When God Gives

Info

Series: Holidays and Special Events / Christmas / Giving Mini-Series

Title: When God Gives What does God give to us? #spiritual_gifts #giving #Christmas

Preached:

  • 2004-12-18: Marshall
  • 2007-12-01: Atlanta
  • 2007-12-22: Linden

Songs:

  1. 136: “Good Christians, Now Rejoice”
  2. 140: “Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne”

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:10

  1. Introduction—From Stories Behind Great Traditions of Christmas by Ace Collins—Origin of Christmas gifts—Magi, but didn’t take hold—practiced in a few European countries fifteen hundred years later, but Puritans in England and America opposed gifts—not until the 1820s with the poem “The Night Before Christmas” and Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” did people in America start to get the idea of Christmas presents—after the Civil War, businesses got into Christmas; that’s when Christmas gifts really took off—but giving definitely has roots in the Bible
  2. When God Gives
    1. Salvation
      1. John 4:1–26—Woman at the well—note especially verse 10
      2. Living water = salvation
      3. Romans 6:23—the gift of God is eternal life
      4. John 3:16—This is what Christmas is all about
    2. Holy Spirit—The result of salvation
      1. Acts 2:37, 38—The Holy Spirit is God’s gift given upon salvation
      2. John 14:15–17—The Holy Spirit affects our lives
    3. Spiritual Gifts
      1. Romans 12:4–8 (1 Corinthians 12 identifies the Holy Spirit as the giver of these gifts)
      2. Equipping gifts vs. serving gifts—Ephesians 4:11–13 lists some of the equipping gifts specifically
      3. Summary of gifts: 1 Peter 4:10
    4. Mathew 25:14–30—Parable of the talents
      1. Remember 1 Peter 4:10
      2. We need to use our spiritual gifts