The Gifts That Jesus Gives ...

THE GIFTS THAT JESUS GIVES...

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

I. IF I WERE SANTA CLAUS?

YOU CAN GIVE AND NOT LOVE,

BUT YOU CAN NEVER LOVE WITHOUT GIVING!

IT IS NEVER THE VALUE OF THE GIFT --- IT IS ALWAYS THE VALUE OF THE GIVER!

A. LET US UNDERSTAND ONE WORD BEFORE WE READ TODAY.

PENURY: (PEN-u-ry) Oppressive lack of resources.

Extreme poverty.

To have needs with no means to care for the need.

Luke 21:1 And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.

2 And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.

3 And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:

4 For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.

B. Years ago I was sitting in front of our local Wal-Mart. There was a Marine’s Box --- TOYS FOR TOTS.

I saw this huge Lincoln Continental pull up to the closet size box and a little girl and a little boy jumped out of the big expensive car and dropped some toys in there for the poor children of the community.

After dropping in their presents they jumped back into the car and drove away.

I went over to the box to look at what they had dropped in...

The boy threw a very rusty Tonka truck with three wheels on it.

The girl had placed an old raggedy doll that had magic marker drawn all over the doll baby. The dolls hair had been pulled out in several spots. The doll had no

clothes to cover the magic marker marks.

C. I sat back down on the bench.

I pondered WHAT WOULD I DO IF I WERE SANTA CLAUS?

I quickly decided what I would do.

IF I WERE SANTA, I WOULD WRAP THAT OLD RUSTY TRUCK AND THAT OLD UGLY DOLL AND I WOULD GO CRAWL DOWN THEIR CHIMNEY AND GIVE THEM FOR THEIR CHRISTMAS WHAT THEY SEEMED TO THINK WOULD MAKE SOME POOR CHILD TO BE HAPPY ON CHRISTMAS DAY?

D. Right after that a little old lady came out, she had two presents. They were exactly alike, one she was giving to her granddaughter, and the other

she was placing in the box for a poor girl?

E. This Granny just smiled as she talked with me. She told me of one Christmas in the early 1930’s that she had nothing for Christmas, and that she could not make a big difference for every child, but SHE COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR ONE.

F. I FELT LIKE I HAD BEEN WITH JESUS WHEN JESUS OBSERVED THE POOR LADY DROPPED IN HER TWO MITES.

G. YOUR GIFT MAY SPEAK VOLUMES ABOUT YOU?

One year when I was in the seventh grade, my Dad bought my older brother and I bows and arrows.

Dad was interested in going deer hunting that year.

II. GOD SO LOVED --- THAT HE GAVE.

GOD LOOKED AROUND HEAVEN, AND JESUS SAID, HERE FATHER, I WILL GO.

GOD GAVE THE BEST GIFT IN ALL OF HEAVEN.

A. In March of 1976 I stood in the hospital at Middlesboro, KY. and saw my son for the first time. He was so cute. I counted his fingers and toes. I told him he was going to play

the guitar. I felt a NEW KIND OF LOVE THAT I HAD NEVER KNOWN IN MY LIFE.

B. I can give my life for others, but I would defend until death the life of my son.

If he needed blood, I would gladly give him every drop that flows through me.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

C. God knew the reception that his son would receive.

Luke 2:7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

D. God knew about a barn in Jerusalem, GOD KNEW THERE WOULD BE NO ROOM FOR JESUS IN THE INN.

E. Jesus knew streets of gold. Jesus had never seen a tear? Jesus had never been to a funeral.

F. Jesus would trade everything for dusty roads, to be mocked and despised of men.

G. JESUS WALKED UP A LITTLE HILL OUTSIDE THE CAMP, TO DIE, TO BE SPIT UPON, TO BE MOCKED --- IF YOU ARE REALLY THE SON OF GOD???

H. THREE CROSSES THAT DAY:

1. One died in sin.

2. One died to sin.

3. One died FOR SIN!