Introduction. Courtesy of Doug Gamble Silverdale, Washington.

Transcription

1 Gifts

2 Introduction This presentation is made available as a public service due to its Biblical and historic value. The presenter should become thoroughly familiar with material before presentation. If time permits, schedule a follow-up period for questions and discussions. Courtesy of Doug Gamble Silverdale, Washington.

3 American Christmas Gifts In 2006, the average family spent $791 on Christmas gifts. $340 worth of gifts were mailed or shipped.

4 American Christmas Gifts In 2006, $451 worth was given within the average household. These gifts were placed under 82 million trees (36 million real trees and 46 million artificial trees).

5 Christmas Cards In 2006 the average family spent $34 on Christmas Cards If you send out cards, send tracts in all of them

6 Problems With Gift Giving Expense of wrapping Expense of shipping Problems with damage and returns. If person doesn t like the gift Keeping up with other gift givers.

7 Gifts on Credit One advertisement slogan used to be: The gift that keeps on giving. If you pay on credit, the gift that keeps on giving, will become: The gift that keeps on costing!

8 Gifts Can Be Hated You feel obligated to give a gift of like or higher value, but may not have the money. You may be stuck with a gift you do not like or want and you are obligated to keep it, so as to not offend the giver.

9 What Is Christmas? It was intended to be a time to remember and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, our Savior. It has become a greedy, commercial feeding frenzy.

10 Proverbs 15:27 He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live.

11 Gifts For Eternity Gift ideas: A Bible A Pocket New Testament Bible Dictionary Bible Concordance

12 Gift Ideas Christian books such as: Biographies of famous Christians Foxes Book of Martyrs Pilgrim s Progress Missionary Stories Christian Music (not rock)

13 Gifts On Your Birthday The birthday honoree gets the gifts. Who should get gifts on Christ s birthday? It should be Christ, but for most, he is not even considered. Everyone gets gifts except Christ.

14 Presents For The King In Bible times, it was the practice to bring a gift when you came before the King. Matthew 2:1-2 The wise men wanted to find the King of the Jews and they brought presents.

15 Matthew 2: 1-10 Visit of the Magi

16 Matthew 2:11 they presented unto him gifts: gold, and frankincense and myrrh.

17 Trinity God is three persons in one. God the Father God the Son God the Holy Spirit There are three that bear witness and these three are one.

18 Why Gold Is Valuable Beauty Endures, does not rust or corrode (Christ is eternal) The only metal not harmed by fire (in the fiery furnace)

19 Gold Gold is the means to buy the best on earth. Christ is the means for eternity in heaven.

20 Isaiah 13:12 I will make a man more precious than fine gold God made a golden gift for us. He is Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

21 God Gave Us A Gift In Moses day when the people were wandering in the wilderness of sin, and dieing without food, God sent manna from heaven to to save the people in sin. The word manna means: what is this gift.

22 Jesus Is The Gift John 6:28-40 Vs 32 - Manna from heaven was a gift of God Vs 33 God gave us a gift from heaven, the Bread of Life, his Son Vs 39 eternal life

23 Frankincense Exodus 30:34-36 Place Frankincense in the most holy place, where I (God) will meet with you. Christ sits on the right hand of God, in the Holiest of Holies.

24 Psalm 45:6-8 therefore God, thy God, hath annointed thee All thy garments smell of Myrrh

25 Myrrh Most valuable of the gum resins (what is more valuable than the blood of Christ) Naturally oozes when the stems are injured (When Christ was pierced, out flowed blood)

26 Myrrh Turns dark red (blood is blue inside the body, but dark red outside). Sold as a medicine (the blood of Christ pays for sin, whose wages are death).

27 John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. The gift was wrapped for us. Luke 2:12 wrapped in swaddling clothes.

28 II Corinthians 9:15 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

29 John 4:7-10 If thou knewest the gift of God

30 Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

31 Romans 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. We must repent to be saved. Repent means to turn around.

32 Romans 11:29 We repent, but Christ does not. Once he saves us, he does not turn around. He loses none that he saves.

33 How Can You Give to Christ? Financial gifts to the church. We spend $500 per year on gifts for everyone who s birthday it is not

34 Can You Give to Christ? Why not spend 10% on the person, whose birthday it is? You would not be adding to your expense, you would be getting more out of it. God is a debtor to no man.

35 In Summary Have a joyful Christmas Put less into the world s gifts. Put more into The Gift of God The best gift you can give others this Christmas, the Gospel, has already been paid for!