Why?
Because these two seasons give us a mixture of WINTER and SUMMER at the same time. That is; in these seasons it is not TOO HOT nor is it TOO COLD.
However, if you ask people what their FAVORITE THOLIDAY is, overwhelmingly many would say -- CHRISTMAS. It is a time when it seems everyone is happy!!!
Many days on our calendar are special, such as:
• St. Valentine’s Day
• St. Patrick’s Day
• Memorial Day
• Mother’s Day
• Father’s Day
• Independence Day
• Memorial Day
• Labor day, etc.
Still CHRISTMAS and EASTER have always been the most celebrated days on the calendar for christians.
Christmas is a time of giving. But going to a store to buy a gift is not an easy chore.
Illus: That’s like going to a store to buy a mother’s day card for your mother. That also is not an easy chore!!!
But have you ever bought a present for someone that seem to have everything.
Christmas is the day we have set aside as the Lord’s birthday.
BUT WHAT COULD WE POSSIBLY GIVE TO HIM WHO IS THE CREATOR OF ALL THINGS.
Illus: Our church six weeks before Christmas take up a special offering for the Lord’s birthday each sunday. The deacons meet and decide what kind of a birthday gift we are going to give him. This is not an easy task!!!
I would like to suggest a few things I believe He would be please with that we can give Him individually. In fact, the things that I suggest I KNOW IT WOULD MAKE HIM HAPPY?
I. FIRST, OUR COMMITMENT TO FAITHFULNESS.
Look at Exodus 20:3. God said, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”
From the beginning of the Bible we see God has always required that we COMMIT OURSELVES TO HIM AND HIM ALONE.
If you are not willing to COMMIT yourself to God and God alone, you are kidding yourself to think that you can have a relationship with Him.
A lot of folks claim to have a relationship with Him while they still bow to the gods of worldliness, but they are deceiving themselves. The Bible teaches that such a relationship is impossible.
Most of us would not accept such a relationship, so why do we expect God to accept one like that?
If He accepted such a relationship it would make Him as “dumb” as some people who do accept a relationship on those conditions.
For example.
Illus: A lady called in to a national radio talk show to explain to psychologist Laura Schlesinger about her problem.
She told the psychologist, “I love this man and I want to marry him, but he will not marry me.”
She went on to say that the man claimed that he loved her but was not willing to make a commitment.
The psychologist interrupted her and said, “Let me ask you something, and I know the answer before I ask. Are you folks intimate in your relationship?”
The caller answered, “Yes, we have been. What should I do?”
The psychologist said, “If you have a brain in your head you will dump this fellow. What he is saying is that he wants your body when he asks for it, but he does not want to make any kind of commitment to you.”
That was some good advice.
Yes, there are people who will accept such a relationship. They call it LOVE. It has nothing to do with love. It has everything to do with STUPIDITY.
A lot of folks think they can play that kind of game with God.
They think they can have all the fringe benefits of the Christian life while at the same time make no commitment to God whatsoever.
Well, God requires TOTAL COMMITMENT. He said, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”
While many do not take commitment seriously, there are some who do. There are some WHO ARE SO NERVOUS ABOUT IT THAT IT SENDS SHIVERS UP THEIR SPINES TO EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!
Illus: Such was the case of one young man. He stood before the minister to say his marriage vows. To him “commitment” was an awesome word and awesome concept.
In fact, while the preacher was in the midst of his charge to the couple, the young man passed out. They stood him back on his feet. He said he was all right so the minister proceeded. When he got to the commitment part again, the young man passed out again. This time they let him sit in a chair. As he sat there, with a wet cloth on his forehead the pastor came to that part that states that awesome responsibility of his committing his life to this one lady and guess what! He passed out again! When he was finally conscious again, the pastor looked at him, lying in the floor and said, “Say ‘I do.’” The young man said, “I do!.” The minister said, “Congratulations, you are married!”
There are many folks who will not even consider marriage because they are not willing to commit themselves to ONE INDIVIDUAL.
Many folks do not accept Christ for the same reason. They are not willing to COMMIT THEMSELVES TO CHRIST AND CHRIST ALONE.
They would not mind making a split commitment, to God and other gods, but don’t want to commit to God alone.
