1. Our Finest Gifts we bring!
A Christmas sermon series

3. Our Finest Gifts we bring!
A Christmas sermon series

4. Bring your treasure in full measure!
Matthew 2:1-12

5. I. The wise men gave of their treasure despite barriers of time and distance
Matthew Chapter 2
1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
“the oracle of him who hears the words of God, and knows the knowledge of the Most High, who sees the vision of the Almighty…I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel…” Numbers 24:16-17

6. II. The wise men gave of their treasure despite barriers of hostile resistance
2 “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him… 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

7. III. The wise men gave of their treasure led by divine persistence
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.
11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.
“The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil…” Matthew 12:35

8. Iv. Bring your treasure in full measure!
“Every time you make a choice you are turning the central part of you, the part of you that chooses, into something a little different from what it was before. And taking your life as a whole, with all your innumerable choices, all your life long you are slowly turning this central thing either into a heavenly creature or into a hellish creature: either into a creature that is in harmony with God, and with other creatures, and with itself, or else into one that is in a state of war and hatred with God, and with its fellow-creatures, and with itself. To be the one kind of creature is heaven: that is, it is joy and peace and knowledge and power. To be the other means madness, horror, idiocy, rage, impotence, and eternal loneliness. Each of us at each moment is progressing to one state or the other.” C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

9. Iv. Bring your treasure in full measure!
“Every time you make a choice you are turning the central part of you, the part of you that chooses, into something a little different from what it was before. And taking your life as a whole, with all your innumerable choices, all your life long you are slowly turning this central thing either into a heavenly creature or into a hellish creature: either into a creature that is in harmony with God, and with other creatures, and with itself, or else into one that is in a state of war and hatred with God, and with its fellow-creatures, and with itself. To be the one kind of creature is heaven: that is, it is joy and peace and knowledge and power. To be the other means madness, horror, idiocy, rage, impotence, and eternal loneliness. Each of us at each moment is progressing to one state or the other.” C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity