TOKENS: SOME OF THE GREATEST GIFTS---
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
TOKENS:
I have a bag of little rocks that I purchased at Hobby Lobby. I give a token to each person at the
altar at the end of the service.
I have used half dollars, dollar coin, ANY TOOL/TOKEN TO BUILD A MEMORY, A TOKEN.
(At Christmas I have used Christmas bulbs and with a paint pen written the churches name
and the year.)
TEXT:
Acts 20:35 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and
to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN MAD OR HURT AND REFUSED TO GIVE?
OFTEN GOD'S GREATEST TOKENS AND GIFTS ARE GIVEN IN THE CRUCIBLE OF TIME.
Wycliffe Bible translators has a magazine called "IN OTHER WORDS."
It told a story of a lady named Sadie Sieker.
Sadie served missionary children as a house parent in the Philippines.
Sade loved to read and she had accumulated many books through the years. She gladly
loaned her books to others to read.
Sadie had a few books that she really loved and she refused to loan them to anyone.
Sadie kept these books hid in a footlocker under her bed. She fear someone would borrow
the book and not return it. So she kept the books locked safe in the footlocker.
One night in the stillness and quietness of her room she heard a gnawing sound and she began
searching her room. Finally she pinpointed the sound was coming from under her bed.
She pulled the treasure box of her favorite books out and unlocked it.
Wow, was she surprised... THERE WERE 10 MILLION TERMINTES AND A PILE OF DUST.
All the books that she keep hidden away and refused to loan were JUST DUST.
WHAT SHE GAVE AWAY AND LOANED OUT WERE STILL GOOD.
WHAT SHE HOARDED WAS ALL LOST TO THE TERMINTES....
WHAT IS A TOKEN? WHAT IS A TOKEN OF LOVE?
TOKEN: REMINDER, MEMORY, KEEPSAKE.
Something that is a symbol of feelings.
An outward sign that expresses an internal feeling.
SOMETHING GIVEN AS A GUARANTEE.
WHITE FLAG --- is a symbol of surrender.
CHECKER FLAG--- is a token of winning or finishing.
RED FLAG--- is a token of a warning.
How about an engagement ring? Wedding band?
I have proudly worn this wedding band 46 years as a token of the vows between us made.
WHAT ARE SOME TOKENS OF LOVE? GIVING IS LOVE. GIVING IS LIVING.
IT IS A FACT YOU CAN GIVE AND NOT LOVE ===
BUT IT IS ALSO A FACT THAT YOU CAN NOT LOVE WITHOUT GIVING.
If you love, your giving is never a sacrifice, giving is A TOKEN OF YOUR LOVE.
Some people really love and their give the best that they can.
SOME PEOPLE GIVE LESS THAN THEIR BEST...
OTHERS GIVE OF THEIR LEFT OVERS...
CAIN GAVE OF HIS FRUIT.
ABEL GAVE HIS FIRSTLING.
CAIN'S COUNTENANCE WAS FALLEN.
Genesis 4:6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance
fallen?
CAIN NEVER UNDERSTOOD THAT LOVE GIVES THE BEST.
His tokens revealed a bad attitude and a lack of weighing the consequences of his poor
choices.
ONE OF THESE DAYS YOU WILL GIVE THE LAST GIFT YOU WILL EVER GIVE.
One of these days YOU WILL GIVE YOU LAST TOKEN OF LOVE and you will lay down
to arise in FIRST RESECCURECTION.
Will you be ashamed of THE LOVE TOKENS YOU HAVE GIVE...
DOES GOD GIVE LOVE TOKENS? THE GOSPEL IN A NUTSHELL?
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth
in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
THE KING JAMES VERSION HAS RECORDED 25 WORDS...
113 letters in these 25 words.
FOR is a preposition.
So: For God so loved the world is a prepositional phrase...
This phrase tells us how much God loves us...
The subject ( a person, place or thing) of this verse is "HE."
He is a pronoun referring to GOD.
The predicate or verb of this sentence is "GAVE."
If we reduced this verse to the essentials it is easy: "HE GAVE."
What did God give?
He could have given gold? Frankincense? Myrrh?
GOD GAVE THE BEST THAT HE HAD --- LOVES TOKEN WAS CLEAR...
GOD GAVE HIS ONLY SON...
WHAT IS THE TOKEN OF GOD'S LOVE?
THE OLD RUGGED CROSS... THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SUFFERING...
Galatians 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us:
for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
GIVING COULD BE DANGEROUS IF IT WERE GRUDGE GIVING...
2 Corinthians 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not
grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
God loves planned giving ...
1 Corinthians 16:2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as
God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
WALKING IN THE LAST DAYS COULD CAUSE US START LIMITING OUR LOVE TOKENS.
JESUS'S GREATEST TOKEN OF LOVE IS FORGIVENESS...
Seems one of the traits we face today being angry and offended.
People hating each other while sitting on the church pews.
Matthew 24:10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate
one another.
Jesus gave the GIFT OF FORGIVENESS...
Jesus said: FATHER FORGIVE THEM, THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING...
Jesus looked down from the cross and saw them gambling for his clothes?
Luke 6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned:
forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: 38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down,
and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure
that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
THE BIBLE IS FULL OF GIVERS...
Love Token: Abel gave his FIRSTLING...
Love Token: Noah gave blisters building the ARK. Noah was mocked.
Love Token: MOSES gave his rod.
Love Token: Miram gave a dance and a song.
Love Token: Widow picking up sticks and gave her and her son's last meal. COOKING!
Love Token: Widow gave her TWO MITES.
Love took: Mary broke open her ALABASTER BOX and poured it on Jesus feet.
Mark 14:16 And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto
them: and they made ready the passover.
Love token: Dorcas /// Tabitha gave her needle and made coats.
Love token: LITTLE BOY GAVE HIS LUNCH, some biscuits and minnows?
Love Token: I will give some sleep to INTERCEDE for a missionary or lost person.
Love Token: I will quietly and privately fast this meal... No show?
Love Token: Jesus here is my heart. I gladly give...
Love Token: I have on my desk a rock a little girl gave me 25 years ago.
I have in my pocket a little rock that a little girl gave me.
I have a 48 cent offering a child gave me, I started to refuse, and I feel in my heart the child was
learning a lesson.
WHAT ARE YOU GIVING?
To your enemies --- GIVE FORGIVENESS.
To a friend --- give the give of LISTENING --- sharing your hearts.
To a child --- give a godly example of faithfulness.
To your family --- kindness, respect, and a love of the church.
GIVE LOVE? GIVE TEARS? PRAYERS? THE BIBLE? GIVE OF YOURSELF?
The question is not what love token you would give if you had ten million dollars?
What will you do with that dollar?
CONCLUSION: CAST YOUR BREAD ON THE WATER...
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 OF THE 36 PARABLES OF JESUS HAD TO DO WITH GIVING, PROPERTY OR
STEWARDSHIP. ARE YOU REALLY GIVING YOUR BEST TO YOUR FAMILY AND TO YOUR
CHURCH? What kind of church would this church be, if every member were just like me?
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
