A Christmas Gift from the Heart

(This is the 3^rd of a 4 part series on “Memories of Christmas”.)

Matthew 2:1-12

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%202%3A1-12&version=NIV;GNT

  

Over the years, I have many good memories about Christmas gifts, but there are three in particular that stand out.

 

The biggest gift that I ever got was from my wife. Apparently, I had pestered her so

much that year that she surprised me with a Ford F150. She presented the gift by driving the keys up to me in a battery operated toy F150. It was a huge surprise to say the least.

 

One of the most fun gifts that I ever gave to my wife was a little black kitten. He was the last in the litter and kind of ugly. It was about a week before Christmas, so I hid him in my office. He would hide under my desk when I came in and arch his back and hiss when I tried to pet him. Since

he was a Christmas kitty, my wife named him Nicholas.

 

The wise men, or Magi, were following a star that they believed would lead them to find the King of the Jews; the Messiah. Along the way they stopped in Jerusalem to get directions. With the news of the foreigners, King Herod was paranoid beyond belief and plotted to kill the baby.

 

With the unwitting help of the Jewish religious leaders, Herod told the Magi where to find the Messiah. Eventually the Magi found the child Jesus. They had traveled far in order to give him their gifts from the heart.

 

I mentioned three gifts in my opening paragraph. The smallest, and likely least expensive, was from daughter. When she was in kindergarten, the teacher provided small Christmas gifts that the children could buy for their parents. That year, my daughter gave me a key chain that said, “I ‘heart’ My

Daddy”. Over thirty years later, it’s the key chain that I still use – a gift from the heart.

 

Christmas is a time to give gifts. The Magi gave gifts to worship the King of the Jews, the Messiah. In the tradition of the original Christmas, we continue to exchange gifts that touch our hearts and give us a lifetime of memories.

 

Our Father in Heaven has given the greatest gift of all, His only son. If you accept His gift, it will not only touch your heart, but change your life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"We Three Kings" by Pentatonix

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obHJVGVCKGw

 

 

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A Christmas Tradition is Born

(This is the 2^nd of a 4 part series on “Memories of Christmas”.)

Luke 2:1-7

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%202%3A1-7&version=NIV;NLT

 

Christmas traditions are generally carried over from generation to generation; but some just happen.

 

About ten years ago we went to the Christmas Eve service at our church. Afterwards, we thought it would be fun to drive around and look at some lights. Eventually we started getting hungry.

 

Have you ever tried to find a restaurant open on Christmas Eve, e.g. The Christmas Story? The only one we found was Lee Garden – a Chinese restaurant. The food was great. However, Chinese karaoke on Christmas Eve was a little strange. But that night a new Christmas tradition was born for our family.

 

There are a multitude of Christmas traditions that families observe. Some are fantasy, like Santa Claus. While others are based in fact, like the Nativity scene. Even then, the Nativity scene of today is a stark contrast to the reality.

 

It must have been a crazy time in the young lives of Mary and Joseph. An angel had visited Mary and told her that she would become pregnant through the Holy Spirit. If that wasn’t hard enough to believe, he also informed her that her son would reign over Jacob’s descendants (Israel) forever; that his kingdom would never end.

 

How could she explain this to Joseph since she was a virgin; to her parents who had raised her to be a righteous Jew; to people in the village who might even choose to stone her for her apparent sin? But her relative Elizabeth understood.

When Mary went to visit her, Elizabeth’s baby leapt in her womb.

 

And now, when she was almost due, she and Joseph had to make a three day trip to Bethlehem for a census. Of course, when they arrived the city was bursting at the seams. As a result, there was no room in the inn, so Mary gave birth to the baby in a stable where he was laid in a feeding trough.

 

My family will never forget about that first visit to the Lee Garden Restaurant and how our Christmas tradition was born. In the same way, we will never forget that our celebration of Christmas was born in Bethlehem with the gift of God’s only son as an expression of His pure, unconditional love for us.

 

⁹ God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. ¹⁰ This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.           1 John 4:9-10 NLT

 

 

if you click on this link, you can listen to a beautiful song about God's love seen through the gift of his only son. It is called “How Many Kings”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTYe9sWYKdo

  

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Christmas Lights

(This is the 1^st of a 4 part series on “Memories of Christmas”.)

John 1:1-13

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%201%3A1-13&version=NIV;TLB

One of the things my wife and I enjoy during the Christmas season is to drive around and look at all the lights. We love driving through a random neighborhood to see how we might be surprised by some outstanding light display.

