Title: Are You A Re-Gifter?
Bible Book: Isaiah 9 : 6-9
Author: Vince Hefner
Subject: Giving; Stewardship; Missions; Christmas; Witnessing
Objective:
Introduction
What is regifting and who are the people who do it? Regifting involves people who receive a gift that cost them nothing and then give that gift to someone else. Of course, regifting means that the re-gifter does not get to keep the gift.
Actually, God wants all of us to practice regifting; that is, He wants us to gift the wonderful gift we have received from heaven. All of us who are saved have received Jesus Christ, God’s Son, into our lives. We are called upon by God to pass on this gift through our witness, and by financially giving so missionaries can take this message of God’s salvation and love around the world.
In our Southern Baptist Churches we take this idea of regifting very seriously every year in December. We take a special offering called the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, which is named for a Southern Baptist famous missionary to China who has for a long time now been with the Lord. She out her life for Christ carrying the message of Jesus to a the people of China, and died before she got back to America. When we give an offering through this process, we send the gospel through our many current missionaries who serve in over 100 countries around the world. We are regifting, but we don’t lose the gift we have in the process. Now that is the best way to practice regifting.
Let’s look at God’s gift to us in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ. That is, I want us to see afresh what we have received in Christ and the wonderful gift we are seeking to give to others. We simply want people everywhere to know the most wonderful Gift in history – the gift of God found only in His Son. So, think with me about how this gift is described in the Old Testament, and hopefully this will help us be determined to do our best to get this Gift to everyone in the world. In other words, we can learn anew how to become re-gifters.
I. A Gift of Purpose
We note that the Old Testament refers to the promised Savior as the Wonderful Counselor. In other words, Jesus came to give believers a wisdom only available from Him. That wisdom involves the purpose for living. Jesus shares a direction in life for all who receive Him. In addition, Jesus gives those who accept and follow Him a divine understanding and compassion – which is something this old world really needs.
A counselor seeks to help people find direction out of a personal or emotional maze in which they find themselves. A good counselor can identify with the hurting or confused person, and thus can do what he or she can to help, but Jesus is the only counselor who can be called the WONDERFUL COUNSELOR, for He not only directs individuals. He is the Son of God who came to fully identify with us. He left heaven to come to this world to show us the way home. Those who receive Him have His promise that He will never leave you or forsake you. You don’t have to make an appointment with the Wonderful Counselor, for He is always there for you. He is the Friend Closer Than A Brother. He cares for you, directs you, comforts you and gives you purpose in life and eternity.
II. A Gift of Power
Another title for Jesus from our text is Mighty God.
Not only can Jesus serve as the Wonderful Counselor, but He is the Mighty God who sees you, knows you and has the power to give you an abundant life now and eternal life as well. You see, he knows your personal, physical, and spiritual needs, and that is not all. He is mighty to save and mighty to defend those who trust Him! He knows who you are, where you are, what you need, and He even knows when you need it. He is the Mighty God.
Sharing Jesus with the lost world is to share with them a power they cannot find elsewhere – the power of forgiveness for sin and the power to live your best life. The mightiness of the Mighty God is ours through Christ. Our Lord is mighty and can deliver anyone who trusts Him from the prison of sin and death. He is mighty and directs all who trusts Him through their most difficult circumstances.
The songwriter penned,
"What a Mighty God we serve!
What a Mighty God we serve,
Angels bow before Him,
Heaven and earth adores Him,
What a Might God we serve!"
III. A Gift of Permanence
We note from our text that Lord is called the Everlasting Father.
Most of the gifts we receive are forgotten very quickly. You may not even remember the gift given to you last year by family or friends. The great majority of the gifts we have received are in the area of nevermore – lost, used up or hidden in an attic. A survey some time ago revealed that less than half the people can remember what gift they received just one year ago.
I know that there are parents here who give gifts to children and sometimes they throw the gift down and play with the box. In fact, the line to exchange gifts at the stores after Christmas is longer than the line you stood in to buy the gift it before Christmas. Face it, gifts come and go, but Jesus is a gift that lasts forever. He rules over a kingdom that will never end. When we share Jesus through our witness or our missions gifts, we provide a gift that is everlasting!
Jesus never grows old.
His love never wears out.
His salvation never goes out of warranty.
His presence never fades.
The home He has prepared never loses value.
IV. A Gift of Peace
Jesus is also referred to in our text today as the Prince of Peace.
Jesus alone provides the peace that the would desperately needs. Paul told us in Philippians that we can have the God of peace with us and the peace of God in us (Philippians 4). If we don't have that peace, one of two things is true of us. One, we are not really saved. Or, two, we are not appropriating what we have been given by our Lord. Have you ever received gifts for Christmas and put the aside, only to find sometime later that one of the gifts was tucked away in a closet and unused? Some people do that with the peace of God in Christ as well.
The world needs peace – the peace in the mind and heart that only Jesus can provide. Sharing Jesus with the world is the only hope for peace in the human heart.
Conclusion
Most of the people in this room have received the gift of God in Christ. You are saved and have all the benefits that were won for you through the death and resurrection of our Lord. But, let me ask you a question, does someone else need this gift? The One gift you can give without diminishing anything of your own, is the gift of God in Christ. In fact, when we share with others our joy is increased. When we give away His love we actually feel a sense of more love from God in our hearts. Now, isn’t that something special?
If you have never received God’s gift – Jesus Christ, you can come to Him today. He is here and He is waiting for you to accept His gift of forgiveness for sin, peace in your heart, and eternal life. Come to Him now.
For those of us who have received this gift, this is the time of year to be even more aware of giving that gift to others. We need to share financially through the Lottie Moon International Mission’s Offering, so our missionaries can carry the message of God's love in Christ to a lost world. And, also, we can share with others through our own witness.
