Christmas: A Gift of Love
Scripture: John 3:16; First Corinthians 13
John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
On Friday we will celebrate Christmas, that day of the year when Christians pause and celebrate the birth of Christ. While there are many holidays celebrated in the United States that are specific to the United States, Christmas is not one of them. You see, Thanksgiving is a U.S. holiday. The Fourth of July is a U.S. holiday. President’s Day is a U.S. holiday. Christmas is not a U.S. holiday – it is a holiday celebrated across the world. And while the world has tried to make this celebration as secular as possible, for Christians it’s not about the tree, the decorations, or the gifts. Well, it’s not supposed to be. It’s about remembering that our Savior was born and died for our sins. For Christians, Christmas is the day we celebrate a gift of love that God the Father gave to us because He loves us.
John 3:16 explains that God loved us so much that He chose to give up His Son so He could die on a cross and make it possible for man, to once again, be in a “Father-child” relationship with Him. God created man, but it was man’s decision to separate himself from God. When man made that decision, he could not reunite with God as a child under his own accord or power. Man is incapable of meeting the standards required to be in such a relationship with God and that’s why he is lost until that relationship is established. God in His love for us did two things. First He reached out to Abraham to establish a relationship with him that would act as a temporary bridge for people to be in communion with Him until the final gift came. This bridge remained in place for approximately 18 centuries (1767 years). This bridge required an intermediator to be between man and God (the priests & prophets.) The priests/prophets would come before God on behalf of the people and offer sacrifices for their sins and for the sins of the people. The second thing that God did was send His final gift, His only begotten Son. The second gift replaced the first gift which meant man no longer needed someone to stand before God for him when he sinned. Man could now come to God himself and receive forgiveness. Through His Son man now had personal access to the God the Father that no longer required an intermediator to perform sacrifices on his behalf. That gift was sent because God loved us. I do not want you to miss the importance of this. Jesus made the decision to leave heaven some four thousand years before it actually happened. During that time God continued to reach out to man and putting things in place for man to receive His Son. After establishing the relationship with Abraham that would further prepare the way for Jesus to come, it still took almost 18 centuries for everything to be in place. This is THE example of God’s patience when He had to work through man to get His will accomplished so that He could save us for all eternity. When you think about what He did, He showed us the love He has for us. God’s gift to us was one of absolute pure love. Love is the best gift that can ever be given or received. Nothing can be purchased that will ever replace a simple gift of love. Nothing comes close. Let’s look at what Paul said about love in First Corinthians chapter thirteen.
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. 2And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing. 3And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profits me nothing. 4Love suffers long, and is kind; love envies not; love vaunts not itself, is not puffed up. 5Does not behave itself rudely, seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, keeps no record of evil. 6 Rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth. 7Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8Love never fails: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12For now we see in a mirror dimly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 13 And now abides faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:1-13)
I want you to remember two verses from this passage this morning. The first is verse seven and then the first part of verse eight. It reads, “7Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8Love never fails…” The second verse is verse thirteen. It reads, “And now abides faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” As you listen to the rest of what I will share this morning, I want you to remember that love never fails and it is the greatest when compared to faith and hope. I am not sure what is on your Christmas list this year, but all I truly want is love. There is nothing that I can purchase in a store that will ever replace the love that is given and shown towards me.
In my lifetime I have received hundreds of gifts from stores and some that were personally handmade just for me. Most of those gifts I no longer have or can even remember. They were important to me at the time – some I truly wanted and needed greatly, but as my life has changed, those gifts lost their importance. However, love was the one gift that I received that I still remember. If someone truly loved you and shared that with you, you never forget it. It implants itself in your memory banks and your heart. I have received so many love gifts that I continue to enjoy today even though most of them are just memories now. I am so very grateful for those individuals who sewed love into my life. Let me share a few of my love gifts with you in hope that they might stimulate memories of some of the love gifts you have received over the years.
In August 1968, I accepted Christ as my personal Savior. Although I didn’t fully understand what I was doing, what I did know was that I didn’t want to go to hell. I was given an assurance that I would go there non-stop if I did not join the church – give my life to Christ. So based on my limited knowledge, I accepted Christ in my heart. That gift has stayed with me and has changed me. I remember that Friday night. I remember being scared and excited at the same time. I remember rushing home to tell my mother. I remember her telling me that she knew I would be saved that night. I remember that gift vividly. Why? Because it was a gift of love that changed me for the better! This gift could not be purchased with money; it was not something that was in fashion for a season; and it was not something that I got caught up in for the moment. It was a gift that was needed and continues to be needed. Many of you may also remember that gift in your life. That love still burns within me as I look forward to seeing my Savior face to face.
But there is more to that story. I was able to accept Christ as my personal Savior because of the love that my parents showed and demonstrated to me followed by the love that I received from all of the people that my family had in our extended circle. You see, because of the love that I was shown it was easy for me to believe in a God that loved me enough to send His Son to die for me. I grew up surrounded by love. My family loved me. Some of our neighbors loved me. My Church family loved me – and I am really talking about all of them. I grew up surrounded by love so I do not have a reference point for a life without it. Those older people at my Church that loved us – I still remember them. I remember their expressions of joy when they were interacting with us, especially those who did not have children of their own. New Light, in all transparency, when I started this Church I wanted to duplicate the Church environment of love that I had when I was growing up. You see, the love of the Church opened the hearts for others to receive in a time of need. I hope that I have come close to establishing that, but I will never stop trying.