Illus: One difference between sinners and Christians is this: Christians love the Lord enough to commit themselves to Him and Him alone, but sinners may love God a little, but NOT THAT MUCH!
Look at Exodus 20:3 again. God said, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”
Yes, one of the best gifts we can give the Lord Jesus is a gift of OUR COMMITMENT TO FAITHFULNESS.
Another good gift we can give Him is...
II. OUR COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE.
Look at Ecclesiastes 9:10. We read, “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.”
I would like to remind you that one of the smartest people who ever lived, other than Christ, was a man called Solomon.
He said, “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might...”
THIS ALSO IS VERY GOOD ADVICE.
Today so many do what they do in a haphazard way.
• A person can buy a brand new car and many times shoddy workmanship will show up before the first payment is made.
• A person can drive around town and look at commercial buildings from the outside and spot shoddy workmanship.
• A person can go into homes and see that carpenters did not care about quality work, all they cared about was getting that final draw on their bid for the job.
• A person can take his car to the garage to have it repaired, only to discover that he got a “patch job” instead of a “repair job.”
• A person can look in on folks at work and find some are doing the least they can get by with doing.
Whatever happened to the old adage, “If something is worth doing, it is worth doing right”?
By now you are asking, “Preacher, HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO THE CHURCH.”
Listen, some of the most shoddy work you will find on the face of this earth is done by those who claim they love the Lord.
Illus: Someone said, “If the average factory had to operate with the personnel that the average church has to operate with, they would be out of business in six months."
For example, suppose a school teacher decided one morning she just did not want to go to work. Suppose she did not call the principal and tell him, or anyone else, she was not coming to work. She just decided she would not go that day. There would be a whole class of students, sitting, waiting to be taught, but they have to go without being taught that day because of a teacher who does not strive for EXCELLENCE!
The school teacher that would do such a thing would find herself or himself fired when he returned to work. Why? Because, not only has he deprived his students of their education; he has set a bad example for all of those students to follow.
While that might be a rare case in our schools, it is a frequent thing in our churches.
Listen, one of the best gifts we can give the Lord this Christmas is the GIFT of COMMITTING OURSELVES TO EXCELLENCE. That applies to:
• Deacon
• Usher
• Sunday School teacher
• Choir member
• Officer
• Church member
That is; we will strive to BE THE BEST WE CAN BE at the job we feel the Lord has given us to do.
As that wise old man said years ago, “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might...”
The Lord Jesus would be pleased with the gift of EXCELLENCE this Christmas.
Then there is one more gift we Christians can give the Lord.
We can give...
III. OUR COMMITMENT TO PURITY.
Illus: The best gift a young lady and a young man can present to each other on their wedding day is PURITY.
When a young man dates a girl, and takes her virginity from her, he has stolen from her future husband that which was intended for him alone.
Listen young people, one day you are going to meet that very special someone in your life and when you stand before the sacred altar and look each other in the eyes, there is no joy or thrill that Satan can offer that come close to comparing to that event. KEEP YOURSELVES PURE FOR EACH OTHER!
Illus: A young lady decided she would keep herself pure for the man she was going to marry.
Some of her girl friends made fun of her making that decision.
One day she got tired of them making fun of her and she said to them, “Anytime I chose I can become like you girls, but you can never become like me.”
One of the best gifts a young girl can make is for a girl to keep herself pure for her husband to be.
Illus: I personally have never cared about going to garage sales and buy used merchandise. And when a young girl allows herself to be pawed over by some young man for momentary pleasure all she is doing is becoming used merchandise.
This is what the Lord says to all of us as part of THE BRIDE OF CHRIST.
I Peter 1:15 says, “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy...”
Christ, the Bridegroom, says, “I am holy. I HAVE KEPT MYSELF PURE FOR YOU AND NOW YOU KEEP YOURSELF PURE FOR ME. I want you to be just like I am."
Conclusion/Summary:
In verse 11, we read, “And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.”
If we give the Lord these three gifts He will be as pleased with our gift as he was with the gifts of those first wise men, if not more!
I. OUR COMMITMENT TO FAITHFULNESS.
II. OUR COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE.
III. OUR COMMITMENT TO PURITY.
