Today is Christmas, of course, a day when we naturally think a lot about the giving of gifts, but today I'd like to draw your attention to God, the greatest gift giver, for indeed He gives the best gifts. That's what I want to talk about this morning, but before I actually look at what the scripture has to say about this topic, would you join me for a brief word of prayer? Our Father in heaven, we ask that you would bless and encourage your people to speak to us through your word on this day. We ask this in the name of the one whose birth we celebrate on this Lord's day, Jesus the Christ. Amen. I want to begin by addressing the whole issue of why it is that God gives anything at all. So we'll consider two key interrelated reasons as to why God gives gifts to us. First of all, it is because it is an expression of His very nature. In this regard, notice what James writes in James 1.5. He says, if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not. and it shall be given him. You'll notice here that he refers to God as God that giveth. And in the Greek, that expression conveys that giving is not merely something that God does. Giving here is not an action God performs, the act of giving. Rather, actually, the Greek grammar here is conveying that this is a characteristic of God's core identity, that God is, by nature, a giving God. So, God that giveth could also be translated as the giving God. That's who He is, not merely something He does. So, it is His very nature to give, and this is why He gives. Now, the other related reason is that it is an expression of His love. We all know John 3, 16, for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. Likewise, hold your place here in James for the moment, but look at 1 John chapter 4. 1 John chapter 4 verses 9 through 10. Let me remind you what the Apostle says. 1 John chapter 4 verses 9 through 10, John talks about the love of God here. And he says, in this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we love God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. And so again, God's giving, the sending of his son, is an expression of his love. So these two key reasons as to why God gives. It's his very nature, and of course God is love, and therefore God's love expresses himself through this act of giving. We move on then to consider a related question, and that is how God gives, that is, what is the manner in which he gives. And let me turn your attention back to James 1, verse 5. Notice again the wording of the verse here. In James 1, 5, James says, if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him. There are several expressions here in this verse that emphasizes the fact that God gives generously. First of all, we're told here in verse 5 that he gives to all men. He gives to all. Secondly, we are told that He gives liberally. So he's not at all stingy. Thirdly, we are told in this verse that he does not upbraid. So when we come and when we ask, neither does God give, but he gives without being in a kind of a begrudging kind of manner. Well, okay, all right, I guess, whatever, if you really feel you need this. It's not that type of thing at all, but God is always very glad to give. And so there's no rebuke of why are you asking for this? So you put that together, you see how emphatic James is. He gives to all men, he gives liberally, and he gives without ever upbraiding us for asking. And this is the nature of the Lord Jesus Christ. And, of course, James knows this in the twofold manner, where he knows this by divine revelation, but also because he knew Jesus quite well, being, of course, he was the brother of Jesus. But I'm reminded of the words of Jesus in John 16, 23, that whatsoever you shall ask the father in my name, he will give it to you. and so he gives generously. Secondly, we could observe that he gives perfectly, whatever he gives. In this regard, if you jump down to verse 17 here in James chapter 1, in verse 17, James tells us here that every good gift and every perfect gift is from above. And come it down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. See, every good gift, every perfect gift. You know, some people aren't very good gift givers. Sometimes they just don't seem to be able to read people very well and discern what type of gifts would be most useful or perhaps appreciated by others. But you don't have to worry about that with God. God knows exactly what we need. He is the perfect gift giver. And in this graph, you'll look at Matthew chapter 7. Matthew chapter 7, Jesus addresses this issue in his Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew chapter 7, And this, again, is in the context of the invitation for us to go before God and ask, knowing He won't upbraid, but that He will give. And, of course, He gives well. In Matthew chapter 7, then, verses 7 through 11, Matthew 7, 7 through 11, Jesus says, ask, and it shall be given you. Seek, and ye shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asketh, receiveth. And he that seeketh, findeth. And to him that knocketh, it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you whom, if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? And so God gives perfectly, yes, he knows what we need. And so if you're in need of a fish, no, he's not going to give you a serpent, which of course would would be absurd, and Jesus is being purposely absurd here to illustrate the point. You don't have to worry that God is going to give you something that is totally beside the point in your life. No, God is going to give you exactly what you need in your life. His gifts are the best. And thirdly, we could observe that God gives daily. Here in the Sermon on the Mount, if you'll back up to Matthew chapter 6, And verse 11, Matthew chapter 6 verse 11, when Jesus is teaching us how to pray, therefore, what does he teach us to say in our prayer? Well, in this representative prayer, the sample that he gives us here in Matthew 6, 11 is this, give us this day our daily bread. God gives daily, and so we can go before him asking always to give us for each day what we need. I'm reminded of the psalmist who said in Psalm 68, 19, blessed be the Lord who daily loatheth us with benefits. And so day by day, you put this