Our Gifts For Our King
Slide Guide, December 24, 2017
- A Gift from the Little Drummer Boy
“Then He smiled at me….me and my drum.”
That’s really what God wants from us anyway…whatever we have in abilities and talents and gifts and such, whatever it is, do it all to the glory of God. Give back to God what God has given to you in ways that bless God and bless others.
The more that you think of how benevolent God is and how pleased God is with whatever it is that you offer Him, of your time and your talents and your treasures, the more your life will be enriched by the fullness of God and the fruit of God’s spirit.
Do whatever you can with your talents and abilities in order to bring a smile to the face of God, and that will be the best present you will receive as well.
- Gifts from the Wise Men
Matt 2:11- “After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” NASU
We think of gold as signifying that when you think of giving to the Lord you think of giving your best for Him.
Frankincense was a key ingredient in the incense offerings in the Old Testament sacrifices.
It later symbolized Jesus’ own offering in which He suffered for our sins and gave Himself up for us…the sweetest offering in History.
Myrrh had the particular use of preparing for burial, signifying the reason that Jesus had come.
But the first gift each of them gave to Jesus was their worship!
Our worship is always the first gift, as well as the finest gift that we can give to our Savior.
What if we were to think of our worship more in terms of being a gift with which God is well pleased?
- The Gift of Preparing the Way
John 1:6-8- “There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.” NASU
‘There came one sent from God, whose name was (now your name)_________. You came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through you. You were not the Light, but you came to testify about the Light.’
One of the clearest purposes of your life and my life is that we are each to be a witness and to testify about the Light…the Light of the Lord Jesus Christ, and to help prepare the way…
You and I have been sent to prepare the way for Jesus’ Second Advent.
Gal 4:4-5- “But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”
You and I are the messengers of Jesus’ return. And our message is to help others prepare for the return of the King.
- A Gift from God the Holy Spirit to God the Son
Matt 1:20-21- “…for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.”
Did you ever stop to think that when God was creating the first human body that He was also creating the body in which He would one day take on for Himself?
“Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come — In the volume of the book it is written of Me — To do Your will, O God.'” Heb 10:5-7 NKJV
Through this gift of God becoming one of us, now each of us can live with our God forever and ever, when we receive His gift of forgiveness and His very life into our lives.
That’s why we call Him – “Savior!”