Another gift of love that I received was when I asked Nikki to marry me in 1980 (forty years ago) and she said yes. I remember thinking how blessed I was that she actually agreed to marry me – she could have had anyone she wanted, yet she chose to say yes to me. A gift of love. I remember our wedding 2 years later and how at the rehearsal dinner my brother and best friend were teasing me that she had changed her mind because she was running late; how I began wondering if she would show up and when she did I was in love all over again. I remember saying “I do” and thinking that this would be for the rest of my life. That was 38 years ago next Sunday and I love her just as much today as I did then. Do you remember how you felt – that first real love? Love is a gift that keeps on giving. I remember when Clarissa was born and when we brought Victoria home. I remember thinking, “Okay God, you have given me these girls to take care of – help me.” I remember how they loved to be in my presence – especially after I came in off the road – theirs was a gift of love. I remember as they grew up to become amazing women they found their voice to speak for themselves and tell me how I make them feel sometimes (I guess that’s good and bad) but love none-the-less. And now I have a granddaughter that is just pure love – what more can I say? Do you ever think about your kids, how much you love them and how much they love you? How your life has been blessed because of them? A gift of love that keeps on giving!
I remember when God called me to preach in March 1981 and after several years of preaching being called to pastor. I remember the 21-year wait to receive the green light to pastor. I remember the trials, pain and tribulations I went through to get to this point today. But you know what, love brought me here. Love brought us here. There have been members who have come and gone through the years but even as they left they could not say that they did not feel the love in this Church. You see, even though we are a small Church, the size of this Church membership is not a measurement of the love that exists here and I am not just talking about the love we share amongst one another. Remember what Paul said in verse seven about love bears, believes, hopes and endures all things? This Church has lived that verse. We lived it when we were meeting in a school and having to haul everything to and from there in order to have our services. We lived it when we went through a few financial struggles. We lived it when we had to deal with personal situations that arose within the Church. We lived it when we brought the building and the struggles that continued to arise during the remodeling process. We lived it when members joined and departed. And we are living it today as we meet virtually during these trying times. New Light, it has been the gift of love that has kept us going and supporting one another through the years and especially this year.
Some 2000 years ago a baby was born in a manger. It was nothing fancy; no rich clothes, cribs or VIPs present. It is believed that Jesus was actually wrapped in burial clothes (they were required to travel with their burial clothes in case something happened to them while they were on the roads.) But there was nothing spectacular about His entry into the world, yet that gift continues to give. When the angels proclaimed His birth to the shepherds they went to see Him. They saw a baby – not realizing what this child would mean to them. There was no room for Him in the inn, so He was born in what we would call a barn, a stable. He wasn’t surrounded by a hospital staff making sure all of his needs were met. No, He was surrounded by animals complete with the outdoor smell of a barn. This gift was given to the world with no fanfare other than the prophecies that had been told for hundreds of years and the angels proclaiming His birth. A gift of love, and there was no room for Him to be welcomed into the world. He was born for us – he was a gift to us. Only those things of love will sustain the test of time. Everything that you purchase with cash will one day rot, fall apart or deteriorate in some fashion. But the gift of love will never stop flowing; will never stop giving.
I want to tell each of you of my love for you – each of you. I love each and every one of you. I love the Lord and I love serving Him. I love pastoring and serving you as your pastor. You are part of my extended family and I do not take it for granted that you made the decision to continue your spiritual growth at New Light. Those of you who know me know that what you see with me is what you get – I try not to pretend. But each one of you holds a special place in my heart, not only because you are a member here, but because we have grown in our relationship with Christ together. I love each of you dearly and I thank you for giving me the gift of your love. You have my love and it’s a gift that you will always be able to count on.
New Light, as I close this morning I have a request of you. When you read First Corinthians chapter thirteen, Paul tells us what love is. First and foremost he said no matter what you have and all of the accomplishments you can achieve, if you do not have love it means nothing. There are a lot of things you can do in this life, but in the end if you do not have love it does not matter. After He said that, this is what he said love does and what it is:
• 4Love suffers long, and is kind; love envies not; love vaunts not itself, is not puffed up.
• 5Does not behave itself rudely, seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, keeps no record of evil.
• 6Rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth.
• 7Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
• 8Love never fails…
• 13And now abides faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
When you read this list, let us make the decision today, for this Christmas season and for the rest of our lives that we will live a life of love – a life where people will know Christ because of the love that resides within us. Let us fully fulfill what Jesus said when He said, “By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love one to another.” (John 13:35) Also from John 15:12-13, “This is my commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” New Light, people respond to love. Let us love one another. I hope that each of you will have a safe, blessed Christmas celebration with your family.
Until next time, “The Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift up His countenance on you and give you peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
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