Good Gifts | Sunday, December 4, 2022

Welcome to Cross Connection Church online! We are so grateful that you're joining us for service today. I'm Pastor Garrett, and we want to let you know that if you want to find out any information about Cross Connection Church and what we're doing, please check out our website at lifeinconnection.com. That's our website where you're going to find out more about us, what we're doing, and how you can be connected.

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Now, let's go ahead and jump into the broadcast. Your kindness fills my life; Your love amazes me. I sing because You are good, and I dance because You are good. I shout because

If you want good, you are good to me. Nothing and no one comes anywhere close to You. The earth and oceans deep only reflect this truth. In my darkest night, You shine as bright as day. Your love amazes me. You are good, and I dance because You are good. I shout because You are good, and I sing because You are good. In the sunray, my life celebrates that You are good.

Well, I don't know how you feel about this time of year, but I do think, like the old song says, it's the most wonderful time of the year. Just about every day from Labor Day on, I find that my joy and anticipation build right the way through the month of December. More than a few times, I have had conversations with other pastors about this time of the year around Christmas. Several times, I've had guys who preach through the Scriptures every single year express to me that they don't really like preaching during the Christmas season because they feel as though they are being a little bit redundant in the messages that they give. It can be difficult to be original when you are talking about the same topics.

The same content comes up every single Christmas season, but I have to say that I don't think I can relate to that sentiment at all. Probably because I lost the sense that I needed to be original a long time ago, I realized that every single time I thought I found something entirely new or original in Scripture, it didn't take me long to find that somebody else had taught or written the exact same thing before. Just as we read in the Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter one, there is ultimately nothing new under the sun.

Another reason I don't really feel the need to be original when discussing topics related to Christmas is that I have found the most important things we need to know are rarely novel or new. Many times, we need to hear the same thing over and over again. That's why, when we partake of communion here at Cross Connection Church regularly, we share the same exact passages of Scripture, talking about the same exact things regarding the bread and the cup and what those things represent. The most important truths we need to hear are not new; they are the same old important truths.

For example, that same old important saying is still true: Jesus is the reason for the season. Christmas is all about Jesus, and I hope you know that. I'm sure you probably do, and I hope it never ceases to be the primary thing we associate with this wonderful time of the year. Jesus is the focal point of everything we do.

In my book, the most wonderful time of year is this time of the year. What is it about this time of year that makes it so wonderful? Well, of course, there are the gatherings with friends and family, the parties, and the decorations. My family and I put up Christmas lights and all that stuff; we did it before Thanksgiving this year. I know that you are apparently not supposed to do that, but my family and I were going to be heading out on a short family vacation the day after Thanksgiving, so we had to prepare early.

We broke protocol and put up the decorations both outside and inside. It had to be done, so we put up the tree as well. In our house, it's not just a tree; it's multiple trees. We did all of that before Thanksgiving. Some people might say it's kind of a holiday faux pas, but I don't think so. It was great to put everything up, and everybody in our household gets really excited when we start to hang the Christmas lights and decorations.

We bring out all of the Christmas ornaments that we have collected with our kids over the years. It's joyful and a lot of fun. This time of year is enjoyable because of the gatherings, the decorations, and the things that you can only get during this season. Some of the guys here on our staff, including some of our pastors, would say that eggnog is one of the great things you can only get this time of year. However, I don't like eggnog very much at all.

If you come from a German background, you might enjoy the cookies called lebkuchen, which are special to this time of year. I have been getting my favorite Starbucks creation, the caramel brulee latte, which is only available during this season, although it has become way too expensive, so I can't get as many as I might have in the past.

One of my other favorite things that comes out only this time of year is the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Christmas tree. It has the perfect ratio of chocolate to peanut butter. While they also make hearts for Valentine's Day, eggs for Easter, and footballs during football season, there's something about the Christmas trees that just has the right balance of chocolate and peanut butter goodness.

There are those special treats that you can only get this time of year, and I'm sure there are some things that you love that are unique to this season as well. When we come to the holiday Christmas season, it always feels like these moments go by too quickly. This time of year flies by, but I think these special treats help us have fun and make this time memorable for sure.

What makes this holiday so fun and wonderful, if you ask any child, is the gifts. The presents of Christmas are one of the things that make this time of year so special. We love to receive gifts, and actually, we love not only to receive gifts but also to give gifts, sometimes even more. Jesus taught, and it's recorded in the book of Acts, chapter 20, that it is more blessed to give than to receive. We'll talk more about that verse in just a little bit.

