December 10, 2017
Morning Service

Christmas, what does it mean to us? More importantly what should it mean to us? Well first Christmas was not mentioned in the Bible, well Christmas as it is celebrated wasn’t, but the story that inspired it is. So we aren’t biblically commanded to keep it Jesus birthday nor do we know when it actually occurred. December 25^th was first celebrated in the year 336 during the time of Constantine the 1^st Christian Roman Emperor. Then a few years later Pope Julius I declared that the birth of Jesus would be celebrated on Dec. 25. So where did the idea of giving gifts come from? Well it’s no secret that it was based on the 3 Wise Men bringing gifts to Jesus.

Herod called 3 Wise Men and sent them to find baby Jesus…

  Matthew 2: 9  When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. ¹¹ And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

   Most of the time we tend to overlook the greatest gift and that was the gift God gave us…

 John      ^3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. ¹⁷ For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

   He was given gifts when he was born and gave us a gift upon his death, that being the opportunity to have our sins taken away and receive the gift of eternal life.

   Through the years commercialism has begun changing our focus of Christmas. Christmas giving has gone from simple homemade gifts to new vehicles, high tech electronics and anything imaginable. It’s obviously the time of year most businesses count on to boost sales so everything is geared toward buying their product. We live in the time of plenty but there are many that live from day to day survival. Each year now at Christmastime we are beginning to see people making a push to help those in need. It is heartening to see effort being made to reach out to those less fortunate. Here is what Paul said in Acts… 

Acts ^20:34 Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me. ³⁵ I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Proverbs 22  ⁹ He who has a generous eye will be blessed,
For he gives of his bread to the poor.

Proverbs 28: ²⁷ He who gives to the poor will not lack, But he who hides his eyes will have many curses.

Luke 3: ¹¹ He answered and said to them, “He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.”

I can’t read scriptures like those above without thinking of my mom when I was young. Growing up in the 50’s & 60’s it wasn’t uncommon making their way across country by hitchhiking along the highways. Living right on Hwy 50 it was a common occurrence to see someone walking along the highway with a bag or bundle on their back. We were always warned to go inside when we saw someone because obviously it wasn’t possible to know their intentions. Many times I have seen a wayward person come to our door asking for a drink and my mom wouldn’t turn them away without fixing them a fried bologna or fried egg sandwich and a glass of water. And it wasn’t just my mom but most people at that time would be hospitable to strangers. Of course today that might be a bit questionable.

Luke 6: ³⁸ Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

It’s hard to argue the point when it’s made clear that our treatment will be based on how we have treated others.

Galatians 6: ² Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Matthew 25: ³⁵ for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;

Around 43 years ago when I was dating Mendy I was on the way home one night late and there was a man hitchhiking along the highway. It was winter and he looked like an older man so against all I’d ever been told I stopped and picked him up. He had at least one suitcase that I remember and he placed it in the backseat and got in. He was happy someone had picked him up and he thanked me profusely as we went down the road. He proceeded to tell me he had been visiting his son up north and as he was hitchhiking home a semi had blown road sand/salt in one of his eyes, which was all red and irritated. He stated that he wanted to go to Shoals as he knew a lady there with a boarding house and he wanted to see if she had a room he could stay the night in. I only lived about 6-7 miles down the road and Shoals was about another 10 from home and I was low on gas. He said he had a brand new shirt in his suitcase and he would give it to me if I would take him. So as we approached my house I just passed it on up and took him to Shoals. Among the things he told me on the way was that he hadn’t eaten in a while and he hoped the lady would let him stay because he didn’t have any money. We arrived at the boarding house and I got in my billfold and gave him $10 which was all I had. I can still see him running back down the sidewalk elated and telling me she had a room and I don’t remember how much it was but he had enough money left that I took him back to Bo-Macs and got him what he wanted…2 hotdogs with onion and a root beer. I took him back to the boarding house and dropped him off and headed home. Next morning I had to siphon gas from my dad’s car to get to work. Since then I have had a soft spot for people in need.

James 2: ¹⁴ What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? ¹⁷ Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.                                                                                                                                                             To my way of thinking Christmas time should be the time of year that brings this to the forefront of our minds. Not that Christmas is the only time of year we should be in this frame of mind but it should renew our thoughts of those less fortunate and spur us to strive year round to reach out.  

     1 John 3:¹⁷ But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? ¹⁸ My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.