“Jesus was born in a town called Bethlehem, in Judea. King Herod ruled Judea at that time. After Jesus was born, some wise men came to Jerusalem from a country in the east. When they arrived there, they asked people, ‘Where is the baby who has been born as the king of the Jews? We saw his special star when it first appeared in the sky. So now we have come here to worship him.’ When King Herod heard what the men said, he was very upset. All the people in Jerusalem were afraid too. Then Herod asked all the leaders of the priests and the teachers of God’s Law to meet with him. He asked them, ‘Where will God’s Messiah be born?’ They replied, ‘The Messiah will be born in Bethlehem in Judea. This is what the prophet wrote about it: “People who live in Bethlehem, your town is a very important town in Judea. A person born in your town will become a ruler of my people, Israel. He will lead my people like a shepherd who leads his sheep.” ’ Then Herod secretly told the wise men to come to meet with him. They told him the time that the star had appeared. Herod sent the men to Bethlehem. He said to them, ‘Go and look everywhere for this child. When you find him, come back here and tell me where he is. Then I can go and worship him too.’ After the men had heard the king, they left to go to Bethlehem. They could see the same star that they had seen before. They were very happy when they saw the star. It moved along in front of them. Then it stopped above the place where the child was staying. The men went into the house and they saw the child. He was with Mary, his mother. They went down on their knees in front of the child and they worshipped him. Then they opened their bags. They took out valuable gifts and they gave them to the child. The gifts were gold, incense called frankincense, and also myrrh. After that, God said to them in a dream, ‘Do not go back to see Herod again.’ So the men travelled on a different road to return to their own country.”‭‭Matthew‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭12‬ ‭EASY‬‬

https://www.bible.com/events/49528267

Church of the Nazarene – East Rockingham Campus 

The Gifts Part 1 

Strange men in a strange land 

Today we are starting our advent teaching series called “The gifts”. throughout this series we will study the story of the Magi and the gifts that they presented to Jesus. Frankincense, Myrrh, and Gold. 

On their own these gifts were very valuable, but more than their value, they tell us a story about who Jesus is. That story is what we aim to unpack over the next few weeks. 

Why did these men bring a small child yellow rocks, perfume, and spices What did they mean? What can we learn from the story they tell. 

These are The Gifts. 

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭2‬‬ 

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 

After Jesus is born, strange men from the East enter the story. The bible calls them Magi and we do not know much about them. 

They were likely key figures in the eastern culture who prided themselves in being in the know about worldly wisdom and philosophy. They seem to have knowledge of the Jewish Messiah, so many scholars believe they came from Babylon where there were still populations of Jewish people living. 

They have seen a star in the sky and they have concluded it must mean the King of the Jews has been born. 

They begin to make what could have been a 1000-mile, camel back journey to Jerusalem to worship him. Likely this was a whole entourage- they brought 3 gifts, but it was almost certainly more than 3 of them traveling that distance. 

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭2‬:‭3‬-‭8‬‬ 

When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: “ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” 

The name “King Herod” would send a chill down the spine of the original audience. Something perhaps even worse than we might even feel at the name Osama Bin-Laden or Adolf Hitler. 

Herod was ruthless when it came to defending his power and position in government. 

Scheming behind the scenes, Herod tells the magi to report back to him under the false guise that he too wants to worship this newborn king. With these final nefarious instructions, the magi depart. 

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭2‬:‭9‬-‭10‬‬ 

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 

The NIV gives us a bland translation. The Greek literally says “they rejoiced with a great joy, exceedingly.” 

After a 1000 miles journey, only 6 miles to go to Bethlehem… 

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭2‬:‭11‬‬ 

On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 

They worshipped him and then they got up and presented their gifts to Jesus. Gold, frankincense, and Myrrh. These gifts represented the very best, the finest goods, fit for a king. 

And they are gifts that point beyond themselves to a tell us a story about who Jesus is. 

Over the next few weeks we will explore each one of these gifts that were presented to Jesus. 

Matthew only spent 8 verses telling us about the birth of Jesus, but has given us 12 verses talking about the Magi, preserving the details of who they were and what they gave. 

Today we started with the Magi, because they, in their own way, tell us a story too. They tell us a story of outsiders and strangers who had such a large vision of Jesus, they were willing to do whatever it took to find him. And when they did, they fell down and worshipped him. 

