December 10, 2001

Family Bible Series for Dec. 23

Remember to share the greatest gift of all
___ John 3:16; 1 John 3:11-24
___By Christine Hockin-Boyd
___Texas WMU, Dallas
___It's always interesting to see how a person goes about purchasing a gift. One person will ponder the idea for months, carefully weighing one gift idea over another, researching for the best value and price. Yet another will wait until the weekend before Christmas or, worse, Christmas Eve and join in the maddening rush of last-minute shoppers. And then there's the rare type of person who shops year 'round and carefully selects, purchases and stores gifts to be delivered on Christmas. Which type are you?
___Regardless of your choice, the important thing is the intent and purpose of heart with which you select the gift. It could be said that the same value, intent and effort could be placed in all types of gift selecting and giving of the shopper--early bird, as you go or just in the nick of time. I'll leave it up to you to decide.
___Let's think about the gift that was given by God through the baby Jesus. Was that a gift given as a last-minute-shopper idea? Or thought about a few weeks prior to the giving? A few months in advance? A year in advance?
___God had a perfect plan that was specially designed when Jesus would be given to all humankind. This extraordinary gift was not thought about lightly but rather out of his supreme love for us did he send this gift in the form of a baby.
___"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). Herein lies the example of love in its purest sense. A gift that was not just for the present but for all eternity. Receiving and accepting this special gift permitted humanity to spend eternity with the Savior and live without death, sickness, fear, evil or sin.
___How do your Christmas gift ideas compare? Quickly in your mind examine the type, intent and eternal value of each. Am I saying that fun and cute gifts are unimportant? No. Am I saying that extravagant gifts are inappropriate? No. I would simply suggest that we not forget the perfect gift of God's love through Jesus. Simply sharing the love of God with one another, and especially non-believers, is and will be the most important.
___The concept of God's kind of love (agape) is found throughout John's writings. Love is characteristic of God's nature, is expressed in Jesus' coming to redeem all people and is expected of Christ's people. As Christ's followers, we are to love God, one another and non-believers. This is an expectation, not a suggestion. Earthly love is shown through gift-giving, words of various meanings (love for car, gadget or food), shallow romanticism which can be found on television and movies, and sexual lust. Love is also portrayed through an assortment of acts for others, whether it is a friend, spouse or significant other.
___However, in the biblical sense, God is love. He created it. He defined it. God expressed his love through Jesus. And he desires that all people come to know and love him. It is an expectation that God has that his people will express their love to him and to others. Why? Because God is love. This love continues on seeking the best for its intended. Without God's love there would be no hope, faith, joy or peace.
___Loving one another is not always easy. John writes about this in verses 11-15. When you stand up for what is right, you may be ridiculed or even killed. When a Christian lives for God and stands up for his principles, then the world can, and often will, hate you.
___Why? Because you may be bringing a painful awareness of their immoral way of life. That hurts and brings great discomfort. When that hurt is so great the heart becomes hardened and bitter, and evil thoughts protrude from the heart.
___John says this person is a murderer--a murderer at heart. How can one love someone else when the heart is so filled with anger, resentment and other wicked emotions? You can't, and that is why sharing about God's great love through Jesus is of such importance. That's the greatest gift you could give at Christmas.
___How do know someone loves you? Is it because of words of affection, small or great gifts, or actions? Verses 16-20 share with us that God's love laid down his life for us. It's easy to say you would die for a family member, but what about living for that person?
___The principle here is one of meeting needs in others' lives. Putting others first. Putting action to our words. "And this is his command to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us" (1 John 3:23). Will you share about the greatest gift of love this Christmas?
___Questions for discussion
___ What are some of the reasons Jesus is such a perfect gift to humanity?
___ How big an impact does the gift of Christ have on your Christmas Day? How would a greater focus on that gift impact your Christmas?
___ Christmas is a stressful time for some people. How could a greater focus on Christ relieve this stress?

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