Potsdam Church of the Nazarene

Advent conspiracy @ the Naz!

Week #3:

Four Words That Could Change Your Christmas: Give

John 1:1-3, 14 and Matthew 2:1-15

NOTE: If you would like to read the manuscript of Pastor Ken’s sermon you can find it HERE.

John 1:1-3, 14 (KJV)

¹In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²The same was in the beginning with God. ³All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

¹⁴And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Matthew 2:1-11 (NIV)

¹After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem ²and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”

³When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.⁴When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. ⁵“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: ⁶“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’” ⁷Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. ⁸He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

⁹After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. ¹⁰When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. ¹¹On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.

In Pastor Ken’s sermon last Sunday (December 11) he suggested that the Christmas story has always had an element of generosity, personal/relational giving, and sacrifice. He talked about how the gift of God’s Son and the gifts of the Magi illustrate this.

With this in mind, think about the following questions. We encourage you to leave responses and engage in the conversation.

• Reflect upon the meaning of the word “generosity” and think of a specific family member or friend that embodies the virtue.

s What is it about the person that gives them the distinction of being generous?

• Some gifts just seem to fit the person they are given to “perfectly.” Can you think of a gift given to you that was a perfect fit?

s What was your response to receiving that gift?

s What did that gift tell you about the person who gave it?

s How do feel about that person, even now, after reflecting upon the gift?

• Read the following passages of Scripture. What do they tell us about the nature of gift giving?

s John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

s 2 Corinthians 9:12-15 “This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”

s Matthew 10:40 & 42 “He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me. … And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.”

• In what ways can the gifts you give this Christmas reflect Christ’s love and generosity?

• What are some practical ways that  the gifts we give this Christmas emulate the spirit of giving we see in God’s gift of His son to us?