They not only tell us a story, they give us an example of how we too are to approach Jesus. 

In complete humility and surrender, they lay all of their prestige, all of their sense of self, all of that aside, they bow down, forehead to the ground, and worship the king. 

And their story, asks us a question- Have you worshipped Jesus like that? 

Is your vision of Jesus such that you would do whatever it takes to find him, and when you do, that you would completely throw yourself aside and fall down and worship him? 

The Prodigal  Son

“Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.”‭‭Luke‬ ‭15‬:‭11‬-‭20‬ ‭

• But we believe there is help and there is hope for our families because of Jesus!
  • And we need help, don’t we?
    • And hey, can we be real? We need hope when it comes to our lives and families
      • If you’re married and if you’re not
      • If you have kids and if you don’t 
      • You may be a grandparent, an aunt, an uncle 
      • We are all sons and daughters
      • Many are brothers or sisters.
        • Each of us needs help and hope when it comes to family and how we should live in these days.
• You see we have never had more books and articles available to try and help us solve our problems, but we are more broken, torn, and hurting then ever.
  • Why?
    • We haven’t taken the word of God seriously into account 
      • (SLIDE) Colossians 2:8
        • Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.
          • God has given us HIS commandments and instructions for our families and too often we’ve broken them or ignored them or diluted them by mixing them with culturally acceptable worldviews and opinions in the name of tolerance…
            • Let me say this early on
              • Tolerance is compromise of the truth!
• This is a call for us to come back to the Bible, to the things God values, and build our lives and families on the Word of God.
  • His help and His hope for you and your family and mine
•  
• John  15:10 
• If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

• “If you keep my commands”
  • Jesus points us to obedience
    • Obedience to His commands, to the truth given to us through God’s Word

Matthew 7:24-27 

24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

“Men and women do not reject the Bible because it contradicts itself, but because it contradicts them.”

• 2 Timothy 3:16-17
  • 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
• So even in 2025 God still speaks through His Word – God still teaches, corrects, prepares, equips you/I through His word.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 

4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates.

Billy Graham declared in 1978 and it stand true today

“God has indicated from one end of His word to the other that when the home/family fails – society is going to fail. And I tell you this unless we have a spiritual revival and our homes are renewed, the nation is going to be destroyed. There is no way we are going to escape the judgement of God unless we come back to Christian, God-fearing homes that are built on Christ and His word.”

• Wesleyan Ecclesial Confession
  • The church’s true confession of beliefs is not first about propositions that are stated but lives that are lived. One’s actions testify to one’s true beliefs.
• Dallas Willard
  • You can live opposite of what you profess, but you cannot live opposite of what you believe.

James 1:21-25 

21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. 22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

LOVE

LEARN

LIVE

• Recent study done showed if you read Bible less 4x week you’ll make no significant choices/changes in your life comparable to that of someone who doesn’t read the Bible at all
• But study showed if someone reads their Bible 4 or more times a week
  • Feeling lonely drops 30%
  • Anger issues drop 32%
  • Bitterness in relationships drops 40%
  • Alcoholism drops 57%
  • Gambling addiction 74%
  • Sex outside of marriage drops 68%
  • Feeling spiritually stagnant drops 60%
  • Viewing pornography drops 61%
  • Sharing your faith jumps 200%
  • Discipling others jumps 230%
•  
• If we’ll love, learn, live out God’s Word  it will radically change our lives and those in our families
• It’ll set you free from sin, make you more like Jesus, equip you to fulfill the mission of God in your life and in your family
  • So let this be the foundation we build our church on
    • Let this be the foundation that we build our lives and  families on —starting TODAY

