THE EXCITEMENT OF GIVING

Some of us can remember the time in our lives when we first became aware that we were loved.

For Rob that magic moment came when he was 15 and he overheard a conversation between his mother and father.

"Mary," said his father, "I hate to call Rob in the mornings.  He's growing so fast and he needs sleep.  If you could see how soundly he's sleeping when I go in to wake him up.  I wish I could manage alone."

"Adam," replied his mother, "you know there's too much to do on the farm.  Anyway, it's time Rob took his turn."

"Yes," said his father slowly, "but I sure do hate to wake him."

As Rob listened, a strange, wonderful feeling came over him.  His father loved him!  He had never thought of it before.  Neither his father nor his mother talked much about loving their children.  Such things were taken for granted.

On the night before Christmas, that year when he was 15 - Pearl Buck relates an episode in a moving story entitled "Christmas Day in the Morning" - Rob lay in bed wishing he had a better present for his father than the dime-store tie he had bought.

Then the thought struck him.  He would get up early that morning - Christmas morning - while his father was still asleep and creep into the barn and get all the milking done.

Then when his father went in to start the milking, he would see that it was all done.

"What the..." he could hear his father exclaiming.

So that's what he would do.  At quarter to 3 he got up and crept down to the barn.  He finished the milking, then came into the house and crawled back into bed.  He lay still, laughing to himself.

In just a few minutes his father would know.  His dancing heart was ready to jump from his bady.

Soon, sure enough, the door to his room opened.

"Rob!"

"Yes, Dad?"

"Rob, you son-of-a-gun!"  His father was laughing - a sobbing sort of laugh.

"It's for Christmas, Dad!"

It was dark and they couldn't see each other's faces but Rob reached out and found his father and clutched him in a great hug.

"Son, thank you.  Nobody ever did a nicer thing."

This is a story in the true spirit of Christmas, for love was exchanged that Christmas morning between a father and his son and Christmas is a love story - a love story as old as the Judean hills which first echoed to its telling and as new as this Christmas Day.

[Copied from an old, yellowed, newspaper clipping in my Christmas file - by George R. Plagenz, 'Scripps-Howard Religion Writer]

WONDERFUL COUNSELOR

 Have you experienced the impact of a good counselor?

 1. Our Wonderful Counselor is CONSTANTLY AVAILABLE!

      Come, let’s talk this over, says the Lord; no matter how deep the stain of your sins, I can take it out and make you as clean as freshly fallen snow. Even if you are stained as red as crimson, I can make you white as wool!    Isaiah 1:18 (LB)

 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”           Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)

 

 

2. Our Wonderful Counselor KNOWS YOU! 

Try to realize what this means—the Lord is God! He made us—we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.    Psalm 100:3 (LB)

 

“I am the Good Shepherd and know my own sheep, and they know me,…”   John 10:14  (LB)

 

“…the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”  Matthew 10:30  (LB)

 

“There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.”     

                                          Matthew 10:26

 

3. Our Wonderful Counselor understands our COMPLEXITY!

 Healthy religion results when people satisfy their spiritual needs in open, growing, respecting ways that say a resounding “Yes!” to life! 

“…I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”  John 10:10b (NIV)

 St. Augustine said:  “Oh! That Thou wouldst enter into my heart and inebriate it!”

  

4. Our Wonderful Counselor is totally TRUSTWORTHY!

God keeps confidences!

God always acts in your best interests – even when it doesn’t seem so! 

God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.  I Corinthians 1:9  (NIV)

 

Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.     I Thessalonians 5:24 (NAS)

 

God who began the good work within you will keep right on helping you grow in his grace until his task within you is finally finished on that day when Jesus Christ returns.       Philippians 1:6 (LB)

 

 

5. Our Wonderful Counselor always gives us PERFECT GUIDANCE! 

The counsel of the Lord stands forever;  the plans of His heart from generation to generation.     Psalm 33:11 (NAS)

 

The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—

    the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,

    the Spirit of counsel and of power,

    the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD— Isaiah 11:2 (NIV)

 

I will praise the LORD, who counsels me;

    even at night my heart instructs me.      