But why do we love to give and receive gifts? I think one of the answers to that question is that God, who made us, created us in His image and likeness, and God loves to give gifts. I'm not sure if you knew that, but the Scriptures make it very clear that God loves to give gifts.

In the Old Testament, nestled in an interesting story about Israel, is a fascinating character that shows up in the book of Numbers. In Numbers chapter 24, his name is Balaam. In verse 1, it says that Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless His people, Israel. Now, you may be one of those super technical readers of the Bible who sees that passage in Numbers chapter 24, verse 1, and thinks it speaks only about the people of Israel, not about us Christians or the church. Technically, you would be right. However, I don't see any reason not to apply this truth as a general principle to us as well.

If you are one of those super technical people who insists that this is only about Israel and not about the church or Christians, then let me provide you with a New Testament reaffirmation of that same general principle from what we find in Jesus. I think it's pretty certain that every single one of us, at one point or another, can find ourselves worrying and feeling anxious about one thing or another. Each of us can get a little anxious from time to time. We worry about all kinds of different things, even though we know we shouldn't worry and that it's not healthy to do so. Even modern medical science says that worry is not a good thing; anxiety is not a good thing. Despite knowing that the Bible commands us not to worry, we still find ourselves caught in that cycle.

We worry, and Jesus gives us a teaching on worry in Luke chapter 12. He commands us not to worry and provides many reasons for this. In Luke chapter 12, verse 32, He says, "Do not fear, Little Flock." This is the general principle I was mentioning: it is your Father's good pleasure to give. Specifically, Jesus states that it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. From this text, we learn that it makes our Father in Heaven happy to give; it is His good pleasure to give to His children.

We find this same idea expressed by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians chapter 1. In verse 3, he writes, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us." He has given us great gifts and has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ. Then, down in verse 5, he states, "according to the good pleasure of His will."

We see this concept in the Book of Numbers, in Luke chapter 12 from Jesus, and here from the Apostle Paul in Ephesians chapter 1. It pleases our Father in Heaven to bless us and to give us good gifts. Additionally, we read in another place in the New Testament, in James chapter 1, verse 17, a favorite of mine: "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of Lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning."

Learning that every good gift comes from our good God is essential. He is the source of every good gift; all good gifts are from our God. Less than two weeks ago, we celebrated Thanksgiving, and I have been spending some time in my morning devotion, reflecting on the ways that God has blessed me. It is good to count our blessings.

Sometimes, it can be helpful to write them down. Consider making a list of all the different things you can think of. Take ten minutes tomorrow morning or maybe this afternoon to list all the ways God has gifted you and blessed you. Writing those things down can be a helpful exercise in counting your blessings.

It is even sometimes really good to share our gratitude with others. When we write down the gifts and blessings that God has given to us, and we count them out and list them, we can see all the things that God has blessed us with. When we share our gratitude for those things with others, I have discovered that doing so increases our joy. It heightens our joy, and that's one of the things that I think we all want to experience this time of year: our joy increasing.

When you share the things that you are thankful for with other people, it not only increases your joy but often increases their joy as well. They rejoice in all those good gifts. If you take some time to write down your blessings, count them up, and share those same things with others, you will find very quickly that you have a lot to be grateful for. We should be grateful for the things that God has given to us. We should have gratitude. As I've taught before here at our church, gratitude is even a gift that God has given to us. We'll talk a little bit more about that in just a bit.

James chapter 1, verse 17 reminds us that every one of those good gifts, if you take the time to write down all the things that God has blessed you with and number them out, is a blessing that came from our Father in Heaven. Every good and perfect gift is from above.

I was reading an article on the topic of Thanksgiving a few years ago. I don't remember where exactly the article was from, but the basic point was that gratitude is an important and necessary component of a happy life. The article highlighted that while we know gratitude is really important for giving us meaning and joy in life, there are more and more people in our culture who don't really know to whom they should be thankful.

We have a lot to be thankful for, yet there are people in our society—one of the most blessed societies in the world—who don't know to whom they should be thankful. James clears everything up in that passage because every good and perfect gift is from God.

So, what has God blessed us with? What has He blessed you with? What has He blessed me with? Do you have a place to live, a car to drive, a family to love, a job or school to go to, food to eat, clean water, a warm bed, and electricity?

Maybe you even have more than just the basics. In our society, you've got things like Amazon Prime, and you're watching this on a device—a phone, a tablet, or a TV, or whatever it may be. If there's anything good in your life, ultimately those things are from God.

