you buy a…

a. Personal Gift;

b. Practical Gift;

c. Permanent Gift; and a

d. Purchased Gift.

I. A PERSONAL GIFT

A. WHEN WE SHOP

1. When we shop our gift should be a personal gift. We are not shopping for ourselves. When I go to Wal-mart, I go to the hunting section or electronics to get some gadget for my computer.

2. But my wife would not appreciate it if I got her a new set of broad-heads. That just does not interest her. She may want clothes, but she does not want a new camouflage suit. 3. You see, you must buy the person you are shopping for a personal gift. A gift that fits the person you are shopping for.

B. WHEN GOD GAVE A GIFT – ‘Personal’

1. HE BECAME HUMAN

a. What’s more personal than the gift of a baby?

b. _____ & _____, would you bring baby _____forward?

c. What a precious gift: ______ is a composite of _______ & _______! How personal & wonderful. (be seated)

d. That’s what God did: He gave the human race a Baby, made of our own flesh and blood. Yet, no average Baby.

2. IN JESUS – UNDIMINISHED DEITY

a. If God had sent an Angel, it would have been a great gift! If God had sent one son of many, it would have been an incredible gift!

b. But for God to send His ONLY SON – that was an indescribable gift!

3. BISHOP CYRIL, “For although visible and a child in swaddling clothes, and even in the bosom of His Virgin Mother, He filled all Creation as God and was a fellow-ruler with Him that begat Him; for the Godhead is without quantity and dimension, and cannot have limits.”

4. “For God so loved the world, the He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life! John 3:16.

II. A PRACTICAL GIFT

A. WHEN WE GO SHOPPING…

1. Our gift’s should be practical, not as the one lady said to her husband, “this year let’s give each other more practical gifts like socks and fur coats.”

2. Two young boys were discussing the upcoming Christmas season and all of the toys they hoped to receive. One kid explained to the other, “Money can’t buy happiness, you know. To be happy, you have to convert the money into toys.”