                                 Psalm 16:7 (NIV)

 

Remember:

o   God knows everything

o   God sees past, present, and future

o   God is love 

 

6. Our Wonderful Counselor is a constant HELPER and ENCOURAGER! 

    “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you… The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”   Deuteronomy 31:6,8  (NIV)

 

• He helps me by giving me strength, courage, wisdom, etc.
• He provides for all my needs and gives me my daily bread.
• He gives me talents, gifts of the Spirit, and grows the fruit of the Spirit in my life.
• He has given me His love letters to read daily.
• He communicates with me through His Holy Spirit.
• He has placed me in His Body to grow and be nurtured!

 

 

7. Our Wonderful Counselor cares about you ETERNALLY! 

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.    I Peter 5:7 (NIV)

 

You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.       Psalm 73:24 (NIV)

 

 

Do you want the help of this Wonderful Counselor?

 Do you want a divine Helper who:

o   is always available?

o   already knows you?

o   understands your complexity?

o   is totally trustworthy?

o   always gives perfect guidance?

o   is a constant Helper and Encourager?

o   cares about you – eternally?

All you have to do is pray this prayer: 

Dear God:

I am making a mess of my life!  I desperately need help!  I believe You can help me!  I humble myself and admit my weaknesses and failures.  I invite You to come into my life and be my Lord!  I choose You to be my Wonderful Counselor for all of life and eternity!

A STAR OF HOPE

Astronomers today, using sophisticated instruments, such as state-of-the-art planetariums, can reconstruct the appearance of the sky on any given night in history – including that miraculous night two millennia ago. 

The most plausible theory suggests that the star that appeared over Bethlehem may have been Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system and the second brightest after Venus.  Because the planets orbit the sun, their positions in the night sky change systematically from night to night – generally moving eastward.  

But periodically, the planets can appear to reverse their course, moving westward for two or three months before turning back and heading eastward again.  This happens because the planets farther from the Sun than we are take longer to complete one orbit.  Thus, Jupiter moves eastward until a time comes when the faster-orbiting Earth overtakes it;  then it suddenly seems to be moving west. 

According to planetarium programs, ancient astronomers would have paid attention when on September 14, 3 B.C., Jupiter appeared to pass very close to the star Regulus, “the King’s star.”  This moving close together of two stars is technically referred to as a conjunction.  This conjunction would have occurred in the eastern sky.

In ensuing months, Jupiter headed eastward, stopped and reversed direction.  On February 17, 2 B.C., the planet passed even closer to Regulus.  Continuing its dance, Jupiter passed Regulus a third time on May 8.  Thus, over nearly eight months, the Magi saw Jupiter appear to draw a circle, or crown, above the King’s star, beginning in the east.  The Magi in our story apparently interpreted this as a prediction of a royal birth in Judea.

But Jupiter’s dance continued.  Five weeks later, Jupiter formed a dramatic alignment with Venus, a celestial event almost unheard of in the history of astronomy.  This sequence took place on the evening of June 17, 2 B.C.  As the sky darkened over Babylonia, Jupiter and Venus drew closer and closer until, at 8:51 that night, the two planets appeared virtually to kiss each other, fusing into a single brilliant star in the western sky, seemingly pointing the direction to Bethlehem.   [taken from “Star of Wonder”  by David H. Levy, Parade Magazine, December 23, 2001, pp.8-9]

This final culmination of Jupiter’s travels would have been the incentive the Magi needed to commence on a probable two-year journey to Judea in search of a newly-born King of the Jews.  It’s clear from the scriptures that when they arrived, Joseph and Mary were now living in a house;  it’s also clear that when they arrived Jesus is no longer described as a baby, but as a child! 

Now, I can’t resist speculating a bit further.  There are some of us who are truly fascinated by these kind of observations.  I couldn’t help but notice the peculiarity of these dates.  If you’ll look again, you’ll see that Jupiter’s first conjunction took place on September 14, 3 B.C.  Then, you’ll notice that Jupiter’s journey culminated in an awesome, one-time-only display on June 17, 2 B.C.  Do you notice anything about these dates?  I was struck by the fact that they are almost exactly to-the-day nine months apart!

I don’t know about you, but I am fascinated by these scientific reinforcements of the scriptures and therefore, our faith!  It’s amazing to me that an in-depth study of the heavens – that were created by the pre-incarnate Christ – can possibly reveal to us not only the possible date of Christ’s Immaculate Conception, but perhaps even the date and moment of Christ’s incarnation! 