YOUTH RETREAT SLIDE– 59 IN THIS PICTURE 

• WELCOME- GLAD YOU ARE HERE TODAY 

• LAST WEEKEND WE HAD AT LEAST 62 PEOPLE 

• WENT TO WATERMARK CAMP 

• FRIDAY- SUNDAY  

• GREAT WEEKEND OF WORSHIP/WORD/FOOD/FUN  

CHRISTMAS INVITE 

• WEEK ONE TAKE IT – PRAY ABOUT A PERSON 

• WEEK 2-WRITE THEIR NAME ON IT- PLACE MANGER 

• WEEK 3- THE INVITE 

• TOM RAINEER- STUDIES CHURCHES PODCAST 

• 15% OF ALL PEOPLE COME IF INVITED 

• 80% PEOPLE COME WHEN IF SOMETHNG ATTACHED 

GO GET COFFE BEFORE OR AFTER 

BREAKFAST BEFORE- GRAB LUNCH AFTER                 

GENEROSITY 

• 3^RD WEEK IN SERIES ON GENEROSITY 

• PRAYING SPIRITUAL- FASTING IS SPRITUAL  

• READING AND TEACHING SCRIPTURE IS SPIRITUAL 

• GOING ON A MISSIONS TRIP- SPIRITUAL 

• SERVING IN KIDS AND YOUTH MINISTRY- SPIRITUAL 

• FRANCIS CHAN- LEFT IT ALL IN CALIFORNIA  

• STARTED UNDERGROUND CHURCH HONG KONG 

• DO WE GIVE TO PEOPLE SACRIFICALLY  

• YOU GAVE THAT AWAY JOYFULLY 

   JUST OVER A YEAR AGO- RUTH AND I INTERVIEW HERE 

• LEADERS FROM CHURCH HAD QUESTIONS 

• SAT UP FRONT LEADER OF CHURCHES (DR FULLER)  

• ELECTED LEADERS ASKED QUESTIONS 

• 1^ST QUESTION- WHATS A WORD/PHRASE 

GENEROSITY DEFINITION                               

•  A READINESS TO GIVE MORE THAN NECESSARY OR EXPECTED.  

GENEROSITY STATEMENTS 

   GENEROSITY IS NOT SO THAT JESUS LOVES ME MORE 

   GENEROSITY IS BECAUSE HE LOVED ME FIRST.  

GENEROSITY STATEMENT 

   GENEROSITY IS NOT RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS 

    IT IS A LIFESTYLE OF THANKSGIVING-AND LIVING 

PRAY – PLAN- PARTICIPATE 

GENEROSITY STATEMENTS 

   GENEROSITY MOVES YOU TO ACTION. IT MOVES FROM YOUR HEAD, TO YOUR HEART, TO YOUR HANDS.  

STATEMENT ON GENEROSITY 

   AS WE GIVE, GOD INCREASES OUR ABILITY AND DESIRE TO GIVE.  

SCRIPTURE 2 CORINTHIANS 8:1 

1. “AND NOW, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WE WANT YOU TO KNOW ABOUT THE GRACE THAT GOD HAS GIVEN THE MACEDONIAN CHURCHES.  

SCRIPTURE 2 CORINTHIANS 8:2 

2. IN THE MIDST OF A VERY SEVERE TRIAL, THEIR OVERFLOWING JOY AND THEIR EXTREME POVERTY WELLED UP IN RICH GENEROSITY.  

SCRIPTURE 2 CORINTHIANS 8:3 

3. FOR I TESTIFY THAT THEY GAVE AS MUCH AS THEY WERE ABLE, AND EVEN BEYOND THEIR ABILITY. ENTIRELY ON THEIR OWN,  

SCRIPTURE 2 CORINTHIANS 8:4 

4. THEY URGENTLY PLEADED WITH US FOR THE PRIVALEGE OF SHARING IN THIS SERVICE TO THE LORDS PEOPLE.  

SCRIPTURE 2 CORINTHIANS 8:5 

5. AND THEY EXCEEDED OUR EXPECTATIONS; THEY GAVE THEMSELVES FIRST OF ALL TO THE LORD, AND THEN BY THE WILL OF GOD ALSO TO US.  

SCRIPTURE 2 CORINTHIANS 8:6 

   SO WE URGED TITUS, JUST AS HE HAD EARLIER MADE A BEGINNING, TO BRING ALSO TO COMPLETION THIS ACT OF GRACE ON YOUR PART.  

SCRIPTURE 2 CORINTHIANS 8:7 

6. BUT SINCE YOU EXCEL IN EVERYTHING-IN FAITH, IN SPEECH, IN KNOWLEDGE, IN COMPLETE EARNESTNESS AND IN LOVE WE HAVE KINDLED IN YOU 

SCRIPTURE 2 CORINTHIANS 8:7 

   SEE THAT YOU ALSO EXCEL IN THIS GRACE OF GIVING.  

