THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS IS A SPIRIT OF SELFLESS GIVING I. INTRO RRRRead 2Cor 8:9. TTTThe bottom-line of Christmas, is this: GOD GAVE! ~ And because God gave we can become rich. ~ For us who have already trusted in Christ Jesus alone for our salvation, we are already rich!

II. THE MACEDONIAN CHURCHES: AN ENCOURAGING EXAMPLE OF GENEROSITY RRRRead 2Cor 8:1-2. TTTThe character of the spirit behind the Macedonian churches’ giving 1. It was giving motivated by God’s grace. (2Cor 8:1) 2. It was giving in difficult circumstances. (2Cor 8:2)

3. It was giving with joy. (2Cor 8:2) 4. It was giving with generosity. (2Cor 8:2) 5. It was giving with proportionate sacrifice. (2Cor 8:3) 6. It was giving voluntarily. (2Cor 8:3) 7. It was giving with worship and submission. (2Cor 8:5) 8. It was giving in love. (2Cor 8:8)

III. THE LORD JESUS CHRIST: THE EXALTED EMBODIMENT OF GIVING RRRRead 2Cor 8:9. TTTThis most generous giving of Christ of Himself is motivated by His grace. ~ IT IS A GIVING NOT MOTIVATED BY ANYTHING IN US – NOT A GIVING BECAUSE OF US, BUT IN SPITE OFUS. (Cf. Rom 5:8)

~ This is the kind of selfless and giving life that the Lord desires of us – a life motivated by grace in everything that it does, especially toward others. SSSSome very stark contrasts: “He was rich.” HHHHe is God and Creator. ~ Col 1:15-17 ~ Heb 1:3

AAAAs God and Creator, He owns everything. ~ Ps 50:10-12 BBBBefore the incarnation He enjoyed perfect fellowship with the Father. ~ Jn 1:1-2 HHHHe is glorious. ~ Rev 4:3-5a (cf. Jn 17:5) HHHHe is King. ~ Rev 19:16

“He became poor.” RRRRead 2Cor 8:9. ~ All His “wealth/riches” the Lord Jesus gave up by suspending His full use ofthem when He “became flesh, and dwelt among us” (Jn 1:14). ~ Phil 2:6-7a FFFFrom God the Creator, He took on flesh and became as one of us. ~ Jn 1:14 ~ Phil 2:7-8a

HHHHe lived as a poor man ordinary in appearance. ~ Isa 53:2 ~ Matt 13:55 HHHHe was despised and rejected by men, even by His own. ~ Isa 53:3 ~ Jn 1:11 HHHHe died a most horrible death – a death He did not deserve. ~ Phil 2:8

OOOOn the cross, He carried all our sin and, therefore, took all the punishment due us. ~ 2Cor 5:21 ~ Isa 53:5 NIV BBBBecause He became “sin on our behalf,” God forsook Him. ~ Matt 27:46 BBBBecause of His disgraceful death, the Jews intended Jesus to have a disgraceful burial along with the thieves. (Isa 53:9)

IV. THE BELIEVER IN CHRIST: THE ETERNAL ENJOYER OF GRACE RRRRead 2Cor 8:9c. WWWWe need to be reminded of our poverty before Jesus came into our lives. WWWWe were spiritually dead. ~ Eph 2:1 WWWWe were following a wrong course and a wrong lord. ~ Eph 2:2

WWWWe were bound by our sinful nature with all its lusts and desires. ~ Eph 2:3a WWWWe were all objects of God’s wrath and judgment, and, therefore, hell- bound. ~ Eph 2:3b ~ Rom 3:23; 6:23 ~ Heb 9:27

WWWWe were slaves of sin, deceived into thinking we had our own free will. ~ Rom 6:17 EEEEph 2:12 is a fitting summary of what our condition was before Christ. BBBBut then “through [Christ’s] poverty” we had “become rich.” ~ Eph 1:3-14 contains a glorious catalogue of our riches in Christ. ~ Jn 1:12

~ Rom 8:15-17 ~ 1Cor 6:19; Gal 2:20 ~ Imagine the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords living in you! ~ All this because God gave: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son…” (Jn 3:16).

V. THE CHALLENGE TO CHRISTIANS: BE EXUBERANT EPITOMES OF GRACIOUSNESS TTTThe message of Christmas is the message of God’s grace. ~ It is the grace that must give and, therefore, seeks to give because of itself and in spite of the object. ~ THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS IS REALLY THE SPIRIT OF SELFLESS GIVING.

“O Lord of Heaven and Earth and Sea” by Christopher Wordsworth, O Lord of heaven and earth and sea, To Thee all praise and glory be. To Thee all praise and glory be. How shall we show our love to Thee, How shall we show our love to Thee, Who givest all? Who givest all? 2. The golden sunshine, vernal air, Sweet flowers and fruit, Thy love declare. Sweet flowers and fruit, Thy love declare. When harvests ripen, Thou art there, When harvests ripen, Thou art there, Who givest all. Who givest all.

3. For peaceful homes and healthful days, For all the blessings earth displays, For all the blessings earth displays, We owe Thee thankfulness and praise, We owe Thee thankfulness and praise, Who givest all. Who givest all. 4. Thou didst not spare Thine only Son, But gav'st Him for a world undone, But gav'st Him for a world undone, And freely with that Blessed One And freely with that Blessed One Thou givest all. Thou givest all.

5. Thou giv'st the Spirit's holy dower, 5. Thou giv'st the Spirit's holy dower, Spirit of Life and Love and Power, Spirit of Life and Love and Power, And dost His sevenfold graces shower And dost His sevenfold graces shower Upon us all. Upon us all. 6. For souls redeemed, for sins forgiven, 6. For souls redeemed, for sins forgiven, For means of grace and hopes of heaven, For means of grace and hopes of heaven, What can to Thee, O Lord, be given What can to Thee, O Lord, be given Who givest all? Who givest all?

7. We lose what on ourselves we spend; We have as treasure without end We have as treasure without end Whatever Lord, to Thee we lend, Whatever Lord, to Thee we lend, Who givest all; Who givest all; 8. To Thee, from whom we all derive 8. To Thee, from whom we all derive Our life, our gifts, our power to give. Our life, our gifts, our power to give. Oh, may we ever with Thee live, Oh, may we ever with Thee live, Who givest all! Who givest all!