The Greatest Gift!

John 3:16-18

O. Henry wrote a classic short story which was called, The Gift of the Magi.
It is a story about a young couple who are very poor.
They live in New York City about 100 years ago.

They loved each other so very much, and wished to give the other a wonderful Christmas present.
They barely have enough money to survive, so they couldn't afford to buy a Christmas present.

The young husband hocks his only valuable possession, his father's gold watch, in order to buy his wife
a set of expensive combs for her long beautiful hair.

Meanwhile, the loving young wife cuts her hair, and sells it to a wig maker in order to buy her husband
a gold chain to replace the string on his prized watch.

The story teaches us that what is given is not nearly so important as to why it was given.
The motivation for giving a gift is vastly more important than the gift we give.

At Christmas we remember gifts of "gold, frankincense, and myrrh"
given to Jesus by the Magi in Matthew 2:11.

The story of Santa Claus comes from the tradition of Saint Nicholas, an anonymous benefactor who gave
presents to children each Christmas.
In various cultures founded upon Christianity, there are traditions of giving gifts on different days of the season.
Most of us spend too much on gifts.
You probably buy presents for a long list of people.

Larry Wilde said it this way,
"Christmas has turned into the season when people run out of money before they run out of friends."

Why do you give gifts?

• Some give gifts out of obligation.
• Some give just because it is expected.
• Some buy gifts for co-workers, relatives or other acquaintances -- and you don't even like them!
• Some give some gifts to impress.
• Some give gifts because they expect something in return.
• Some give gifts because they want to help those who are needy.
• Some give gifts to express appreciation.
• Some give gifts to express their love.

• John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son..."
  How can you measure God's great love?
  The little word, "so," attempts the impossible.
  God "so" loved the world.
• Rom.5:8: "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners,
  Christ died for us."

• Ephesians.2:4-5: "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
  even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)."
• 1 John 3:1 says, "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called
  children of God!"
• 1 John 4:9 says, "In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent
  His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him."

• Jeremiah wrote, "The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: 'Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love;
  Therefore with loving kindness I have drawn you. " (Jeremiah.31:3)

• He lit a candle and placed it before a small manger.
• He lit another candle and placed it before a crudely woven crown of thorns.
• He lit another candle and placed it before a rough wooden cross.

• The gift is God's precious Son!
• There is no more precious gift!
• That gift is eternal!

• "If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator.
• If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist.
• If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist.
• If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer.