Rev. David Holwick Christmas Eve
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
December 24, 2000 Matthew 2:9-11
2 Corinthians 9:11-15
GIFT GETTING
I. Perils of gift-getting.
A. Garrison Keillor's off-color Christmas present.
"A few years ago, someone near and dear gave me a Polo shirt
for Christmas.
I said thank you, of course, and put it on, and tried to look
pleased, but what I was thinking was, 'Burgundy?'
In my experience, burgundy shirts are worn by guys who smoke
cigarillos, drive Buick LeSabres, sit in the dark corners of
cocktail lounges and place large wages on basketball games.
I'm more of an antique blue kind of person.
But did I turn to the giver and say, 'Sorry, I don't wear this
color'?
No. I put it in a special section of my closet where I keep
never-to-be-worn clothes.
After the three-month-Christmas-gift cooling-off period required
by law, I gave the shirt to a shelter for the homeless.
I hope it's being worn by someone, and yet I can imagine a
homeless person being offered this shirt and saying to the
volunteer, 'You wouldn't have something in a pale green
or aqua would you?'
Just because you're homeless doesn't mean you look good in
burgundy.'"
#0
B. Me showing fake excitement for Grandma's gift as the camera
rolled in 1963...
C. Being seen in return line at Wal*Mart.
II. Questionable gifts.
A. Deodorant or Beano.
B. Money.
1) I enjoy getting money. It is flexible.
2) But what is the message?
a) Do they think we need this?
3) (uneasiness of churches and collections for local poor.)
C. Salvation.
1) Everyone wants heaven but ignore God's terms.
a) We automatically assume we are good enough.
1> God demands perfection.
b) We have to admit we are not just imperfect, but lost
and inadequate.
2) Real meaning of season.
a) Grinch theme - Christmas is not stuff.
b) True, but it is not just warm feelings, either.
3) Christmas is God becoming one of us to save our souls.
a) Shame - what's wrong with us right now?
1> Plenty...
b) Grace - if I need it, I should work for it.
III. What should we do about embarrassing gifts?
A. Assume the best about gifts and givers.
1) They probably don't want to insult you.
2) The gifts we may not want, we may really need.
a) Worse to know others think you have a problem, or
be ignorant and still have it?
b) Our sin nature needs a cure.
3) In the end, we don't know what we really need.
a) Only God knows what we really need.
b) He has promised to provide it.
B. No, you don't deserve it.
1) A deserved gift is not a gift, it's a wage.
a) Our sometimes a bribe - ham from undertaker.
2) Wages of sin is death, gift of God is eternal life. Rom 6:23
IV. Two gracious responses.
A. Accept it, then buy what you really want.
1) Garrison Keillor, after musing on the perils of gift
receiving, says,
"There is, for each person, a perfect gift, your heart's
desire, and nobody can give it to you except yourself."
#0
2) Friend Joe Sclafani and $500 telescope he bought himself.
3) But do we really know what we want?
a) Think of those gifts you begged for when you were 5.
b) Others may know us better than we know ourselves.
B. Accept it, then turn around and give graciously to others.
1) Examples of gracious giving.
a) Becky Pruitt - gives better gifts to all kids in
neighborhood than I give to my own brood.
b) Outpouring of our church for Josephine...
c) God and salvation. 2 Cor 9:15
1> The Bible calls Jesus the "indescribable gift."
2) Accept God's gift.
a) It may not be the gift you want, but it is the one
you need.
b) Admitting your spiritual need doesn't make you look
bad or weak, it makes you look realistic.
c) Don't leave earth without him.
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SOURCE FOR ILLUSTRATION USED IN THIS SERMON:
#0 "The Gift," sermon by Rev. William Willimon, Duke University Chapel,
given December 24, 1999. Sermon #2220 in the Holwick Access 97
database. [My sermon roughly follows his outline.]
This and 17,500 others are part of a database that can be downloaded,
absolutely free, at http://www.holwick.com