One of the amazing things about being a child of God is that you discover, as time goes by, that even the things in your life that you go through, which are challenging and difficult, may not seem good at the time. In the beginning, you wouldn't necessarily put those things down in the good column. However, you can be thankful to God for those things as well. Why? Because, as we learn in Paul's letter to the church at Rome, all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose. Even the difficult things that we go through, the things that we wouldn't necessarily call good in the moment, are used by God in our lives to bring about good things.

I've been talking mostly about tangible or physical blessings, like the car that you drive or the house that you live in, and we should be thankful to God for those things. However, there are many other, even greater gifts than that. The Apostle Paul mentions these in Ephesians chapter one, where we read that God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places.

What are the spiritual blessings that God has blessed us with? If you take some time to go through that passage in Ephesians chapter one, you'll find at least six things that I quickly underlined as I was reading through it earlier today. First, He chose us in Christ. That is a blessing that God has given to us—a spiritual blessing. God chose you in Christ, and as He chose you in Christ, He predestined us to adoption into His family so that we could be His children. We are not just servants in His household; we are His children that He has adopted.

He chose us, He predestined us to adoption to be His kids, and He has made us accepted in Christ. We are accepted into His family, and in Him, we have redemption through His blood and the forgiveness of sins. As He has forgiven our sins, He has poured out His grace upon us. In the future, He is going to give us the fullness of His kingdom when He gathers us together to be with Him in Paradise forever.

There is a beautiful list of some spiritual blessings that God has given to us. When you recognize the truth of James chapter 1, verse 17—that every good gift is from God—you can begin to count your blessings. As you look at the spiritual and practical blessings, you can change your perspective, realizing that everything God gives or allows, He ultimately uses for our good in this life and in bringing us into the next.

These thoughts lead us to the next important passage and point, which is also from the Apostle Paul in 1 Timothy chapter 6, verse 17. Paul writes, "Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, boastful, or arrogant, nor to trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy." Every good gift from God is for our enjoyment.

For some people, when they hear that every good gift from God is for our enjoyment, it causes them to pause and think about it a little bit. This is because there is a kind of stoic monasticism that pervades American Christian thinking. I am not convinced that this is the way God wants us to live. Many people seem to think that the enjoyment of things we have is somehow a bad thing, as if enjoyment is something of our flesh. While you might be able to make a good case for that, I believe you can also make a much better case that God, who has blessed us and is pleased to give us good gifts, desires us to enjoy those gifts.

I want to return to this point in just a moment, but we shouldn't skip too quickly over the important teachings found in 1 Timothy chapter 6, verse 17. In addition to Paul promoting our enjoyment in the blessings that God has given to us, he teaches us that we who are rich—meaning every one of us who will see this message, because you are probably watching this on a TV, tablet, or phone—are indeed rich.

Practical blessings make us pretty rich. Paul says in that passage that we should not be haughty, or literally, we should not be high-minded or proud. We shouldn't boastfully think that we have what we have because we deserve it or because we gained it by being so amazing or awesome. We just happen to be born in a blessed culture and society where we have a lot of abundance. Therefore, we should not be boastful about what we have.

Paul also says that we should not trust in uncertain riches. Just because you have what you have today does not mean that you will have it tomorrow. A really great example of this is the Old Testament book of Job, which is a challenging book to read. It reminds us that we should not trust in uncertain riches. Instead, our focus and our trust need to be in God. He is the one who gives good gifts, and He gives us those good gifts richly to enjoy.

After all of that, I believe it is absolutely true that every good gift from God is for our enjoyment. It pleases God to bless us. We find in the Scriptures that it is the Father's good pleasure to give us good gifts. We saw that in Luke chapter 12, where Jesus speaks of the good pleasure of His will. The Father has given us every spiritual blessing in heavenly places.

Why does it please God to do all of this? The answer aligns with the teaching of Jesus quoted by Paul in Acts 20:35, where Jesus said it is more blessed to give than to receive. God is pleased to bless us because there is an inherent blessing in giving gifts. Anyone who has ever given a gift knows this. You have probably experienced the joyous blessing of giving gifts to other people.

What is that blessing? The great blessing of giving gifts to others is the pleasure of seeing the enjoyment had by the recipient of the gift. Now, imagine for a moment that you worked really hard to get a gift for someone you love, maybe for your child. Then that individual opens the gift that you worked so hard to get them, and they kind of casually look at it. They don’t even seem happy about it, saying, "Oh, thanks, I appreciate it," and then they do nothing.

