God gives Himself

Christmas Eve, 2007

John 3:16

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son . . ."

This Christmas Eve, as the gift-wrap has surely already been stripped from plenty of presents, let’s find two lessons tucked into the one gift of God so loving the world that He gave us His one and only Son to be our Savior.

Most of you probably spent more than a few bucks buying things for assorted relatives, and friends, and teachers, and bosses, and paper boys and girls, and even the ol’ pastor. You like to buy things for these folks because you are fond of them, because it is a good way to get them something they need—read that, socks and underwear—or something useful—read that, a husband buying a kitchen appliance when his wife was hoping for jewelry—or something they’ve been wanting—read that, the hubby actually wasn’t a bonehead, this year, and got the hint and bought the jewelry—or something to just plain paste a smile on their little face—read that, books that I can take with me when I go deer hunting.

And, all of these gifts are fine and dandy. And, indeed, when we truly purchase presents from a position of passion—and not, "Because I have to"—we are demonstrating our love, and we are strengthening our bond . . . and we just might enhance our chance for a happy dance of getting something really cool in return. Right?

Gifts are great, but gifts can be used to shirk responsibility. How many dads and moms have in mind that, with these toys and board games, with this CD player or X-Box, with these books and magazine subscriptions—with all of this stuff with which we parents compliment our kids in the typical American Christmas—how many dads and moms have in mind that this stuff will keep the kids busy . . . so that the kids will be out of the parents’ hair.

• So that Dad can watch his TV in peace.
• So that Mom can get everything done that she needs to get done.
• So that Dad and Mom can have time to themselves.

And, we think we are showing love.

We think, "This is what love is: giving stuff to people we love." And, it’s no surprise, because we have been playing this game, for a long time. We learned it from our parents, who learned it from their parents.

Deep down in our hearts, we truly believe it:

• stuff is what makes people happy;
• stuff is what people want;
• stuff is how we show love.

Ah, but here is how we know this is a "Rudolf can’t fly in fog" lie. The day after Christmas—you know, when all of the stores will have all of their tremendous sales—everyone who got all of this stuff for Christmas will see these sales, and they are going to want more stuff.

God didn’t give us things in order to separate us, so that we can go our separate ways with our TV watching, or chore doing, or golden silence searching. God gave us the ability to create board games to play, and movies to watch, and toys with which to dig and build and create, so that we would get down on the floor and give ourselves to each other.

The greatest gift you can give, this Christmas, is not the number one thing on someone’s list. The greatest gift you can give is you. This is love—to give one’s life to another.

• Love is spending time with your child and his favorite game.
• Love is enjoying the movie and then talking about how it made you feel.
• Love is looking your wife in the eye as you enjoy a meal together.
• Love is doing, not what you want to do, but what your loved one wants you to do with her or him.
• Love is giving of your self, of your time, of your attention, of your energy.

If you don’t agree with me—if you don’t get it, yet—here is your proof. When it came time for God to show His love to the world, what did He give? He gave Himself.

God the Father gave God the Son so that you could be God the Father’s sons and daughters.

God so loved you that He became one with you:

• so that He could sit with you, and talk with you, and hear your troubles;
• so that He could tell you about His Father, His kingdom, His love;
• so that He could take your pain, take your sorrow, take your sin into His own flesh;
• so that He could die your death;
• so that He could give you His life;
• so that you might live with real hope, for a real future, in your real body, reclaimed in His resurrection, just as He is raised and lives forever.

Now, you might want to argue, that Jesus gave us these gifts by giving us stuff. He gave us three gifts, in fact. He gave us His Word, and He gave us His Baptism, and He gave us His Supper.

Yes—yes, He did. And, in giving these things, He did so in the manner that a dad gets down on the floor and opens the board game with his beloved children. Dad plays the game with his kids. Dad gives the kids his love by giving them his life.

That’s what Jesus does.

What is it that the Word of Jesus does? The Word of Jesus gives Jesus to you. As you hear of Jesus’ dying and living love for you, faith is created in you, and faith grows in you, and faith is strengthened in you. Jesus doesn’t say, "Here, play with this so that I can enjoy some peace and quiet in heaven." No, Jesus says, "Make the next move of your life. Jump to the square that reads, Life Hands You a Lemon. Look, I am there, on that square, holding your hand. Now, move to the one that says, You Blew It. Look, I am there, with my cleansing blood of forgiveness."

What is it that the Baptism of Jesus does? The Baptism of Jesus gives Jesus to you. John 3:16 becomes your Bible verse. He makes you the whoever who believes in Him, in which He gives you eternal life. He seals His crucifixion and resurrection into the fabric of your life and death. Death no longer holds mastery over you. You have died with Christ and now live with Him—He with you.

And, what is it that the Supper of Jesus does? The Supper of Jesus gives Jesus to you. This is, perhaps, my favorite Jesus-connection to make, in bringing the Good Friday bloody body of the Son of God forward to our very church, sitting upon our altar, given into the mouths of God’s sons and daughters.

He feeds you upon Himself. How much closer can He come to you? How much more can He give you?

Jesus doesn’t give you things. Jesus gives you Jesus. Himself. His life. His holiness. His victory. His cleansing. His strength. His resurrection. His living hope. His perfect promise.

Jesus is God’s gift to you—that you, believing in Him, shall, indeed, not perish, but have eternal life—eternal celebrating—just as you celebrate His coming at Christmas. Amen.