What Can You Give to Jesus at Christmas

 

I remember standing in church worshipping the Lord one Sunday before Christmas thinking, "What can I give to Jesus at Christmas?"  I’ve remembered as a child thinking to myself, “How come I get presents at Christmas time?  It’s not my birthday, it’s Jesus’ birthday!”

 

In our culture it is customary to give gifts to the birthday person, not take gifts from them, so a little voice inside my heart said, “What are you going to give me for Christmas this year, Darin?”

 

So what do you give the God of all creation for His birthday? I mean, He owns the cattle on a thousand hills, what are you going to get Him? A milking machine maybe?

 

GIVING TO THE GIVER

 

Thing is, God is our Father.  And like any loving Father, His great joy is not the actual gift, but the heart of the giver of the gift.

 

I remember my kids giving me gifts that they made, perhaps at school or at church. These gifts were dodgy looking plates with distortions and holes through them, bits of paper with exquisite works of modern art on them, possibly worth a fortune one day but actually looking like they were painted by a demented chimpanzee with double vision and no arms.

 

But to me, they were worth everything! Why? Not because of what they were, but because of the heart of the giver, because they were gifts from my favourite girls, they were made, albeit unprofessionally, by my children, whom I love. That's what made them special.

 

I remember recording a special album for Fiona with myself and all the kids singing pop songs. Fiona recently found this CD, and embarrassed all the kids by playing them singing when they were young, mispronunciations, lisps, flat notes and all. She doesn't care, it's the memories of the daughters who sang, not their ability.

 

God says He loves a cheerful giver. He loves the heart behind the giving, especially when the giving shows total devotion.  Let's look at such an occasion…

 

John 12:1-8

Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”

 

THE CAST

 

Let's have a look at the cast of characters involved in this scene outside of Jesus… Martha, Mary and Judas

Martha:

Martha is a lovely woman, and she's a workaholic with the best of intentions. In this passage it simply says that Martha served, the same way she had been serving in Luke:10 38-42, true to her character as a “doer”.

 

Now don't get me wrong, we need workers in the church, and we need people working hard in their jobs and homes to shine for Jesus. Being slack, offering second rate service or substandard effort is no witness for the Lord, I can assure you. Yet Jesus in Luke 10, while not condemning her for her actions, commends her sister for hers.

 

Luke 10:41-42

But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

 

If you are a human doing rather than a human being, and I include myself in this, then we must never let our business and all the things we do stand between us and a closer relationship with Jesus.

 

Servers like Martha give their all and work hard to bless people around them, and often get mad at others who do not share the same passion.

 

Martha's are great, but they need to concentrate on spending time with the Lord. They need to make sure that they do not invest so much time into serving the King, that they have no time for the King!

 

Their heart is good, but they have to mix a bit of Mary into their serving...

 

Mary:

Only John identifies this woman as Mary, sister of Martha and Lazarus. She is mentioned only three times in the Gospels, and in each instance she is at the feet of Jesus.

 

First, she sat at His feet and listened to the Word of God while her sister worked serving (Luke 10:38-42); Next, she came to His feet in sorrow after the death of her brother Lazarus (John 11:28-32); and finally, she worshipped at His feet when she anointed Him with the ointment (John 12:1ff.).

 

Mary was a deeply spiritual woman. She found at the feet of Jesus her blessing, she brought to His feet her burdens, and she gave at His feet the very best she had to give. Jesus described her actions as the good portion,

 

And that was what the Lord was asking of me that Christmas long ago… what am I going to give Him for Christmas.  The only acceptable answer was, as Mary displayed so beautifully, everything!

When we combine the gospel records, we learn that she anointed both His head, which was the normal place for anointing, and His feet. Then she wiped His feet with her hair. Wiping the feet of Jesus is an act of worship, and submission.

 

Touching anyone's feet was considered humiliating. Feet were dusty, calloused and often smelly. You might remember Jesus touched the feet of His disciples as an act of and an illustration of humble serving. Peter was offended by this, and said so, but Jesus told him that he needed to let his feet be washed.  In fact Jesus said,

John 13:14

If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.

 

So here's Mary, at Jesus’ feet washing them with her hair. Paul tells us that a woman’s hair is her glory (1 Cor. 11:15). So Mary was  surrendering her glory to the Lord and worshipping Him with the precious gift that she brought. It was an act of love and pure devotion that brought the most precious thing she had and let it become fragrance to the whole house.

 

It wasn't random, and it wasn't spontaneous… it was a planned act of devotion. Mary had been sitting at the feet of Jesus, listening, absorbing, understanding, soaking in His presence. She  knew that soon Jesus would die and be buried. She also knew that His body would not need the traditional care given to the dead because His body would not see corruption (Ps. 16:10; Acts 2:22-28). Instead of anointing His body after His death, she did so before His death.

 

It was an act of faith, love and total devotion. The alabaster container, in those days actually a fine marble, was broken and the perfume, possibly nard, was poured over Christ’s feet. This gift, according to Mark 14, and was worth 300 denarii, about a years wages. This would have been something she had saved all her life, for perhaps her wedding day, it was certainly the most valuable thing she had. She gave the most valuable thing she had. What will you give Jesus this Christmas?

Judas:

Seems like every time you try and give your all to the Lord, someone is there to criticise, usually a believer!

 

And when you start giving your all to the Lord, there will be people right there ready to criticise you, especially in the church. I remember as a young Christian laughing in church, and someone tapping me on the shoulder and saying, “This is church… we're not supposed to enjoy ourselves in church.”

 

Many people in church are critics. No statue was ever erected to a critic, but none the less, many people feel their spiritual gift is criticising and correcting other believers.

