It's Our Turn to Give

Merry Christmas. Happy New Year. It's good to have you with us this morning. Hope you had a merry Christmas. Hope you have a wonderful New Year and but we're going to keep with our Christmas carols for just one more Sunday and we're going to start out this morning with oh come all you faithful standing please if you will and can.

Oh come all you faithful. Hymn number 100 in your hymn book. Amen. Amen. Brother David Vogt, would you open our service in prayer?

Amen. You may be seated. Take your hymn books though. Keep em open. Hymn number 99.

If you had it open, you just have to look across the page still. Angels from the Realms of Glory. Amen. Please pardon my occasional coughing this morning. Just getting over the wonderful cold that I started getting last weekend but the Lord has been good.

It hasn't gotten too too bad. Remember my son, David, he's at home this morning. I gave the cold to him And I think he's got the worst of it. In your bulletin, if you want look at the announcements, our missionaries of the month are John and Hannah Spites, missionaries in Brazil. They have a daughter that has a medical need at the moment, a cyst that's causing her a great deal of pain and problem.

I pray that they'll be able to rectify that very soon. Over on the right side, morning's message. It's our turn to give. It's our turn to give and we'll look at that from scripture here more in just a few minutes. Second Corinthians eight five and this they did not as we hoped but first gave their own selves to the Lord and unto us by the will of God.

It is our turn to give. As we look back at this year and we remember Christmas as we look forward into the New Year I hope that we will look at what time God has given us as an opportunity for us to give back to him. This coming week, tonight is our fifth Sunday service. We'll be celebrating the Lord's supper. Have a song and testimony service and fellowship following.

So, please bring some finger foods with you. So, that begins at 06:00 this evening. I hope you'll come plan to come and join us and celebrate the Lord's supper as our Lord commanded us to do in the service this evening and come with a song favorite song out of the hymn book. You'd like us to sing and a testimony. I enjoy these services.

I get to hear what the Lord lays on other people's hearts as I do most of the talking on Sundays and Wednesdays. It's good to hear what God is doing in your life. So, I hope you plan to come and join us and come with a testimony and a song and maybe a little bit of finger food afterwards as well. Tuesday, discipleship and Bible study continues and so that's 11:00AM. Anybody that's free, it's for you, okay?

Come and join us. We have a wonderful time around the word of God. There's no midweek prayer service or joy club this Wednesday. It being New Year's Day but it will resume the next week. Men's Bible study is at 7PM this coming Friday.

Here at the church. So, that would be January 3 here at the church. Men, mark it on your calendar. Come and join us on January 3 for our Bible study. A special thanks there in the bulletin.

Same as last week for those who helped to make the church Christmas banquet. Go so well and also I'd like to add those who participated in the Christmas program last Sunday night and appreciate your ministry and service to us in that as well. It was a great blessing. Several people told me what it was a blessing. So, thank you for that also and and for also the church's gift to us as well.

Mark your calendar deacons meeting coming up January 9. Not this week but the next. We're finishing up through the Bible in 2019. This week. Been a great blessing if you've been able to keep up with that.

If not, guess what? In just a few days, we begin 2020. So, new opportunity, new start. Let's start off well. Rather than putting Old Testament and New Testament reading in the bulletin for 2020, we're just going to begin at Genesis and go all the way through to Revelation and so I'll be putting the passages in there to cover for those days of that week.

So, so this coming week, January first to fourth, will be Genesis one through 11. So, if you want to get started off, get started off well. If this isn't how you want to do it, guess what? That's okay. Just spend time in God's word this year with your Lord and see what a difference that he will make in your life and do take notice of the birthdays in January also.

Appreciate that. A couple of things. We have plenty of tracks back there on on the table, the big table particularly. Please take all the tracks and we will find ways to replenish them. And let's start off the New Year well in that respect as well.

Proclaiming and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with others and attracts or an easy way to do that either to leave it behind with somebody or use it to help start a conversation. Also, there are directories back there. We ran out of directories last week. And so we have some new directories. The purple ones so if you have a blue one, discard it.