together and this is a pretty good picture of the manner in which God gives generously, perfectly every single day. We are the beneficiaries of his gifts. Well, what does he give? Now that we could spend hours talking about. And so I thought I'd limit it to maybe five or six hours. We'll see how far we can get. Now, I decided to limit the list, obviously, and keep it down to a short list, just some representative examples I've drawn from scripture. I'd like to remind you of some of the gifts that God has given us. And of course, first of all, and the most important would be the gift of salvation, right? This gift of eternal life. Romans 6.23 tells us that the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Ephesians 2.8, you recall, says that, for by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. John 10.28, Jesus said, I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish. Ezekiel 36.26, the Lord says, a new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you. And so our salvation, the promise of eternal life, that is God's gift to us, that we receive eternal life the moment one puts his faith in Christ, right? That's not a future hope. Well, I hope someday to live forever, right? The moment that one places his faith in Christ, he then and there receives eternal life. And hence the Bible always speaks of eternal life for the believer in the present tense. It's not, I will have eternal life when I get to heaven. It is, I have eternal life. Whoever believes has, present tense, eternal life. This is certainly the greatest gift from God. But there are so many other gifts as well. For example, the gift of strength. Look back, for example, at Psalm 29. What the psalmist tells us in the book of the Psalms, Psalm 29, in the first part of verse 11, Psalm 29, The first half of verse 11 here, the psalmist says, the Lord will give strength unto his people. Likewise, if you jump back to Psalm 27, Psalm 27, verse 1. Again, David speaking here, and in Psalm 27, verse 1, he says, the Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid? Time and again, the Scriptures affirm that strength is God's gift to us to weather the storms of life and face whatever comes our way. Psalm 18.32 says, It is God that giveth me strength. Psalm 37.19 says, He is their strength in time of trouble. Psalm 68.28 says, Thy God hath commanded thy strength. Strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us. Psalm 68, 35 says, the God of Israel is he that give us strength and power unto his people. Psalm 73, 26 says, my flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart. And so when I may be failing, I find strength in God. He is the strength of my heart. Moving on, there is God's gift of peace for us. Look back at Psalm 29, verse 11 again. Psalm 29, verse 11. We read the first half of the verse that talks about strength, but notice that he compliments this with the gift of peace. For the verse says in Psalm 29, 11, the Lord will give strength unto his people, and the Lord will bless his people with peace. Reminded of what Jesus said in John 14, 27. Peace. leave with you. My peace I give unto you. Not as the world giveth give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Paul told the Thessalonians, 2nd Thessalonians 3 16, Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace in every circumstance. And so we can have peace in midst of all the storms and trials of life. And yet we could move on and observe there is the gift of our heart's desire that God gives us. Look at Psalm 37 in verse 4. Here in the Psalms, Psalm 37 verse 4, what is it that David tells us? He says, delight thyself also in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. When our desires are in the things of God, we're following God's will for our life, we're pursuing God's agenda, we're on the same page with God, our desires, of course, will be for good things and God will bless those desires. Likewise, look at Psalm 21, verses 1 and 2. Psalm 21, verses 1 and 2. Notice here what David says in Psalm 21. The king shall joy in thy strength, O Lord, and in thy salvation, how greatly shall he rejoice. Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. And so what the king has desired, God has granted. Psalm 10, 17 says, Lord, thou has heard the desire of the humble. Psalm 145, verse 18 says, the Lord is nigh unto all that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth, and he will fulfill the desire of them that fear him. And then there is this gift, the gift of wisdom and understanding and insight. In fact, that's where we started out in James chapter 1 verse 5. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God. And this generous God, this giving God, will give that needed wisdom. Likewise, look at Proverbs chapter 2, Proverbs chapter 2, verses 3 through 8. Let me remind you what Solomon tells us in Proverbs chapter 2. Proverbs chapter 2, verses 3 through 8. Solomon says, Yea, if thou cryest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding, if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hidden treasures, then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and shall find the knowledge of God. For the Lord giveth wisdom. Out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous. He is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. He keepeth the paths of judgment and preserveth the ways of his saints. So you see, verse 6 tells us that the Lord giveth wisdom. Verse 7, that he lays up sound wisdom for the righteous. And of course, as a result, therefore, it is through this vehicle, the wisdom and the insight that he gives us that he tells us there in verse 8 that he guides and guards our paths. Because rather than acting foolishly, right? We've got the insight from God to act wisely. And you know, I often say, right? God doesn't bless foolishness. God chooses to work through wisdom. God chooses to bless common sense. God doesn't bless stupidity. I've often said, right? He doesn't bless my stupidity and he's not going to bless your stupidity. What God will bless is wisdom. but God gives wisdom. If you want it, he'll give it and then he'll bless, he'll guide your paths, he'll guard and protect your paths through that wisdom that has come from him rather than our acting in the foolishness of our flesh. And, of course, the New Testament time and again echoes this sentiment as well. In Ephesians 117, therefore, Paul's prayer for the Ephesian believers is that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation and the knowledge of Him. Real wisdom, which, of course, is focused on knowing God. