The Coming of Father Christmas
1 Corinthians 12:4-11
I. Introduction
[Sleigh bells should be ringing in the distance as the pastor steps to the pulpit.]
What is that noise? Perhaps sleigh bells? You step out in order to investigate. You are amazed when you look up and see a large man, wearing the reddest coat you have ever seen in your life. He also has a beard that is whiter than snow. He has a claming peaceful face. You recognize him not as a mall Santa Claus, but this is Father Christmas. He calls you to come closer, and then he begins to pull gifts from his bag. He brings out a brilliant sword and shield, a bow and quiver full of arrows, an ivory horn, a small bottle that looks to be made of diamonds, and inside the bottle is some sort of cordial, He then reaches deep within his bag, and pulls out a large platter, that has 5 cups and saucers on it, and a bowl of sugar, a cream, and a large tea pot that is so hot you can see the steam rising from the spout. He gives you the presents, reminds you that Aslan is on the move, gives a admonition that these gifts are tools not toys, and then we all sit down to have a cup of hot tea. Welcome back to the world of Narnia.
I want you to reach back into the recesses of your mind, and think about your favorite Christmas gift from childhood. Mine was given to me when I was in the 4th grade. As always I crept into the living room at 5:00 a.m. on Christmas morning because I wanted to see all the presents that Santa had brought during the night. I can remember sitting on the floor and just waiting from mom and dad to get up so that I could start opening presents. About 5:30, I had made enough noise that they came into the living room, and we began opening the presents. There was one present that was rather small and got pushed to the back of the boxes. The tiny box was very light and it had both mine and my sister’s name on it. Finally, we opened it and there was only a small picture of a trampoline in the box. Mom and dad quickly pointed us to the door where we looked out and saw a trampoline. I will always remember jumping on that trampoline at 5:30 in the morning in the cold.
Now that was my favorite gift growing up, but the gift that is of supreme importance is that of the person of Jesus Christ. The most wondrous gift that any of us can experience is the treasure of Jesus. In Christmas, we remember this amazing gift that was given to all of humanity. The baby that was born and laid in a manger, the angels sang his praises, the shepherds bowed in worship before him, the magi who brought extravagant gifts, and how they all experienced the wondrous gift.
Now not all people accept the gift, and thus many people turn away the most wondrous gift. But for those who choose to accept the gift, they truly find that he is the gift that keeps on giving.
The coming of Father Christmas in Narnia marked a turn in the story. It marked that the spell of the White witch was being broken and that Aslan had returned. As a result of the return of Aslan, the children were given the gifts. They were given gifts that were very special and were given for specific reasons. The gifts were all marked with the seal of Aslan, and thus the reason for the gifts was in order that the children could use them for Aslan.
As Christians we are all given gifts just like those given by Father Christmas, gifts that are tools and not toys. In the book of 1 Corinthians, the apostle Paul outlines and speaks of spiritual gifts, and so this Christmas, with the coming of Father Christmas, I want us to look at these amazing gifts.
1 Corinthians 12:4-11
II. The Cost
The first thing we must see is the cost of the gifts. We must see that these are free gifts. When Father Christmas opens his bag to give presents, he did not ask for payment, he did not present a bill, but he opened the bag and gave gifts. These are gifts in the truest sense of the word. The Greek word for gifts is very close to the Greek word for grace. The spiritual gifts that Paul is speaking about are tokens of the grace of God.
We usually have a problem with gifts, we have bought into the misconception that I must do something for my gift. You give me this, and I will protest, maybe even ask to pay for it, but by very nature a gift cannot be bought. God is always trying to give us good things, but so often we are too concerned with the cost of the gift that we turn away. As the church we need to reclaim a child like faith.
Think back again to when you were a child and the feelings you had when you opened presents. If you house was mine, there was ribbons, bows, wrapping, and tissue flying every where. My sister and I could not wait to see what we have gotten, and then we could not wait to play with our new toys. We never had the thought, Oh you should not have done that.
We need to come to receive the gifts that God has in store for us like little children. An excitement that we cannot wait to experience all that God has in store for us, but more than that, a desire that once we have received the gifts from God we cannot wait to use those gifts, not for ourselves, but for others.
III. The Gifts are for Service
The gifts are to be used for service. The gifts that were given to the children were all meant for service. Peter would use his sword and shield to do battle for Aslan, Susan would use her horn to call in help, and Lucy would use her bottle of cordial in order to bring healing to her brother Edmond. These gifts were meant to be used, they were tools and not toys, and they were meant to serve.
The gifts of the spirit are gifts that are to be used for the good of community. There are all kinds of different service, but God gives us what we need to serve. But we must choose to serve.
There is a vast difference between children and Christmas presents and the gifts of the spirit. Children usually know the word mine and they can become very protective and territorial with their presents. But here Paul reminds the church—you are given these gifts not so that you can be prideful, but you are given them so that you can share them with others.
Too many times we take the gifts we are given and we selfishly use them for ourselves, but the call of the scripture is that we use them to build up the body of Christ. God did not give you gifts and talents so that you could be famous, or so that you could be above someone else, but he gave them so his church would be strengthened and his name would receive the glory.
Everyone who is a Christian is given spiritual gifts. We all have at least one gift. Now if we all have at least one gift, the question is we using that gift in service to him? There is no gift that is more important than another, that is the battle that the Corinthians were having, they felt that the gift of tongues was more important than others. What Paul tries to impart to the church is that all gifts are just that, gifts from God, and God places the gifts in the church in order that the church will function properly.
IV. For Community
Finally, the last gift that was given in Narnia was the gift of the tea set. The tea set represented community, it represented fellowship. The group sat down right where they were and they had a hot cup of tea, they wanted to make sure that it did not get cold. All the gifts of God are to build up the common good; they are all so that we can have community. We must exercise the gifts and strive for community and fellowship.
A word of caution for us is that if we are not careful and if we become lax in our fellowship, then we will find that our tea will become cold. We will find that the church is not a place about the common good; it is not a place that is marked by warm fellowship. The church is not about any one individual, but the church should always be a place where everyone has a place to sit at the table. There were enough cups for all the children and their two guides to sit and have fellowship. In our church there is a place for everyone to come and sit at the table. There is a place for everyone to exercise his or her spiritual gifts. Don’t allow the tea to become cold.