Get a purple one. If you already have a purple one, this one is the same. So don't get another purple one. Because we printed several and they've been gone. So there's a few more back there for that.

Also, on the back table are offering envelopes. If you use these, you're certainly welcome to do so with your offerings on Sunday. There's a number on the box. Just take a box. Write the number down on the pad on the back table back there and they can keep up with it for tax purposes if you like.

It also makes it easy to divide up because you can write on the envelope missions versus general or building or something like that. So welcome to use those. Don't have to. But they are there for you on the back table. If you would like to use them.

A couple of prayer requests this morning. I'd like to mention miss Beverly's daughter Sherry Kay is in the hospital with gallbladder issues this morning. So, if you keep Sherry Kay your prayers, we appreciate that and also Kho San. Kho San's been in Thailand for a couple months. Got back just a couple weeks ago.

He was here for the program last Sunday night. After Christmas, he decided to do some cleaning or something on the front of his garage, put his ladder down, climbed up his ladder. His driveway is sloped unfortunately and the bottom of the ladder just slipped out and he came crashing down. He was in the hospital for about three days. He cracked, fractured his knee, and has several stitches in his chin.

Otherwise, thank the Lord not more seriously injured. He's now home and certainly would appreciate your prayers. So, if you could remember Kosan and Cherry Kay in your prayers, appreciate that. That greatly today. Alright.

That's all the announcements I have. Let's sing another song. Away in a Manger. You can look in the hymn book or you can look up here on the screen if you like. Standing pleased to sing.

Away in a manger. Amen. Take a moment to welcome somebody nearby to the service today. Thank you. Hey, if you can, remain stains, you find your way back to your places.

Amen. Brother Ian, would you lead us in prayer for the offering today? Lord, thank you that we could gather again in your house and as we still celebrate this season, Lord, just remember that little babe became in a manger. Lord, he would go to that cross for us. Just thank you for the gift that was given and just help us to overtake that message to others who don't know and share with them what that special gift is.

Thank you Lord for the service, for this offering, use it to your honor and glory. Be the pastors who raise the word in Christ's name. Amen. Amen. Amen.

One last song this morning. If you'll take your hymn books turn to 92, you may remain seated as we sing. Oh Little Town of Bethlehem, hymn number 92. Amen. Amen.

Children can be dismissed for children's church at this time and if you take your Bibles, turn if you would. With me, we'll just start out in John chapter three this morning. Just John. John chapter three and a verse that maybe familiar to some of you. And that's verse 16 John chapter three sixteen.

For God so loved the world. Why don't you read it together with me? Most of you know this. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Let's pray.

Dear heavenly father, thank you Lord for your word today. Thank you for the we have to come here together to worship you, to exalt the name of Jesus Christ. We pray Lord that you'd be with those among us that could not be here for various reasons. We pray particularly for Sherry Kay and for Cosan that you would raise them up in every way and be with them in a special way today. We pray Lord that you would be of the service that it would be honoring unto you, That the holy spirit would take the word of God and use it mightily in our hearts and lives to challenge us in our service for Jesus Christ and to give back this day, this year, to the one who has given so much for us.

In Jesus name, we pray. Amen. My title, my sermon is titled this morning. A lot of times, I don't even bother saying the title. I'm I'm not really big into to really cool sermon titles but this one is important because it sums up really does sum up what the sermons about and that is this, it's our turn to give.

It is our turn to give. When I was a child, when we were children, our parents gave so much for us. They gave their lives, their time, and resources, their love in very unselfish ways. When birthdays came, they gave. When Christmas came, they gave.

When we needed clothes and food and shelter, they gave and gave again. Many of them worked tedious hours and strenuous jobs day after day to provide for us. My dad worked for thirty some years as a wireman at General Electric. He knew a lot about wiring. He was good at it.

But I can't say as though he really loved to go to work to wire up these jobs. But yet he did it for thirty years. He did it because he loved his family. He did it because God had given him the job to provide for the needs of his family and so he gave. My mom worked at home and she gave just as much as he did.

