A Most Precious Gift

12-23-07 message by Pastor Rich Doebler

Paul wrote to the church at Corinth and put it like this: "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich." (2 Cor 8:9)

We've sung songs about Christmas. We've heard Scripture verses telling the story of Jesus' birth in Bethlehem. Most have made plans for the holidays. Most have gone shopping for Christmas presents, even though a few of us still have a little left to do.

Last week we distilled all the activities and the story of Christmas down to a very simple truth: God sent Jesus to be born as a Savior to you, Christ the Lord!

Jesus laid aside all his rights and privileges as God, as the second person of the Godhead, in order to humble himself and be born in the form of a human. Jesus was willing to come be our Savior. But God, the Father, also was willing to send him.

How do you think God, the Father, felt about sending his Son into the world? Was he like a lot of parents? Watching out for his Son? Maybe a bit overly protective? Concerned about what could happen to him?

We know God loved the world, but let's not forget that he also loved his Son. His divine love as the Father for his one and only Son makes our gift of salvation even more incredible.

God loved us so much that he sent the One who was closest to him, the One who was near and dear to his heart, his very own Son, to rescue us. God loved the world so much that he gave the costliest, most precious gift he could possibly give.

Maybe a down-to-earth example can help us catch a glimpse of what God felt and did for us by sending his Son.

Often the deepest truths of God's kingdom are best understood through the eyes and the heart of a child. After all, Christmas and children seem to go together. The wonder and miracle of Christmas can perhaps be seen far better through the eyes of a child than through the teachings of some theologian.

I'd like to introduce you to a boy named Logan Henderson, who lives on a ranch in the middle of Nebraska—where he listens to a Christian radio station out of Houston, Texas on the Sky Angel network. Now, you have to remember, kids are different down there. They don't grow up like kids in Cloquet, wanting to be hockey players. Down there, they're interested more in football...and rodeos and cowboys. So let's listen to KSBJ radio station when this young cowboy named Logan calls in.

[VIDEO CLIP: Logan, The Sky Angel Cowboy]

God's Son was special to him! God's Son was close to him. So why was God willing to give his Son? Because of love. God's gift to the world was motivated by his love for the world.

"God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son..." (John 3:16).

"[God] did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all..." (Romans 8:32)

God's love for us was without conditions! We didn't deserve it. We could never earn his love. We don't have enough money to buy it. Yet despite all that, God loved us so much that he sent his Son to this sorry, sin-cursed planet in order to save us.

"...God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

Paul wrote to the church at Corinth and put it like this: "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich." (2 Cor 8:9)

God gave up his Son--he let him go down into the world of sin. He let Jesus exchange all his glory as God in order to become human. He let him give up his spiritual privileges and wealth to take on mere, meager, material stuff--spiritual poverty.

But his loss became our gain; his sacrifice became our salvation; his grace became our gift.

"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich." (2 Cor 8:9)

The word "grace" is intertwined with the word "gift." The ancient Greek uses seven different words to describe different kinds of gifts.* One of those words is simply the word "grace" with a couple extra letters added at the end. You cannot write or say that word without first writing or saying the word for grace. [*English does the same: gift, present, contribution, donation, endowment, offering, reward, talent, ability, skill.]

Grace is charis; gift is charisma--literally, "a gift of grace, a free gift."

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift [charisma] of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

God's grace--God's gift--God's most valuable, most precious gift--is Jesus, who rescues us from the consequences of sin, who sets us free from the power of sin, who gives us a brand new life--a fresh start, and who gives us hope for a better life and for eternity.

At Christmas, we remember the greatest, most precious gift of all. The sad thing is that so many people do not value Jesus--this most precious, expensive gift of God. They don't really care that he paid the price for their sin. They don't really appreciate all that he did for them. They reject him--if not outright, then by default.

The Bible says that though Jesus was "rejected by men, [he] ...is choice and precious in the sight of God." (1 Pet 2:4, NASB)

When you give a gift to someone, how do you feel if she turns up her nose at it? If she tosses it in the closet? How do you feel when someone rejects your gift? Have you ever "regifted" something given to you--where you rewrap it up and give it to someone else?

Many people reject God's gift. Or they take it for granted--they just don't acknowledge Jesus. They try to ignore him, hoping he won't interfere too much in their affairs. Others go further and try to avoid him--as though they fear he's going to upset their lives. Some even try to run away, afraid he's going to ruin them, rob them of their fun, and make life miserable.

Of course, the opposite is true. Jesus came to rescue their lives.

A couple of years ago, news came out of Utah about a young boy scout who got lost in the woods in the Uinta Mountains. Brennan Hawkins had been slow getting out of a harness at a climbing wall, and his buddy left expecting him to catch up. Nobody saw him after that for four days, even though rescuers combed the entire area searching for him. Later they discovered why they had such a hard time finding Brennan: he didn't want to be found because he was afraid of the rescuers.

During his four days in the woods, Brennan said he kept two thoughts in mind, both of them instructions from his parents: Never leave a trail and never talk to strangers. So, when people on horseback appeared on his trail, Brennan pulled off the path and kept out of view until they passed.

His father said in an interview: "I think that what kind of drove him was his fear that somebody was going to take him." He was hiding from "strangers" when, in fact, they were rescue workers trying to help him. So many people are like that when it comes to Jesus! He came to save them. He came to rescue them. But they're afraid he's going to abduct them--and destroy their lives. [CBS News]

Have you been running from Jesus? Have you been avoiding the One who wants to rescue you?

You don't have to be afraid of Jesus. He came to give himself as a sacrifice in order to save you. And if he came to rescue you, he's going to watch out for you.

If you've been running from God, this Christmas you can stop running. If you've been ignoring him or avoiding him, this would be an excellent time to step out of the woods and trust him. Or if you've merely been taking Jesus for granted, why not change that this Christmas?

Ask yourself: Is Jesus precious to me? Have I put him first in my life--above everything else and everyone else?

Why was Jesus so precious to the Father?

1. Jesus was precious to the Father because he was close to him. Jesus said: "I and the Father are one." (John 10:30) You can't get any closer than that! Are you so close to Jesus that you are one with him?

Jesus said: "...the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does." (John 5:19)

re you so close to Jesus that you do whatever he does?

Are you so close to the Lord that you want to please him in every way. Do you want to do everything that he is doing (like the bracelets: What Would Jesus Do)?

Jesus said: "Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does." (John 5:19)

2. Jesus was precious to the Father because he was holy--the perfect sacrifice, without sin and without blemish. In ancient times, when the Jews had to offer a lamb as a sacrifice for their sins, they were instructed that the lamb could not be deficient or flawed in any way.

" ²¹ ...When anyone brings from the herd or flock a fellowship offering to the LORD to fulfill a special vow or as a freewill offering, it must be without defect or blemish to be acceptable. ²² Do not offer to the LORD the blind, the injured or the maimed, or anything with warts or festering or running sores." (Lev 22:21-22)

A perfect sacrifice was required to take away the sins of the whole world. Jesus was precious because he was that perfect sacrifice.

"...John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!' " (John 1:29) Have you permitted the Lamb of God to take away your sin?

" ¹⁸ For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed... ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect." (1 Peter 1:18-19) Have you been redeemed by his blood? Is it precious to you? Have you received God's precious gift?

3. Jesus was precious to the Father because he gave himself.

"The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life..." (John 10:17)

The reason we can love Jesus is because he came as a baby to Bethlehem so he could lay down his life on Calvary. Do you love him?