 Psalm 19:1-4  [TLB]

The heavens are telling the glory of God; they are a marvelous display of his craftsmanship. Day and night they keep on telling about God. Without a sound or word, silent in the skies, their message reaches out to all the world. 

If you’ve read this far, you might be interested in the following:

The two largest planets in our solar system – Jupiter and Saturn – will align to create what appears to be a “double planet” or ultra-bright star on December 21, 2020.

The last time the two planets aligned so closely to each other and to earth was almost 800 years ago!

German astronomer Johannes Kepler wrote in 1614 that he believed the ‘Star of Bethlehem’ in the Nativity story could have been a conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn.

Astronomers have calculated that the two planets crossed each other’s paths in 7 BC and that three planets (Jupiter, Saturn and Mars) aligned in Pieces (the sign of the fish, and secret symbol of ancient Christians) for an even brighter conjunction in 6 BC.

Some believe this could’ve been the “bright star” the three magi, or wise men, were following to find their way to Bethlehem when Jesus was supposedly born.

[The "Christmas Star" Reappears for the First Time in 800 Years This Winter Solstice (returntonow.net)]

Isn’t it interesting that God would give us a light as we end the darkest year!!!!!

GIVING GOOD GIFTS

How do we go about giving good gifts this year for Christmas?

How would you describe a good gift?

·        Something that uniquely suits me

·        Something that will save me time or make my work easier

·        Something that is home-made

·        Something that is expensive

·        Something I wouldn’t buy myself

·        Something I can really use or that I really need

·        Something that someone sacrificed to give

·        Something that has special meaning behind it

·        Something that was difficult to find, make, or get

 

Let’s look at gift-giving from a biblical vantage point.

Ø Costly gifts:  (Genesis 24:53)  gold and silver jewelry, articles of clothing

Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewelry and articles of clothing and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts to her brother and to her mother.

 

Ø Peace gifts:  (Genesis 32:13)  goats, camels, bulls, donkeys

He spent the night there, and from what he had with him he selected a gift for his brother Esau:  two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, thirty female camels with their young, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys.

 

Ø Generous gifts  (II Corinthians 9:5)  “not as one grudgingly given”

So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given.

 

Ø Gifts to impress  (Proverbs 19:6)

Many curry favor with a ruler, 

and everyone is the friend of a man who gives gifts.

 

     Ø Secret gifts  (Proverbs 21:14)

A gift given in secret soothes anger, 

and a bribe concealed in the cloak pacifies great wrath.

 

     Ø Spiritual gifts:  (Romans 1:11)

 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.

 

Ø Gifts to the poor  (Esther 9:22) (Acts 24:17)

 He (Mordecai) wrote them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food to one another and gifts to the poor.

 After an absence of several years, I came to Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for the poor and to present offerings.

 

Ø Gifts to God:  (Leviticus 22:18)  (Deuteronomy 12:6)  unblemished male from the herd or flock

‘If any of you—either an Israelite or an alien living in Israel—presents a gift for a burnt offering to the LORD, either to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering, you must present a male without defect from the cattle, sheep or goats in order that it may be accepted on your behalf.

 

You must not worship the LORD your God in their way. But you are to seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for his dwelling. To that place you must go;  there bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, what you have vowed to give and your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks.  There, in the presence of the LORD your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the LORD your God has blessed you.

 

Ø Indescribable gifts  (II Corinthians 9:15)

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

 

Ø Perfect gift  (James 1:17)

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

  

Let’s look at the gifts that Jesus received:

> GOLD

If diamonds are a woman’s best friend – then gold can’t be far behind!  Almost any adult would appreciate a gift of gold.  To give a gift of gold is equal to giving a gift of money!  Who would turn that down?  Money is good!  Right? 

In this case, the gold was probably used to finance Joseph and Mary’s escape to Egypt.  There is no evidence to indicate that Joseph was a wealthy man.  He obviously had a trade and was capable of producing income;  however, he had just financed a costly trip to Bethlehem and was facing the transition from caring only for his own needs to caring for the needs of himself, his wife, and a newborn son!  The gift of gold given to Jesus was probably viewed as a gift from God  to enable them to be obedient to His guidance!       

> FRANKINCENSE

Remarkably, giving gifts of fragrance are not uncommon in our day!  Many of us will either buy or receive gifts of cologne or perfume.  Others may receive gifts of potpourri, or scented candles, or even incense!  Something capable of eliminating harsh or unwanted odors must have been a welcomed gift in the days of Mary and Joseph.  Who knows?  If there really were animals present at Jesus’ birth, some of that incense might have been handy right on the spot! 