I am grateful for my parents. Maybe not all of you had parents that gave quite so willingly or unselfishly but I am certainly glad and appreciative of the ones that God gave me. But despite that, yet, when adult children these days are asked to give back to their parents, they quite often react the same way as we often do to God. Rather than with gratitude and love and praise, and blessings in return, we heap upon them heartaches and a cold shoulder. It is sad when you see a child treat their parents particularly parents who love them and gave so much for them to be treated in this manner.

But we often see it today. And it may bother us. It it may make us maybe a bit righteously indignant at times. However, I'm afraid to say that sometimes that's exactly what we do to who? To God and to Jesus.

In relation to both our families and our God, it is our turn to give. To receive so much and give nothing or little in return is unthinkable and God has already already given us so much more than we could ever explain in words. But let's for a few minutes try. Okay. Let's look.

What has God, let's be reminded, what has God given for us? First of all God made me. God gave me life. I would not be here. I would not have life if it weren't for God.

I did not evolve from an ape. I did not get here by random happen chance. The Bible says that God created Adam and Eve. The Bible says that God forms us in our mother's womb. I am here because of God.

He gave me life. In Job 33 and verse four, Job says, the spirit of God hath made me and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life. While Job is in the throes of this great trial, he remembers to thank who? To thank God who has given him life. And oftentimes we look at the trials and the difficulties of life but we forget to thank the one who's given us life at all.

We have so much to be thankful for. God gave us life. First, next, God gives us all good things. God gives good things to all. The Bible says every good and perfect gift comes down from above.

The good things that we enjoy in this life, those things come from who? Those things come from God. God is the giver of good things. The the bad things are in this world because of sin. In the Garden of Eden, there were no bad things but Adam and Eve what?

Sinned and bad things came into the humanity. God is the giver of what? Good things. Praise God. God can even take some of the bad things and for his children make them into what?

Good beneficial things for us. But God is a giver of good things. It says, not only does he give good things to those who love him but God even gives good things to everyone. Look in Matthew five and verse 45 that you may be children of your father which is in heaven. For he maketh his son to rise on the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust.

The innocent and the guilty. God is a giver of good things and we have so much more to be thankful for. In second Peter three nine, it says, the Lord is not slack concerning his promise. In other words, God keeps his promises but as long suffering to us where he's patient with us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. We have a good God.

God is waiting for you. To come to him. Why does his judgment tarry? It maybe because God is waiting for you to be saved, to give you a gift this Christmas. He is a good God who gives good things.

Also, he is a god who gave his only what? Who gave his only son, Jesus Christ. As we just quoted from John three sixteen, God gave his only son to die on a cross for the sins of all humanity. He suffered there not for his sins. He suffered for my sins.

He suffered for yours. He made the way to eternal life. Without him, there was no other way. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the father but by me.

God on Christmas in particular via incarnation became a man that he might live on this earth and he might die for us. In Galatians one four, it says, who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world according to the will of God and our father. Who was that that gave himself Jesus Christ? Gave himself for us that you might be saved from sin and its eternal penalty in hell. God thus gives salvation and eternal life to all of those who come to him in faith.

The Bible says, for the wages of sin is what? Death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. God's gift is eternal life. God doesn't give death. God gives what?

Life. Sin brings death. God gives life to all of those who come to him. He has given us wonderful things. Ephesians two two eight and nine, for by grace are you saved through faith and that none of yourselves, it is the gift of God.

Not of works which we have done but according to his mercy, he has saved us. God has given us salvation through faith in his son, Jesus. By his grace, what does that mean? That means he has given to me something I did not earn and I do not deserve. He earned it for me on the cross.

And he offers it freely to all who come to him by faith. God has given us a record, his word so that we might know. How do we know these things? Well, we begin to know them through what? Through the scriptures.

God is recorded and God has preserved his word that we might know of Jesus Christ that we might know of his gift, that we might know of his sacrifice, that we might know of the way of salvation, that we might know of his love, that we might know of his eternal promises to them that love him. He has given us a record. But these are written. That you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, and that believing you might have life to his name. We're not done yet.