 

This is not a spiritual gift… it's a blight on the true church of God.

But what happens when you decide to go all out for Jesus is that not only do people criticise you, but they gather others to their side and suddenly you face a wall of people criticising.

 

In this instance the disciples did not know the true character of Judas, but Jesus did. And don't believe all that garbage about caring for the poor, he had his eyes on the cash.

 

Records show Judas was not only the treasurer of the group, but that he lined his own pockets along the way. We know the real reason Judas wanted the ointment sold: The money would go into the treasury, and he would be able to use it (John 12:6).

All this was before he betrayed Jesus with a kiss… the fact is, he was never a believer at all.

 

Judas’ criticism of Mary sounded so “spiritual” that other disciples joined him in attacking her.

 

Why did Judas follow Jesus for three years, listen to His Word, share His ministry, and then turn traitor? Some feel the motive was political, because Judas wanted Jesus to oust the Romans and become king, but I think his motives were always intensely self-serving. He was looking out for number one, and looking spiritual served his narcissistic aims.

 

Judas’s life is a warning to those who pretend to serve Christ but whose hearts are far from God. He is also a warning to those who waste their opportunities and their lives. “Why this waste?” asked Judas when he saw that expensive ointment poured out on Jesus. Yet Judas wasted his opportunities, his life, and his soul! Jesus called him “son of perdition” (John 17:12), which literally means “son of waste.”

 

What are you doing with your life? Have a look at the last 12 months and ask yourself… “Am I totally devoted to Christ, or have I wasted my life, even as I stood in church and worshipped each week?”

 

Like many professing Christians today, Judas was in the group of believers but not of them. He criticised, he manipulated, he took advantage of others and always had his own hidden agenda. He didn't selflessly serve and encourage others, he wanted his ministry and his agenda top of the list!

 

And, if you recall, he met a sticky end. These types of people are still around, and I wouldn't like to trade places with them in Judgment Day.

 

GIVE IT ALL TO JESUS

 

So back to the story… Mary gave the most precious thing she had, an alabaster jar of perfume, and even more precious, she gave her heart totally and willingly to Jesus. She didn't worry about what others thought of her, she gave it all. Judas and the other disciples criticised her, albeit in a pseudo-spiritual way, but she didn't stop. And Jesus leapt to her defence.

 

When we give Jesus Christ first place in our lives, we can expect to be misunderstood and criticised by those who claim to follow Him.

Jesus rebuked Judas and the other disciples and praised Mary for her loving act of devotion. Nothing given to Jesus in love is ever wasted. Her act of worship not only brought joy to the heart of Jesus and fragrance to the house, but also blessing to the whole world. Her devotion encourages us to love and serve Christ with our very best. Such service brings blessings to others that perhaps we will know nothing about until we see Him.

 

THE SELFIE GENERATION

 

Never before in the history of the world has so many photos been taken by so many people of themselves. This is the most self photographed, self promoting, self centred generation in history, and like it or not, you and I are caught up in that!

 

We live in a generation where apathy is the norm, not the exception. We are known for our addiction to video games, TV, movies and sport, we are characterised by our lack of interest in things outside ourselves, and irresponsibility.

 

Researchers suggest that this is the most biblically illiterate generation in history! All this technology, and we can't pick up the Word of life and read it!

 

It’s time to change that. When Jesus tells us to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength” this is not a suggestion but a command. Paul commands us…

 

Romans 12:1

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

 

It's not a suggestion, it's not a good idea, it's a command, and it's a challenge to you and me right now, in this day, in this church.

 

We live in a time when the most we are called to give God is a few hours a week on a Sunday. We say, “Here God, take this part of me, but I've got work, family, sport, TV and the like to deal with, so I’m going to keep the rest.”

 

We compromise. Giving God everything isn’t even on the radar. Sports, social media, work and friendships fill up our time, suck out our physical energy and fill our minds with loads of things that really don't matter in eternity, when we should be devoted to God.

 

Listen, Sports, friends, and Facebook are not evil in and of themselves, but when we put them in a place above God it becomes idolatry. “When we build our lives on anything but God, that thing – even though it might be a good thing – becomes an enslaving addiction, something we have to have in order to be happy” says pastor and author Timothy Keller.

 

We spend so much time in our modern life on things that just don't matter, trying to be good at things that have no eternal impact. Francis Chan says, “Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.”

 

ARE YOU IN OR OUT?

 

Remember the Hokey Pokey? You put your right foot in, you put your right foot out, etc. Remember the last verse? You put your whole self in. Or you put your whole self out… that's what it's all about, and that's what the Lord is asking of you this Christmas!

Are you in or out?

Revelation 3:15-16

“‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

 

God would rather us be totally indifferent towards Him than halfheartedly for Him. We are either in or out, hot or cold, against Him or for Him. There is no middle ground with God.

 

Now you may be asking the same question that I am right now, “Is it worth it?” I believe it is, because in 1 Corinthians 3 we read of the Judgment Seat of Christ and rewards being handed out. I believe we should want to build gold, silver and. Costly stones into our lives, not wood, hay and straw.

 

Jim Elliot, a missionary martyred in the Amazon jungle, said this…, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

 

This Christmas, I'm not going to ask what you're getting for Christmas, I'm going to ask what you're giving. Not what expensive toy you've bought for your kids, not what you're going to give your spouse, what are you going to give God?

 

When He asked me this question that Christmas long ago, He placed 3 words in my heart… White Hot Passion. Not red or yellow or even blue, white is the hottest metal goes before it vaporises. I promised to give Him my life, not sometimes but always and forever, not slightly excited but totally sold out for Him, not give a little bit, but white hot passion.