But this was not just any incense!  It was a specific incense that was rare and probably expensive.  It was almost exclusively used in the Temple and was associated with the burning of sacrifices before God.  It had to have been perceived as an odd gift to give to a newborn baby or its parents!  Its purpose was clearly symbolic.  It was a divinely inspired gift to indicate that Jesus would become the unique sacrifice for our sins.  His ultimate death on the cross would be a pleasing sacrifice to God and would satisfy the death penalty that comes on all of us as a result of our sin.

For the record:  the frankincense was probably sold or surrendered to the Temple with the possibility of either gaining a profit for Mary and Joseph or of being a gift from them to God!

> MYRRH

Myrrh is another perfume, but this one would have been a source of mystery to Joseph and Mary.  It was a specific perfume used almost exclusively for embalming the dead!  This would be the equivalent of buying a newborn baby a burial vault.  It was obviously another symbolic gift.  It was a foreshadowing of the death of Jesus.  Is it any wonder that we find Mary repeatedly pondering these things and treasuring them up in her heart? 

Let’s remember, she was probably a young, Jewish girl.  She had been visited by an angel who told her that she would miraculously give birth to God’s Son.  A baby was conceived in her womb without the involvement of a man.  Hardship followed.  A census is called for at the critical time of her delivery.  The baby is born in a stable and His first bed is a manger.  Shepherds come, unexpectedly to worship Him.  Finally, wealthy wise men come reporting the appearance of a new star in the sky and delivering these odd gifts!  What is Mary to make of all this?

 

We might wonder:  Why do we exchange gifts at Christmas anyway?  Is it because the wise men brought gifts to Jesus?   Historically, the practice of gift-giving around Christmas only roots back a little over 200 years.  Some think that our gift-giving springs from the example of St. Nicholas who was a bishop in Asia Minor from whom many legends have arisen.  These legends all have to do with the fact that he was a man who knew how to give “so that the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing.”  Legends report several practices of this church leader:

o   He baked cookies and distributed them to poor children

o   Having come from a wealthy home, he left three bags of gold hanging on the doorknob of a poor family that had three daughters with no dowry.  Without this gift, they would have been forced into prostitution.

o   The miracle that is recorded to his credit comes from him begging grain for his starving people from passing merchant ships, promising them that at the end of their trip, not an ounce would be missing.

The memory of this saint has been embellished and changed significantly over the centuries till he is almost unrecognizable to us now.  Is that why we give gifts at Christmas?   No!  The emphasis on St. Nicholas and gift-giving actually has hazards for us.  We must be careful that gift giving doesn’t become the focus of Christmas instead of thanking the Lord for the gift of His Son (John 3:16).

 

There are at least a couple of good reasons for giving gifts at Christmas time or anytime!

1.     Gift giving is an expression of our love for one another!

Giving and receiving gifts can be part of fulfilling what Paul says about giving in                II Corinthians 8:7-8, "Since you excel in so many ways—you have so much faith, such gifted speakers, such knowledge, such enthusiasm, and such love for us now I want you to excel also in this gracious ministry of giving. I am not saying you must do it, even though the other churches are eager to do it. This is one way to prove your love is real."

2.     The Bible gives us the wonderful story about the gift God gave us - Christ. 

Does giving gifts have to take away from the true meaning of Christmas?  No, it does not.  If we focus on the wonderful gift of salvation the Lord has given us (Isaiah 9:6), it is a natural expression of that gratefulness for us to give to others.

For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

 

The key is on our focus.  Is your focus on the gift, or the ultimate gift-giver - our gracious Heavenly Father? 

 

Back in 1998, MasterCard sponsored a variety of "Priceless" commercials. Each ad began with a list of stuff (or services) and a matching set of prices. Then came a phrase identifying some intangible that can't be purchased. And finally, there was the single word "Priceless," followed by the assertion that "There are some things money can't buy. For everything else, there's MasterCard." They were great commercials, and they were popular, according to the Harris ad tracking service. The ad executive who serviced the "Priceless" account at the McCann-Erickson ad agency explained that "what really hit home with consumers was that a company that is fundamentally all about money and paying for things would actually declare that the things that really count can't be bought."