With the gift that you have worked so hard to give to someone, how happy would you be if they did not experience any joy from it? Would you want to give that person another gift in the future? You probably would not.

This illustration presents a real challenge for my own wife. One of the sad things is that she has to put up with me, and I can sometimes have a flat affect in response to various situations. She, more than any other person, loves to be a blessing to others and to give good gifts. She derives great joy from giving things to other people and seeing their joy increase. If their joy does not increase when she gives a gift, or when you give a gift to someone, it raises the question: why am I doing this?

The joy and enjoyment that the recipient of a gift exhibits increases our joy and enjoyment when we give that person a gift. There seems to be a selfish motivation, if you will, in giving gifts, and it appears that God is okay with that. That's why Jesus said it is more blessed to give than to receive. He does not chastise people for experiencing joy in giving gifts because they get to see the joy of the person who receives the gift. He has no problem with that.

I think it is true that our enjoyment of God's gifts makes God happy. However, this is not the only reason God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places. God gives us gifts not only for our enjoyment and not only for His joy, but also, as we read from the Apostle Peter in First Peter 4:10, "As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." Every good gift from God is given to us to bless others.

I mentioned a few minutes ago that gratitude is a gift that God has given to us. Gratitude is a good thing, and every good thing, as James 1:17 says, is from God. So, God has given us the gift of gratitude. Gratitude is a gift given to us by God for our good and also to bless others. God gave us the gift of gratitude for the increase of our joy and enjoyment. Even non-Christian secular research continues to prove this.

Theologians have taught for centuries that gratitude is an important key to a happy life. If you desire to be happier, then use the gift of gratitude that God has given to you. Express gratitude to God and to others for the things that you have, and you will be a happier person. God gave us the gift of gratitude for the increase of our joy, but it also increases God's joy.

Gratitude is a form of praise. When you are grateful and express gratitude to God, you are praising Him for His goodness. God gave us the gift of gratitude for us to bless others. He gave it to us to give joy, glory, and praise to Him, but He also gave it to us to bless others. Gratitude is a gift that God gave you and me so that we could turn around and give it to others. As good stewards of the manifold grace of God, we should use the gift of gratitude that God has given to us and minister it to others.

Of course, gratitude is not the only gift that God has given to us that we should minister to others, but it is certainly one of the gifts that we should share. We should minister to others with every good gift God has given us. As you enjoy those gifts, your enjoyment praises God. It makes Him happy and increases His joy. His gifts are maximally perfected when we use them to be a blessing to other people.

So, what exactly does this look like? This is true with the gift of gratitude, but it is also true with the other gifts that God has given to you. Maybe they are gifts of being able to play an instrument, musical gifts, or being hospitable. Perhaps they are financial gifts that God has given to you. If you have a gift from God, when you use it, the use of it increases your joy and brings praise and glory to the One who gave you the gift. It blesses others as well.

Let me give you an example. God gave me a gift of understanding what the Scriptures say and then teaching and preaching that to other people. As I use that gift, I experience joy and share that joy with others. As I teach and preach the Scriptures, I hope to help their joy increase as well. So, why do I study, teach, and preach the Scriptures? I study, teach, and preach the Scriptures because...

It's a gift that God has given to me, and it brings me joy. I find great joy in sitting down, studying through the Scriptures, and then sharing those things with other people. So, why do I study, teach, and preach the Scriptures? Because I enjoy doing it. God gave me the gift, and it brings me joy to use the gift. An added major plus is that it brings other people joy, and it pleases and glorifies God in the process. I believe this will happen for you as well. When you use the gifts that God has given to you, you become a blessing to others, and you praise God through using that gift. Your use of the gift will bring you joy, it will bring others joy, and it will glorify God.

Our God has gifted us, and it makes Him happy when we use those gifts. It blesses others when we use them as well. So, what are the things that you thoroughly enjoy doing in this life? What are the things that really bring you joy? Maybe it's playing music, maybe it's singing, maybe it's photography, maybe it's woodworking, or maybe it's serving others. Perhaps it is teaching. Those things that you love to do are probably some of the things that God has gifted you with. When you use those things, your joy increases, your praise of God increases, and you become a blessing to others.

Do you realize that every one of you is gifted by God? Your joy and happiness would actually begin to increase if you would start using the gift that God has blessed you with to bless others. If you are not fully happy, it may be that you are not using the gifts that God has given to you properly to praise Him and to bless others. I can't drive this home enough: you would be happier if you did. I can promise you that.

