Presents Or Presence?
Matthew 2:1-11
1. Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2. Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
3. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
6. And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
7. Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
8. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
9. When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
10. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11. 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.
Story:
Three six year old boys were playing the wise men in their church Christmas program. As they came up to Mary and Joseph at the stable, the first one handed over his present and said, “Gold.” The second presented his gift and said, “Myrrh.” The third one then gave them his treasure and said, “And Frank sent this.”
Have you started your Christmas shopping yet ?
Make sure you see me before you do.....I’ve got several things I want to add to your list !
Joke: A husband wasn’t overjoyed one year when he received a burial plot from his wife as a Christmas present. He was really disappointed the next year when he received nothing. He said to his wife....”My feelings are hurt because you didn’t get me anything for Christmas this year!” Her reply....”Mine have been hurt all year because you didn’t use what I gave you last year!”
Joke: A little boy paid a visit to Santa in the department store and presented him with a list of requests: a bicycle, a train, a bat and ball, a rocket set, and an airplane. Santa was impressed. He said, “Thanks for the list. I’ll check between now and Christmas to see whether or not you’ve been a good boy.” The little boy reached over to take the list back and said, “Never mind, I’ll settle for the bicycle.”
This morning I want to share with you a message on “Presents Or Presence?”
Now let’s face it ! Most of us like to get presents ! I would also say that most of us like to give presents ! We parents want to please our children, and so we buy and we buy.....and then we charge, and we charge.........
Yet....what do you think pleased the Lord the most ? Was it the presents of gold, myrrh, and frankincense that the Magi brought or was it their presence with the Christ child that counted the most ?
Now kids “relax”. I’m not trying to convince your parents that you don’t need anything this year, but I do want us to realize that presence is more important than our presents.
Ask the 150,000 men and women serving in Iraq what they would like to have for Christmas.....and they no doubt would say......I’d like to be home. I’d like to be with my family ! Ask their wives, husbands, children, and parents the same, and I believe you’d receive the same answer ! Oh....I’d give anything if they were home !
Ask the thousands, and thousands of children in orphanages, and foster home what they would like to have, and I believe most would like to have a family !
We can give our children, our family and our friends lots of different kinds of presents for Christmas, but nothing will compare with our presence !
Let me share the presence that we can share this year.
I. Give The Presence Of Our Lord.
Illust. One little girl came home from Sunday School proud that she had memorized a verse of scripture.....she quoted John 3:16 like this.....”For God so loved the world that he gave his only “forgotten” son........”
When the Lord looks at the way Christmas is celebrated, I wonder if he doesn’t feel forgotten. We have the Christmas trees all lit up, and decorations all over the landscape, but where is Christ ?
In our schools now, children have “winter break” instead of “Christmas Break” for fear of offending someone. Nativity scenes have been banned from “Christmas Displays” on government property for fear of the same !
I remember several years ago down at the Perry Fairground.....they began having a “Festival of Lights”. Deanna, and myself and the girls went down to see it. It had all kinds of scenes in beautiful dancing lights........snowmen, and Santa Claus, and Ice Skaters......but not one scene that any way despicted that Christmas is about Christ ! I sent a email to the guy that it was in charge protesting...........Apparently the festival of lights didn’t make enough cash, and they quit after a couple of years !
Let’s make it clear this year the “reason for the season”.
The greatest present that we can give to our children, our families, and our friends is by sharing with them the presence of the Lord. As we enter the holiday season, if we’re going to celebrate Christmas......let’s make it about Jesus ! We can give gifts that will soon be lost or forgotten or we can share the presence of the Lord when is a gift that can last throughout eternity.
This year as you gather around the tree or as you have your family get together. Why not take out the word of God, and Tell Them The Old Old Story.
Tell me the story of Jesus,
Write on my heart every word.
Tell me the story most precious,
Sweetest that ever was heard.
Tell how the angels in chorus,
Sang as they welcomed His birth.
“Glory to God in the highest!
Peace and good tidings to earth.