 

Over the years there have been some “professionally” done displays that have really stood out for us. One that we enjoyed was the Oglebay Winter Festival of Lights in Wheeling, WV. Another was the St. Nicholas Light Display sponsored by Domino’s Pizza in Ann Arbor, MI.

 

But locally, none compare to State Auto’s Christmas Corner located in downtown Columbus since 1932. Featuring a life-sized Nativity scene, it is recognized around the world for its beauty and attention to artistic and historic detail. Fridays and Saturdays include three choir performances and hot chocolate. Life doesn’t get any better than that.

 

Christmas lights are a timed tested tradition to enjoy and create wonderful memories, but they have a much more significant meaning than a family activity and entertainment.

 

^1-2 Before anything else existed there was Christ, with God. He has always been

alive and is himself God. ³ He created everything there is—nothing exists that he didn’t make. ⁴ Eternal life is in him, and this life gives light to all mankind. ⁵ His life is the light that shines through the darkness—and the darkness can never extinguish it.           TLB

 

Not only is Jesus the Light of the World, but as believers and followers of Christ, we carry his light within us. Jesus spoke these words to his disciples during the Sermon on the Mount.

 

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your

light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.      Matthew 5 NIV

 Because of this, it is our privilege to share that light, not only at Christmas time but throughout the year. So go ahead and make some memories while looking at Christmas lights. Then share the Light of Jesus who is the True Christmas Light.

  

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One Thing Only

Psalm 27

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2027&version=NIV;NLT

  

Last weekend all eyes were on the world of college football in Columbus, Ohio. Saturday night the Buckeyes made their case for getting into the College Football Playoff by defeating the Wisconsin Badgers in the Big Ten Championship game.

 

The waiting began for the Buckeye nation shortly after midnight when the game was over. Through the night the committee of thirteen people diligently hashed out what schools would be in the 4-team playoff… and who would not.

 

Finally, at noon on Sunday, the 4-hour announcement program began. Four 4 more hours! Unbelievable! But about an hour into the show, after tolerating the talking heads as they blabbed on about nothing, it was finally announced.

 

The wait had been excruciating… as all waiting is. We don’t like to wait do we? We

want what we want, when we want it. We don’t like the thought of waiting for someone else to have control over some part of our life.

 

According to my NIV study Bible, “David knew from experience what it meant to wait for the Lord. He had been anointed king at age 16, but didn’t become king until age 30. During the interim, he was chased through the wilderness by King Saul. Later, he was chased by his son Absalom.” Yet David waited patiently for the Lord.

 

¹⁴ Wait patiently for the Lord.
    Be brave and courageous.
    Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.          NLT

 

What gave David such confidence and contentment during these difficult times? For David, there was one thing only. For him, waiting patiently was directly proportionate to seeking the Lord and being in His presence.

 

⁴ One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple… ⁶ Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me…           NIV

 

Ultimately, the Buckeyes couldn’t count on the committee. But you can always count on the Lord! He may not always give us what we want, when we want it. But He is always with you. He loves you deeply and unconditionally. He is always faithful to His word. And you can take that to the playoffs every time.

 

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The Big Picture

Ephesians 3

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+3&version=NIV;ESV

 

You may be familiar with the “parable of the talents” in Matthew 25. A land owner gives one of his servants five talents; to another 2; and to another 1 talent. Each servant was a steward over the talent(s) they were given.



However, you may not be as familiar with the concept of being a steward of God’s grace. Paul was. He wrote about it in Ephesians 3.

² …assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, ³ how the mystery was made known to me… ⁶ This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. ESV

 

Paul is taking a Big Picture look at his life and his ministry. He didn’t focus on his past, feeling guilty about how he aggressively persecuted the church to the extreme of imprisonment and even death. And he didn’t focus on his current circumstances while writing this letter in prison potentially feeling powerless or sorry for himself.

 

Instead, Paul focused on the calling he had from God to take the Gospel to the Gentiles. Paul was a steward of all that God had given him which included his calling.

 

In the same way, God has given each of us, you and I, a calling on our life. It is up to us

to look at the Big Picture, not the past or the present, and to be good stewards of His Grace.

 

In looking at the Big Picture of your life, ask yourself, what are the “talents” that God has given you to be a steward over? How can you use those “talents” to spread the Gospel of Christ? To build the Kingdom of God? What desires has He given you to touch the lives of others?

 

Paul concludes his look at the Big Picture in Ephesians with a powerful prayer for the Gentile believers. His prayer is just as powerful for you and me today.

 

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸ may have power,

together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and  deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all fullness of God.   NIV

 

 

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