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. That is the beginning of wisdom. When a person knows God, not knows about God, not facts about God, but he knows God, then he has wisdom, then he has discernment, then he has judgment and insight. We all know people that have been in church for 20 or 30 years. and they have never grown up and become mature believers. They've accumulated a mass of data and facts about God, but they don't know God very well, and so they're still immature, and they still do a lot of dumb and foolish things. Paul's prayer is that you can have the wisdom and the knowledge of God. You can know God, you pursue the relationship with him, then you have wisdom. In 2 Timothy 2.7, he says, the Lord give the understanding in all things. And so just as he gives peace always in every circumstance, so likewise he gives wisdom in all things. He doesn't leave us hanging. Well, sometimes, you know, I've got wisdom and direction from God. Other times, I have no idea. God gives us wisdom. Now, not only does God meet every need in our own lives, but he also gives us all that we need to be a blessing to others. And so to that end, some of God's gifts to us help us bless others, for example, through spiritual gifts in particular, gifts that can be used to minister to others and be a blessing to them. Look, for example, 1 Corinthians 12. Let me remind you what the apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12. regarding this whole concept of spiritual gifts, that these are given to us by God. And it's not for our own benefit, just so that we can feel like we're particularly gifted or talented individuals, but rather we can be a blessing to others. Now, 1 Corinthians 12, four, he tells us, now there are diversities of gifts, but the same spirit, a lot of different gifts, but they all come from God to us. And then continuing on, notice what he says in verse seven, in verse seven, but the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man, the prophet with all. So God gives all of us these spiritual gifts. We all have the ability to be a blessing to others. That is what God has intended, that all of God's people should be ministering to others among God's people. There should never be such a thing as a believer who is simply passive, who's not involved in his local body of believers, for example, and a local congregation, and a context where he can be exercising the gifts that God has given him. In the spiritual life of the believer, it is certainly true that no man is an island. That is not how God intended the Christian to live out his life. You are not given that option, but rather we are called to live out our Christian lives as a community of believers, part of local assemblies, and a part of that is using the giftedness of God to be a blessing to others. And so Peter, talking about the same concept, says in 1 Peter 4, 10, as every man has received a gift, even so minister the same one to another. You have at least one, if not more, spiritual gifts. And Peter says you need to use it to be a blessing to others. And so God gives us these gifts that we in turn might bless others. But of course, God's gifts to us are not limited solely to the spiritual realm, to intangibles like peace, strength, wisdom, and spiritual gifts. God also gives us, for example, the basic necessities of life, those material things that we need in this world, right? I'm reminded of that. I love the scene, if you remember from the movie, It's a Wonderful Life with Jimmy Stewart. He's talking to the angel. You know, the topic of money comes up. You know, the angel kind of laughs. We don't use money up there in heaven. We don't have money. And Jimmy Stewart says, that comes down pretty handy down here, right? So you might not use money up there, but it comes in pretty handy down here. Well, God knows that. God knows that. So, Nehemiah 9.15 reminds us of how God provided for his people in the wilderness. You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger and brought forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst. Deuteronomy 29.5, he says, I have led you for 40 years in the wilderness. Your clothes have not worn out from upon you, and your sandals have not worn out from upon your feet. God provided and made sure that they had everything they needed, the clothing, the food, the basic necessities of life. And again, let me turn your attention back to the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew chapter six. Matthew chapter six. We find that Jesus addresses this concept as well in this sermon. In Matthew 6, verses 31-33, Matthew 6, 31-33, he says, Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or Wherewith shall we be clothed? For after all these things do the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things, but seek you first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. And so God will provide these things for his people and the citizens of his kingdom in pursuing his agenda. But you know, God's gifts aren't limited only to this temporal life and world. The best gifts are the ones yet to come. The gifts that we will ultimately receive in eternity. As for example, this eternal inheritance. Look at Acts chapter 20, verse 32. Acts chapter 20, verse 32. Where we find this inheritance being referenced here. Acts chapter 20, this is the Apostle Paul encouraging the brethren. In Acts chapter 20, verse 32, he says, And now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. We have this inheritance. And I want you to notice how the author writing to the Hebrews characterizes this inheritance. Look at Hebrews chapter 9 and verse 15. Hebrews chapter 9 and verse 15 here, speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ and what he accomplished by means of his death And what he accomplished is he ratified a new covenant. And so in this