God has given to us his spirit. When you place your faith in Jesus Christ, the spirit, the holy spirit comes into your life. He regenerates you. He gives you a new life in Christ Jesus and places you into the body of Christ. He is the one who seals us for eternity and assures us of our eternal inheritance in heaven.

In first John four thirteen, it says, hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given to us his what? His spirit. We are not alone. God has not left us alone. He has given us his spirit who lives inside of every born again believer in Jesus Christ.

He gives to us all that we need. Second Peter one three. According as his divine power have given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of him that have called us to glory and virtue. God says, he takes care of who? His children.

He has given us all that we need. He says in Matthew six thirty three, but seek you first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all of these things that you need shall be added or provided you. God says, I will take care of you. I can do that. If you will just trust in me.

We could spend the rest of the service recounting all the Lord has given and all that God has done for us of which we are quite undeserving. And this sermon would go on for hours. But we can't do that today. So, we will end with this particular segment of our message and move on to the next and this is this. Let's consider is there anything we can give in return?

Is there anything we can give in return? Now let me qualify that. Is there anything that you can give to earn God's love and eternal life? The answer to that is no. Back to Ephesians two eight nine.

For by grace, that's God's giving to the undeserving. For by grace are you saved through what? Faith and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, the free gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. There's nothing with which we can come to God and say, God, here, I will give you this if you will give me eternal life.

I will give you this if you will forgive me. I will do this for you if you will show me your favor. We have nothing to offer God in relation to salvation and eternal life. It is Jesus Christ that paid the price for us and thus made it possible for God to offer salvation as a free gift to those who have no power in themselves and nothing to offer God for salvation. That is wonderful message of Christmas.

Is it not? However, as a born again believer in Jesus Christ who has been saved by God's grace, is there something that I can give, something I can do, something that I can give in return. To the one who has given so much for me. And the answer to that is yes. Not only is there something you can give, there's something you should give.

There's something you must give. It would be unthinkable to not give back to the one who has given so much for me. I'm afraid often times we fall prey to thinking of our God like a genie. We rub the bottle. He comes out.

We say, God, give me this. We say, God, give me that. God, I want this. God, I need that and by the way, God does invite us to bring our request before him. Don't get me wrong.

However, We forget that God is a person and he's not a genie. We forget all the things that God has already given. None of which we deserve. And we treat him like a genie who gives three wishes rather than as a father who gave his son for us. And who has responsibilities and expectations of his children which he should.

And it is our turn to give back to him. Second Corinthians eight five, and this they did not as we hoped but first gave their own selves to the Lord and to us by the will of God. Now, in this particular instance, Paul was talking about an offering for believers back in Jerusalem that he was taking up in the Gentile churches and he says that he was so impressed in what by what God had done in their life because rather than just throwing a little bit of money aside to give, Paul said, these people gave sacrificially not just of their possessions but he could see that they had given of themselves. God doesn't want so much your money. He wants you.

He wants you. And that's what we should give him. It is our turn to give. What can we give back to the Lord who gave so much for us? Well, we can give him our love and devotion.

Doesn't he deserve it? Doesn't he deserve it? Yes, he does. We didn't deserve it. He gave it anyway.

He does deserve it. The Bible says, first John four nineteen, we love him because he first loved us. Because he loved the unlovable, we who were unlovable and our love now have the opportunity to give our love and devotion. Back to him. He deserves it.

He has earned it. We certainly should give it. Matthew twenty two thirty seven and thirty eight. Jesus said unto him, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.

What's the greatest commandment? Well, it's not thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. It's not thou shalt not bow down into any graven images. It's not thou shalt not kill. The greatest commandment is, thou shalt love the Lord.

That is what God is looking for. He's not looking for perfect people here on this Earth. One day, he will make me perfect but I ain't perfect yet. Neither is my grammar. But one day, I will be but what he does deserve and what he is looking for is my what?

