“Gifts That Are Not Soon Forgotten”
Luke 2:8-20
The Birth of Christ is about God gift of salvation in the person of Jesus, His only begotten Son. Gifts that we give and receive at Christmas are often forgotten, but the gifts that surround the birth of Jesus are gifts that cannot be forgotten.
Bill Adler recorded in his book about Christmas several letter by children to Santa Claus. One thing about children they are honest and tell their true feelings.
Dear Santa Claus,
Last year you didn’t leave me anything. Good. The year before last year you didn’t leave me anything good. This year is your last chance.
Alfred
Dear Santa,
In my house there are three little boys. There is Richard. He is 2. There is Jeffrey. He is 4. There is Norman. He is 7. Richard is good sometime. Jeffrey is good sometime. Norman is good all the time. I am Norman.
Gift to Lowly Shepherds
Angels of the Lord gave lowly Shepherds a special gift that they did not forget all their lives. Luke 2:18-11 “That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, but the angel reassured them, “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news of great joy for everyone. The savior – yes, the Messiah, the Lord-has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David.”
Why was this gift of good news of great joy given to lowly shepherds and not to kings, or the wealthy, or Priests or Levites or rulers of the Synagogue or the Jewish Sanhedrin?
God often chooses to do his greatest work through ordinary people. The Apostle Paul stated it well in I Corinthians 1:26-29: “Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes, or powerful, or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God deliberately chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose those who are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world; things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important, so that no one can ever boast in the presence of God.”
Michael and Story Omartian in their Christmas Musical, “Child of the Promise” gives a somewhat humorous view of Shepherds in the song: “Nothing Ever Happens to a Shepherd.”
It’s cold outside in this God-forsaken place and we’re stuck here with a thousand sheep. While life is exciting everywhere else, the highlight of our day is sleep. Shepherds are notorious for making little profit we garner just enough for room and board. While everyone else wallows in their wealth we’re financially ignored. Cause nothing ever happens to a shepherd. Life is boring as can be. While exciting things occur all over the world, nothing ever happens to me. It’s lonely out here in this isolated job. Our position is without esteem. We’re socially challenged. We’re society’s scourged. We’re not exactly every woman’s dream. Shepherds have a humble purpose. Of our fate few people care. Sometimes I wonder if God knows we exist. If he does he’s forgotten where. Cause, nothing ever happens to a shepherd I’m common as common can be. While exciting things occur all over the world, nothing ever happens to me. Shepherds are the lowest of the low. Our lives are void of mystery except for David killing Goliath no shepherd will go down in history.
After the birth of Christ and the gift of good news of great joy to the Shepherds the song changed. Shepherds had a special gift that would not soon be forgotten.
#Video Clip – Story of Shepherds as told by children
You may not feel you are a person of significance. In the eyes of God you have great significance. Jesus came as God’s gift to you. Jesus is a gift of good news to you this Christmas.
Gifts of Love cannot soon be forgotten
The gifts that parents give to their children are more important than material gifts. The gift of love is a gift that cannot be soon forgotten.
I read about a 26 year old mother in Phoenix, Arizona that gave her son a gift that made a difference in his life.
The mother stared down at her 6 year old son, who was dying of terminal leukemia. Although her heart was filled with sadness, she also had a strong feeling of determination. Like any parent, she wanted her son to grow up and fulfill all his dreams. Now that was no longer possible...The leukemia would see to that. But she still wanted her son’s dreams to come true. She took her son’s hand and asked, "Billy, did you ever think about what you wanted to be once you grew up? Did you ever dream and wish what you would do with your life?" Mommy, "I always wanted to be a fireman when I grew up." Mom smiled back and said, "Let’s see if we can make your wish come true."
Later that day she went to her local fire department in Phoenix, Arizona, where she met Fireman Bob, who had a heart as big as Phoenix. She explained her son’s final wish and asked if it might be possible to give her six-year-old son a ride around the block on a fire engine.
Fireman Bob said, "Look, we can do better than that. If you’ll have your son ready at seven o’clock Wednesday morning, we’ll make him an honorary fireman for the whole day. He can come down to the fire station, eat with us, go out on all the fire calls, the whole nine yards! And if you’ll give us his sizes, we’ll get a real fire uniform for him; with a real fire hat-not a toy one-with the emblem of the Phoenix Fire Department on it, a yellow slicker like we wear and rubber boots. They’re all manufactured right here in Phoenix, so we can get them fast."
Three days later Fireman Bob picked up Billy, dressed him in his
fire uniform and escorted him from his hospital bed to the waiting hook and ladder truck. Billy got to sit on the back of the truck and help steer it back to the fire station. He was in heaven.
There were three fire calls in Phoenix that day and Billy got to go out on all three calls. He rode in the different fire engines, the paramedic’s van, and even the fire chief’s car. He was also videotaped for the local news program.
Having his dream come true, with all the love and attention that
was lavished upon him, so deeply touched Billy that he lived three months longer than any doctor thought possible.
One night all of his vital signs began to drop dramatically and the head nurse, who believed in the hospice concept that no one should die alone, began to call the family members to the hospital.
Then she remembered the day Billy had spent as a fireman, so she called the Fire Chief and asked if it would be possible to send a fireman in uniform to the hospital to be with Billy as he made his transition. The chief replied, "We can do better than that. We’ll be there in five minutes. Will you please do me a favor?
When you hear the sirens screaming and see the lights flashing,
will you announce over the PA system that there is not a fire? It’s just the fire department coming to see one of its finest members one more time. And will you open the window to his room?
About five minutes later a hook and ladder truck arrived at the
hospital and extended its ladder 16 firefighters climbed up the ladder into Billy’s room. With his mother’s permission, they hugged him and held him and told him how much they loved him. With his dying breath, Billy looked up at the fire chief and said, "Chief am I really a fireman now?" "Billy, you are, and the Head Chief, Jesus, is holding your hand," the chief said.
With those words, Billy smiled and said, "I know, He’s been holding my hand all day, and the angels have been singing…" He closed his eyes one last time.
The gift the fireman gave Billy was of far greater value than any toy or material gift. They give of themselves and their gift of love.
Your gift of kindness and special acts of compassion and consideration yo your family and to those around you are gifts that are not soon forgotten.
The Joy of Giving
When gifts of kindness are given anonymously they are not soon forgotten.
Robert Paul Szekely tells of going into a store to buy his wife a Christmas present. As he browsed through the gift shop, a young boy about twelve years old, carrying a small white envelope, came into the store. The young boy went to the sales counter and asked for Margaret. She had to be the one he talked to. The store Manager pointed to a small gray-haired woman at the other end of the shop. The young boy hurried toward her.
“Hi, are you Margaret?” “I’m Zac.” “What can I do for you, Zac?” Margaret was arranging some of the ornate music boxes and dusting off the glass shelves at the same time.