regard, in Hebrews 9.15, the author says, and for this cause, he is the mediator of the New Testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the First Testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. An inheritance, and it is an eternal one, forever and ever and ever. I'm reminded of what the Lord told the Apostle Paul when he was on the road to Damascus, right? You remember Jesus appeared to him, and this was the final straw for the Apostle Paul when he broke, right? And he was converted there on the road to Damascus. And then and there, as he opened his heart to the Lord and put his faith and confidence in the Lord, the person and work of Christ, who he really was and what he really had done, indeed, there was no denying it now, he was alive. And so Paul was saved and immediately Christ commissions him. And here was the commission from Christ for Paul to go to the Gentiles and he said to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they might receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith in me. Paul, your calling is to go forth and see to it that the Gentiles become partakers of this great inheritance. And Paul would go on to speak frequently of that inheritance. To the Ephesians, he speaks of the fact that in Christ we have obtained an inheritance, in Ephesians 1.11. To the Colossians, Colossians 1.12, he speaks of giving thanks unto God the Father who has made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. Likewise, in Colossians 3.24, he says, from the Lord you shall receive the reward of the inheritance. Peter also speaks of that inheritance. In 1 Peter 1.4, he says that by means of our faith in Christ, we have received an inheritance, incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you. And so we have this eternal inheritance. Moving on, we observe that we have a new name, a new name that will be given to us. Revelation 2.17, Jesus says, to him that overcometh, I will give a white stone and on the stone a new name written. In the Bible, of course, names represent the concept of identity, a new identity and a special relationship with Christ. Which leads us into the 10th item I'd like to identify this morning. I've limited my list to only 10 gifts from God. The 10th gift would be the Lord himself. Look at Revelation 2 in verse 28. Revelation 2 in verse 28. And again, speaking of God's gifts to those who overcome this world, and John says, the one who overcomes is the one who believes in the Christ. And to the overcomers, he says in John, excuse me, Revelation 2.28, I will give him the morning star. And what is the morning star? What Christ himself, Jesus says in Revelation 22.16, I am the root and offspring of David, the bright and morning star. And so Jesus gives us himself. for all of eternity, a special relationship with Him. But really, in this regard, note that ultimately, God gives us all of Himself, not only Christ in His capacity as the Morning Star, which you'll recall that God is a trinity, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. Well, in justification, of course, we really receive Christ, we receive His imputed righteousness, all of His righteousness given to us as a free gift In sanctification, we receive the Holy Spirit, God the Spirit, who is God's gift to us to empower us for a life of service, a life that is pleasing to Him. Speaking of the coming of the Spirit prophetically in John 14, 16, Jesus said, I will pray the Father and He shall give you another comforter that He may abide with you forever. And we find then that subsequently the scriptures will consistently refer to the Holy Spirit as the gift. In Acts 2.38, for example, the Apostle Peter speaks of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Likewise, in Acts 10.45, again, we find the Apostle Peter referring to the gift of the Holy Spirit. The author writing to the Hebrews in Hebrews 6 refers to the Holy Spirit as the gift. Time and again, the Bible refers to the Holy Spirit as God's gift to us. And then, in glorification, ultimately, God the Father. That is, we have direct access to the Father. No longer intermediate access through prayer, but direct access to God. I'm reminded of what the Apostle John says in 1 John 3 verses 1 through 2. He says, Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God. And we are. And it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him. as he is. And so when we become like him, all taint of sin and our depravity and our fallenness is removed, then, then we come, not simply through the intermediate means of prayer in the name of Jesus and through the Holy Spirit, but we come directly, boldly into the presence of God, the Father. Look at Revelation chapter 22 in this regard. Revelation 22, John's vision of this future that we have for us, a gift that we don't yet have, but we will enjoy in eternity. In Revelation chapter 22, verses three through four, Revelation 22, three through four, John says, and there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and his servants shall serve him, and they shall see his face, and his name shall be their foreheads. And so, in summary, God gives us many gifts, but surely the best gift of all is the gift of himself to us, and he gives all of himself to us. Now, none of us can be all that God is, but we are called to emulate God, to be like him, as much as is humanly impossible, is humanly possible. And so in conclusion, let me remind you what Jesus said. Matthew 10, eight, he said, freely you have received, freely give. Likewise, we're reminded that Jesus said in Acts 20, 35, it is more blessed to give than to receive. And so let us be like our generous and giving God. Let's pray. Our Father, we thank you for the opportunity we've had on this Lord's Day when we remember and celebrate the birth of Christ, a wonderful expression of your generous nature and your love for us. But Lord, as we reflect upon your generosity and your gifts, help us to remember that it ought to be like father, like son, like father, so child. We should be like you. So help us be the kind of generous and loving people that you have taught us to be and showed us how to be. And we ask this in the name of your great gift to us, Jesus the Christ. Amen.