PICTURE OF CHRISTMAS                                  

• DO YOU REMEMBER BEING A KID A CHRISTMAS 

• EXCITEMENT- COULDN’T WAIT-SEE WHAT YOU GOT 

• THEN SOMEWHERE IT CHANGED- NOT SURE WHEN 

• YOU MOVED TO OVERJOYED-GIVING A GIFT/ GIFTS 

CORRIE TEN BOOM QUOTE  

   “THE MEASURE OF A LIFE, AFTER ALL, IS NOT ITS DURATION BUT ITS DONATION” 

• THIS IS HOW MOST PEOPLE OPERATE THEIR LIVES  

• THEIR FINANCES 

LIVE SAVE GIVE 

• WHAT DO I WANT AND NEED- OR VICE VERSA 

• WHAT SHOULD I SAVE 

• IF THERE IS ANY LEFT OVER- WE MIGHT GIVE 

STATE OF THE PLATE- 12% 

BARNA- 18-20% 

GIVE. SAVE. LIVE                                               

• WHAT WE SHOULD DO IS GIVE FIRST (OT OR NOT) 

• SAVE SECOND 

• LIVE ON THE REST 

WHAT IS SO INTERESTING IS- 2/3 ARE STILL FOR ME 

• NOTHING WRONG WITH ANY OF THEM 

• JUST NEED TO RIGHT PRIORITY 

MORE 

   DEFINITION OF GENEROSITY: A READINESS TO GIVE MORE THAN EXPECTED OR NECESSARY 

SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 5:46  

  46. “IF YOU LOVE THOSE WHO LOVE YOU, WHAT REWARD WILL YOU GET? ARE NOT EVEN TAX COLLECTORS DOING THAT?  

    (WHY INCLUDE TAX COLLECTORS IN THIS VERSE- WHATS THE MESSAGE) 

SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 5:47 

  47. AND IF YOU GREET ONLY YOUR OWN PEOPLE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING MORE THAN OTHERS? 

JOAN KROC                                       

• WIFE OF THE FOUNDER OF MCDONALDS RAY KROC 

• VERY POOR IN ST PAUL MINNESOTA 

• J0AN SIGNIFIGANT CONTRIBUTION SAL  ARMY 

• 1.8 BILLION DOLLARS 2003- BECAME 2.2 

• CAPTIN IN THE SALV ARMY 

• SALVATION ARMY DOESN’T DELIVER 

• NO NAME MAN- EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT DELIVERED 

STREET BUSYNESS 

• LARGEST OPEN AIR DRUG MARKET IN WORLD 

• ROUGH- HARD TO SEE-OBVIOUSLY HARD TO POLICE 

KENSIGNTON BARBOR 

   TIME- TALENT- TREASURE- TOUCH 

QUOTE “YOUR BIBLE DOESN’T SAY 

   YOUR BIBLE DOESN’T SAY GOD LOVES A GIVER- IT SAYS IN THE VERY NEXT CHAPTER OF 2 CORINTHIANS 

GOD LOVES A CHEERFUL GIVER.  

GENEROUS 

• HOW WE DOING WITH US BEING GENEROUS 

• FRANCIS CHAN STARTED THE MESSAGE WITH 

• WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THE CHURCH WERE… 

• YOU ARE THE CHURCH- YOU HAVE A RICH LEAGACY OF GENEROSITY 

• ARE WE WILLING TO PRAY ABOUT LORD WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE ME TO DO?  

PRAY  

PLAN 

PARTICIPATE    

RETURN- BROUGHT 

DAD AT RESTAURANTS 

HOW CAN WE LEARN TO BE GENEROUS UNLESS WE PRACTICE IT 

PAUL IS WRITING TO CORINTH- THEY HAD GOOD INTENTIONS AND THEY DON’T FOLLOW THROUGH 

WHAT CAN YOU GIVE THIS WEEK? JUST PICK ONE THING AND GIVE AND LETS SEE WHAT HAPPENS. 

The church is being generous right away  

Rides to medical appointments -Terry  

WHAT DO YOU DO MORE THAN OTHERS? 

WHAT DOES CHEERFUL GIVING LOOK AT SOUND MAKE? 

Do we every stop and pray about how to be generous?  

• Thinking that the church must be generous but not necessarily those who make up the church.