Just like in the Old Testament, we read about Abraham, the father of the faith. He was blessed to be a blessing. Genesis chapter 12, verse 2 says, "I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing." We are blessed by God to be a blessing to others. If you are not using the gifts that God has given to you, then you are not fulfilling the purpose that God made you for or gave you the gifts for. I don't think that you're going to enjoy or be as happy or joyful as you could be until you begin to step out and start using the gift that God has given you.

Has given to you. Some of you have a gift that you're not using, and you need to start using it. I don't know what that gift is, but you probably do. Maybe it's music, singing, giving, faith, serving, praying, teaching, hospitality, photography, videography, technology, or who knows what it is. Every good and perfect gift comes from God. That is a gift, a talent, and an ability that God has given to you, and it has been given to you by Him for your enjoyment. When you use it, it is a form of praise to God. Just like if you give a gift to someone and you see them using it, it brings you joy. It brings God joy when you use the gifts that He has given to you. It's a form of praise, and it becomes a blessing to others.

Paul wrote to those who are rich. We saw it in First Timothy, chapter six. He says in verse 17, "Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty nor to trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God who gives us richly all things to enjoy." He follows that up with these words in verse 18: "Let them do good, those who are gifted. Let them do good that they may be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold of eternal life." God has richly blessed and gifted each of us. He's gifted you; therefore, share the riches of your gifts with others. In doing so, you will be rewarded in eternity.

One final passage, one final point before we wrap up today. We read previously in Ephesians, chapter one, that God is pleased to bless us with every spiritual blessing, with all of these rich gifts. If you look back one more time at that passage in Ephesians, chapter one, it says in verse 3, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of His will." Note this: "To the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved." Every good gift, when used to bless others, brings glory to God. When people see your good works according to the grace and gifting of God and all the things that He has poured...

Out upon you in His rich grace, when other people see you giving glory to God by using your gifts, that glorifies the one who gave you the gifts—your Father in Heaven. God has gifted you the gifts that are to be enjoyed. They are given to you for your joy, and when you enjoy those things, you bring praise to God who gave you those gifts. You make Him happy.

When you enjoy those gifts by using them to praise God, you also bless others. When you bless others by using those gifts that God has given you, you glorify God before other people. These are all good things—important things to think about as we get ready to celebrate Christmas here in just a few weeks. We exchange gifts, and God has blessed you so that you would enjoy those blessings, bring glory to Him, bless others, and glorify Him among all other people.

I hope that as you think about these things, you can begin to express joy by using those gifts for the glory of God.

Father God, I pray as we get ready for this holiday season, which goes by so quickly, that you would slow it down so that we can rejoice in all the wonderful things that this holiday season reminds us about. It reminds us that you are the gift-giving God and that you've blessed us with exceedingly precious promises and grace—grace that is going to extend into eternity, where the riches of your grace will be revealed to us more fully.

Lord, I pray that we would rejoice in and enjoy the great things that you've blessed us with for Your glory, and that those things would draw other people to You, that they would know You also. For we ask this in Jesus' name, amen.

Thank you for joining us for our broadcast today. That was an excellent message, and I pray that it really impacted you. We heard from the Holy Spirit. If you'd like to find out more about Cross Connection Church, please visit our website at lifeinconnection.com. We would like to invite you to our in-person services at 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. here in Escondido, California. If you're around, we would love for you to be here live in person at 8:30 and 10:30. God bless you all, and have a great week!

Good morning, Cross Connection Church! It's Pastor Garrett here. It's that time of the year again, and we would like to invite you to join us for our Christmas Eve Eve service. We will have two different service times: one at 5:00 p.m. and one at 6:30 p.m. Again, that's going to be Christmas Eve Eve, or as some of you like to call it, Christmas Adam, because he came before Eve.

We would love to see you there! The services will be on December 23rd at 5:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Check our website for more details. Please invite some friends and family; we're going to have a great time. Miles is going to share a Christmas message, and we will have 30 kids singing in our Christmas choir this year, so you don't want to miss that. It's going to be amazing!

Additionally, Christmas Day and New Year's Day both fall on Sundays this year. We will be combining and just doing one service at 10:30 a.m. here at Cross Connection Church on both Christmas Day and New Year's Day. We hope that you can join us for those services as well. Again, Christmas Day and New Year's Day at 10:30 a.m. here at the church. We would love to see you there and ring in the new year with Cross Connection Church while celebrating Christmas Day with us as well.