Is my love and devotion and allegiance. And he deserves it. He deserves all of my heart. He deserves all of my devotion. He deserves all of my allegiance.

He doesn't need to share that with anything else. The first one of the 10 commandments is thou shalt have no other what? Gods before me. Why? Because he is the only true and living God who gave himself for you and he deserves all of our heart.

And not to share it with another. And not to share it with some ambition to be the richest person in the world or or to have all the pleasures we have everything and eternity and abundant life in Jesus Christ. He said a lot of good things about the church of Ephesus in Revelation chapter two. What was the one thing he said they had lacking in? He said, they had left their first love.

And that they needed to repent. Their love for God had grown cold in their busyness. Going through the motions. Why do I why do I I I emphasize in the bulletin reading through the Bible or reading God's word because the more you get to know somebody, the more you get to love somebody and how do you get to know God? Through spending time in his word and on your knees.

And you will fall in love with God this year and guess what? He deserves it. Number two, not only does he deserve our love, he deserves deserves our will our life, and our will. He says in Matthew sixteen twenty four, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself. Take up his cross and follow me.

What does it mean deny himself? Well, that means deny himself the lust of the flesh. The lust of the eyes and the pride of life. It means that I need to be willing to give up the gratification of the flesh and my own will and ambitions to embrace the will of who? The will of my God.

He came to do the will of the father. He gave up his will to die on a cross for my sins. He deserves to be calling the shots in my life. Does he deserve to be calling the shots in yours? I think he does.

If we truly love him, if we truly appreciate the life he has given to us, we will use that life to in service to him, to do his will. Galatians two twenty, Paul says, I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, I live, Yet, not I but Christ lives in me and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. Paul says, yes, I died with Christ when I got saved but I have been given a new life in Jesus Christ and the life which I now live is not mine. It's not my life.

It's his life to be lived out in me. And so Paul gave up his will Even there on the road to Damascus, when he asked the Lord Jesus, who are you? And he says, I am Jesus Christ. Paul's response was, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? What will thou have me to do?

Isaiah's response to God was, here am I, Lord, send me. What is God's will for your life? I know most of what God's will is for your life because most of it's found in the pages of his word. So, if you want to know his word, well, then get into his what? Get into his word.

Do I know where God wants you to go tomorrow? What ministry he wants you to get involved in? No, I don't. But God does. God knows what neighbor you need to go to with a track this week.

God knows what job you need to take. God knows what church you need to attend. God knows what ministry you need to take up for him. Are you willing to give up your will for his will? That maybe scary.

But God does not make mistakes. I do. You do. God doesn't. So, if I follow my will, then I'm lack likely to end up in calamity.

The Bible says there's a way that seems right unto a man but the end thereof are the ways of death. But if I will take up God's will and if I'll learn to trust him, I will never be ashamed. I will never regret it. Because God will lead me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. God deserves our love.

He deserves our will. He deserves our mind and our body. Our mind and our body. First Corinthians six nineteen through 21. What?

Know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which you have of God and you're not your own for you're bought with a price. Therefore, glorify God in your body and your spirit which are whose? Gods. Romans twelve one, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that you may prove what is a good that you by the mercy of God that you may present your bodies a living sacrifice unto God which is your reasonable service. Because of what mercy God has showed toward us.

It is our reasonable service to yield this body as an instrument and a tool to be used in the service of my God. To yield this mind to be renewed and transformed by the Holy Spirit and the word of God. To adopt the wisdom of God and to flush out the lies and the wisdom of the world. That's what I can give to him. My love, my will my body my time my time.

Well, Really, it's not my time. Whose time is it? Who created time? God did. Who gave me life?

He did. This time really belongs to him. How can I show my love? What can I give to God? I can give him my time and I can give him my energy.

As you look to this next year, you have three hundred and sixty five days. You have fifty two weeks. You have twelve months and I won't begin to add up the minutes and the seconds and the hours, okay? But it's all God's time that he has invested in who? He's invested it in me.