Let’s make certain that our families celebrate the birth of Christ.....his entrance into the world as a babe to become the savior of mankind !
b. Share His Presence On The Cross.
Illust. A lady went to the mall Christmas shopping with her two children; after many hours of looking at row after row of toys and everything else imaginable, and after hours of hearing both her children asking for everything they saw on those many
shelves, she finally made it to the elevator with her two kids. She was feeling what so many of us feel during the holiday season time of the year---overwhelming pressure to go to every party, every housewarming, taste all the holiday food and treats, get that perfect gift for every single person on our shopping list, make sure we don’t forget anyone on our card list, and the pressure of making sure we respond to everyone who sent us a card. Finally the elevator doors opened and there was already a crowd in the elevator. She pushed her way into the elevator and dragged her two kids in with her and all the bags of stuff. When the doors closed she couldn’t take it anymore and stated, “Whoever started this whole Christmas thing should be found, strung up and shot.” From the back of the car everyone heard a quiet, calm voice respond, “Don’t worry. We already crucified him.”
The cradle without the cross means nothing. Some are content as long as the baby stays in the manger ! But we must remember that what makes Christmas so special is his presence on the cross.
Jesus came to die ! He was foreordained before the foundation of the world to go to the cross ! Christmas is all about the Love of God !
c. Share His Presence After The Cemetery.
The story does not end at the cradle....but neither does it end at the cross ! Thank God for that ! The cross would have accomplished nothing if Jesus remained in the cemetery !
Tell of the cross where they nailed Him,
Writhing in anguish and pain.
Tell of the grave where they laid Him,
Tell how He liveth again.
Love in that story so tender,
Clearer than ever I see.
Stay, let me weep while you whisper,
Love paid the ransom for me.
Story: A little girl stood stairing through the glass from outside a store. Tears ran down her cheeks as she looked at a picture inside the store window of Jesus hanging on the cross in agony ! A man happened by and stopped to see if the little girl was alright. He too soon began looking at the picture in the window. Soon....he began to walk away but as he did the little girl called to him.....” Mister, she said. I think you should know this ! He lives !”
The babe in the manger grew up....went to the cross.....and died giving himself as a ransom for all the world ! And he lives..........praise God ! He lives !
d. Share His Presence In The Clouds !
The good news about Christmas does not end at the cradle.....nor at the cross.....not even in the cemetery........for he shall one day return in the clouds and so shall we ever be with the Lord !
There is another presence that we can share !
II. Give The Presence Of Your Love.
Now if you were to ask young children what would they prefer......a new bicycle or a hour playing with mom or day.......they would answer without hesitation ......Please......give me the bike !
But 20 years from now the thing that will mean the most, and be remembered the most will be your “presence” with them, and not so much your presents to them.
Story: My Most Memorable Christmas
a. Give them attention !
One of our biggest weaknesses as parents is in the area of listening ! I mean we can lay down the law.....set the record straight.......let’em know when there out of line........and yet we can be failures as parents if we don’t give them our attention and listen to them when they need for us to hear !
Our children need for us to look at them.....to listen to their story’s......to watch their performances ! They need our attention ! And if they don’t get it from us....one day they’ll probably get it from someone else !
b. Give Them Affection.
Let your home be filled with love. Love for the Lord, love for our spouses, and love for our children. Men.....it has been said that the greatest thing that we can do for our children is “to love their mother.” Let your children know parents that you love each other, and that you love them. Christmas is about the love of God ! Let’s make certain that our children experience the love of God in our homes !
c. Give Them Approval.
We’re pretty quick as parents noticing when our children louse things up ! What they need most is our approval when they do things right ! They need our encouragement !
Story: I remember reading a story sometime back about a lady who was taking her children to see their grandmother. She told her children as they drove over to make certain that they cleaned their feet before interesting the house because Grandmother had new carpet, and she was so proud of it ! The family arrived at grandmother’s and the children were careful to wipe their feet. Soon after arriving, Grandmother gave them some kool-aid, and cookies. The mother warned the children not to take it into the living room on the new carpet. But the little boy soon adventured off into the living room.....and as you can probably guess....he spilled red kool-aid all over the new carpet ! The little boy was so scared. He tried wiping it up with his shirt tail....but that didn’t work. So soon he started to cry.....Grandmother quickly came to his side and the little boy begin to tell her how sorry he was that he had spilled his kool-aid. The grandmother looked at him and said.......”Honey don’t worry.....I’ll get you some more kool-aid !”