We would affirm that new gadgets, TV’s, DVD players, phones, power tools, appliances, clothes, jewelry, and all the other things that will be given and received next Friday – all pale in comparison with the gift that is truly priceless!  There is a peace that comes from accepting the Gift of Christ into your life that cannot be attained any other way in this world!  The joy of being forgiven for our sins and of gaining a hope of eternal life is truly priceless.

 

There was another advertising campaign quite a few years ago that said it even better.  I went to the Hallmark store for a card that year and saved the bag because it said it so well:  “When you care enough to send the very best”!  That’s exactly what God did when He sent His one and only Son into the world to save us!  He cared enough to send the VERY BEST!

LONGING FOR HOME

In the story of David, he exhibited great patience in waiting for God to install him as the king of Israel.  King Saul (the first king of Israel) sought to find and kill David for nearly a decade.  Both grew weary of this pursuit.  

In II Samuel 23, David is hiding in a cave with his men.  He is tired of living the life of a fugitive.  It's one of the few times we seem him feeling down and disheartened.  In this weak moment, he makes a statement that his 'mighty men' overhear:  "Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem."  [Remember, Bethlehem is the "City of David".]

His 'mighty men' are deeply devoted to David!  

So the three mighty men broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David.  [v.16]

What a symbol of devotion for a man they loved, admired and trusted.  They literally risked their lives for the sake of their leader!  

David was overwhelmed, shocked and unhappy with the tremendous risk they had taken on his behalf.  

...he refused to drink it;  instead, he poured it out before the LORD.  "Far be it from me, O LORD, to do this!" he said.  "Is this not the blood of men who went at the risk of their lives?"  And David would not drink it.  [vs.16-17]

_________________________________________

Christmas is a time of longing for home for many.  It's a nostalgic time of remembering fond people and activities from our past.  Those memories are embedded in our minds and are a formative part of who we are.  

Many of us would love to revisit times past when loved ones were still with us and where life seemed simpler.   We may get reflective during these weeks of preparation and celebration.  That's partly why many churches are offering a special worship opportunity called 'Blue Christmas'.  It allows - even encourages - us to experience the somber side of this celebrative season and own our feelings of despair and sadness.

This attitude of reflection is evident in the music of the season.  

I'll be home for Christmas

You can count on me

Please have snow

And mistletoe

And presents 'neath the tree

Christmas eve will find me

Where the love light gleams

I'll be home for Christmas

If only in my dreams

[by Robin Bernheim]

It seems to represent a longing for the familiar - the things and people that formed and shaped us. It's a desire to be with those whom we love - or have loved.  This is not a bad thing!  It is a simple recognition that life has been good and we have enjoyed wonderful people and pleasurable times.  

Loneliness is exacerbated when we see families and friends making merry.  Many people no longer have the pleasure of companionship or family to comfort them.  When we reach out and enfold them, we bless them with acceptance.

Christmas 2020 magnifies this phenomenon by ten times!  Many states are trying to prohibit us from getting together - even with our family!  We long for a drink from Bethlehem's well, but are not allowed to travel to Bethlehem!  We've never experienced this before!  All of us are incredulous.  We didn't see this coming - never even imagined it!  

Let's pray about this:

Kind and loving Lord,

We lift those who may be longing for home, but unable to go.

Bring people into their lives who can facilitate joy and camaraderie for them.

We pray for our military who are often required to be on duty in far distant places.

Comfort them as they celebrate with their loved ones via phone or computer.

Comfort them and keep them safe as they reflect on those they love and miss.

Bless - Oh God, bless our many parents, siblings, aunts, uncles and other family and friends

who are trapped in hospitals and nursing homes as a result of Covid-19.

Many of them have had no physical contact for over nine months.

Some must surely feel abandoned. 

Gracious God, be near to them, watch over them, protect them and comfort them.

Send Your angels to assure them that they are loved and appreciated.

Strengthen front-line workers, Lord, who are growing weary.

Reassure them that the end is in sight.

Heal those who have become infected.

Comfort those who long to be with loved ones for the celebration of Your holy birth!

Give us hope that this year's Christmas is an anomaly and that things will soon return to some semblance of normal.  

Thank You for Your many blessings!

You are an awesome God, and it is our pleasure to serve You!

May Your name be praised forever!

Amen.