Wow. God has invested his time and this life in me. So that I can use it to bring glory to him. Why can you give to the Lord this year? You can give him your time.

You can give him your time to come and worship and encourage other Christians and hear the word of God. Once, twice, three times a week. You can give of your time to get on your knees and pray in your prayer closet. You can take your time to spend in the word of God getting to know him better. You can use your time to go to a neighbor and hand him a track.

You can use your time to write a birthday card to somebody in the church and let them know that you remember them. Take time to take a meal to somebody who's been in the hospital or hurting or lost a loved one. It's not just our time to do with as we please. It's the time that he has invested in me. Do you have something you can give to God?

Yes, you do. You can give him your love. You can give him your will. You can give him your body. You can give him your time.

This year. And you and then finally, we can give him our praise our worship, our testimony. We can praise him in song. We can proclaim his word. We can tell our neighbor what Christ has done for us.

No, you don't always have to go to your neighbor. You don't always have to go with your coworker with a track and with the Romans Road. You can just go to them and tell them when they ask, how was your weekend? You can say, it was wonderful. Let me tell you what Christ did for me this weekend.

Let me tell you, the blessings of serving and worshiping him this weekend. Rather than just talking about the weather or the football game. You can tell em what Christ means to you That's part of being a light in the good work that others can see in us that they will bring, that will bring glory to our father which is in heaven. It says in Hebrews thirteen fifteen, by him therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God what? Continually.

That is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. That's not just in private in your prayer closet. That's also publicly on your street. And in worship, in your church, and even the place that you work. Let others know what God has done for you.

But most importantly, if you're here today and you've never put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ to be your savior and Lord. What you can give to God this Christmas is your soul. You can entrust God. You can entrust Jesus Christ by faith with your eternal soul. He says that he that cometh to me, I will in no wise what?

Cast out. Cast out. Come unto me all you that labor in heavy laden. I will give you rest. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.

Those who are believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. God says, Jesus says, come to me, trust in me, what I did for you on the cross, what I will do for you, if you will call upon me, I will answer you, I will save your soul, I will give you eternal life. But you have to entrust me with your soul. Have you done that? Have you, by faith, entrusted your soul to Jesus Christ?

If you haven't, that's what you can give to God today. And I plead with you to do so. And if you're here today and you're a Christian, let's not forget all that God has done for us and let's look for ways this year. That we can give back to God. Let's pray.

Dear heavenly father, thank you Lord. For all the many wonderful things, eternal things Things that you gave to us which we would have no other means to attain. But through the sacrifice, of Jesus Christ, our savior. Thank you for your grace, your mercy that you've shown to us. Lord, if there be one here today that's never trusted you to be the Lord and savior of their life.

We pray today, Lord, that you would work in their heart to help them to see their need, to be overwhelmed, by your love and grace. And to humbly receive your gift today. And Lord, for us who know you, I pray Lord that we would leave this place with a renewed determination to give back to our God. A renewed appreciation for what you have done for us. In Jesus precious name, we do pray.

Amen. We'll sing a song and hymn of invitation this morning, 375 in your hymn book. 375 in your hymn book and I'm going to read the first verse before we sing it. It says, I gave my life for thee. My precious blood I shed that thou might ransomed be and quicken from the dead.

I gave, I gave my life for thee. What hast thou given to me? I gave, I gave my life for thee. What hast thou given for me? If there's something God's placed on your heart as we sing, would you talk to him in song or would you bow your head and talk to him in prayer or come as God leads or if you've never been saved, would you come this morning as we sing standing please?

I gave my life for thee. I gave my life for thee my precious blood I shed that thou mights ransom be and quicken from the dead I gave I gave my life for thee what hast thou given for me I gave I gave my life for thee what hast thou given for me my father's house of my glory circle throne I left for earthly night for wandering sad and lone I left I left it all for thee has thou left on for me I left I left it all for thee has thou left on for me Amen. Amen. Let's close our service in prayer. Brother Ralph Teal, would you close us in prayer, please?

Amen.