Now that granny had her priorities right ! She knew that the little boy had learned a valuable lesson without scolding him, and she knew that what he needed most was love ! Remember the things that are most important ! Buy your kids presents for Christmas, but make certain they know the presence of your love !
III. Give The Presence Of Our Leadership.
Our family’s and our children desperately need leadership ! Not only are homes outside the church being crushed, but Christian homes are under attack....we must become spiritual leaders within our homes. What good will it do if we try to lead at the house of God, and yet we lose our children ?
a. Lead by Illustration.
Our children will not always do as we say.........but they will almost always do as we do ! We need to be our children’s role models, and heroes ! For the most part, the sports figures, and celebrities of our day are pitiful at being role models ! Parents we must illustrate living to our children ! They need to learn how to live ! They need to learn right from wrong by watching our example ! As believers we must lead our families by being examples....we must walk the talk !
b. Lead by Involvement !
Over the years, I’ve coached quite a few ballgames, and I’ve always been saddened by the number of kids whose parents never attend their games ! One of the biggest problem that handicaps our educator’s is the lack of parental involvement ! Parents, it is vitally important that we be involved in the lives of our children ! Know what’s going in their lives.....who their friends are......where their going, and what they’ll be doing when they get there !
c. Lead by Instruction.
We need to teach our children ! We need to instruct them in the matters of life ! It is our responsibility to instruct them in “thus saith the Lord” If all our children get is what they hear on Sun, and on Wed. it probably will not be enough to help them to be strong in their spiritual lives !
*In order to instruct....we must be instructed ! How well do we know the word of God ? Do we know it well enough to pass it’s teachings along to our children, and grandchildren ?
If our children are to learn about the love of God, and his ways, it must come from us. They want find it in the movies from hollywood nor on the sitcom’s on T.V. nor in the classrooms !
We as parents must lead by instructing !
d. Lead by Intercession.
We need the Lord’s help in this matter of leadership ! How long has it been ? Or how often do you pray for your children ? When I was a young man, and involved in some things that I should not have been.......there was always one thing that was constantly on my mine, and it was a force that I could not break free of......I knew that my mother was praying for me....because that was the last thing that I heard as I went out the door of the house !
The Gift of Us
Marjorie Tallcott was married and had one child during the Great Depression. The family managed to scrape their way through, but as Christmas approached one year Marjorie and her husband were disappointed that they would not be able to buy any presents. A week before Christmas they explained to their six year old son, Pete, that there would be no store-bought presents this Christmas. “But I’ll tell you what we can do” said Pete’s father, “we can make pictures of the presents we’d like to give to each other.”
That was a busy week. Marjorie and her husband set to work. Christmas Day arrived and the family rose to find their skimpy little tree made magnificent by the picture presents they had adorned it with. There was luxury beyond imagination in those pictures- a black limousine and red speedboat for Dad, a diamond bracelet and fur coat for mum, a camping tent and a swimming pool for Pete.
Then Pete pulled out his present, a crayon drawing of a man, a woman and a child with their arms around each other laughing. Under the picture was just one word: “US”.
Years later Marjorie writes that it was the richest, most satisfying Christmas they ever had.
It took a present-less Christmas to remind Marjorie and her family that the greatest gift we can ever offer is ourselves, our presence. This too is the great gift that Christ offers us, not only at Christmas but throughout the year - himself. Source: Reported in Illustrations Unlimited
This Christmas....will you only give your children presents ? Or will you determine in your heart to give them “presence” the year round ? Let’s give them the presence of the Lord, the presence of our Love, and the presence of our Leadership ! Those are truly great gifts which will be with out children throughout their lives !
