NEVER AGAIN! YOU CAN GIVE AND NOT LOVE, BUT YOU CAN NEVER LOVE WITHOUT GIVING!
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Text: Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
This sermon was given to me many years before I was a preacher or pastor. I was raised in a parsonage and my Dad has over 60 years in the pastoral ministry. As was the tradition, we gathered at Mom and Dad’s for Christmas. On Christmas Day we were all sitting in our traditional places as Mom and Linda handed out the gifts. Each person present had a pile of gifts in their laps to unwrap. As we began unwrapping the presents I MADE A VERY SAD OBSERVATION… IT WAS JESUS’ BIRTHDAY, NOT OURS? THERE WAS NOT ONE PRESENT UNDER THE TREE FOR JESUS? NO, NOT ONE. Later, that day I went into a room and cried and said: JESUS, IT IS YOUR BIRTHDAY AND WE ALL RECEIVED THE GIFTS.
I promised myself that day: NEVER AGAIN. That there would always be a BIRTHDAY PRESENT UNDER THE TREE FOR JESUS. I was still teaching school at the time. I worked with my class at school to do something for Jesus, that my students would MAKE AN EFFORT and GIVE A LOVE GIFT.I promised if I ever pastored or had the chance to teach a lesson the last Sunday of November that I would remind everyone to GIVE A LOVE TOKEN TO JESUS. I have kept that promise and this lesson goes back to the day JESUS HAD NOTHING, HE GAVE HIS ALL AND IS OFTEN FORGOTTEN. My family and I have worked each year, a special offering? One year I read the whole Bible in the month of December. I have visited the jail often? I have visited the elderly? Cooked special meals? Practiced a special song? The Christmas tree should have a precious gift that cost money, effort or a plan!
THERE IS A LAW OF LOVE…LOVE COST, LOVE GIVES… SELFISHNESS TAKES…
YOU CAN LOVE AND NOT GIVE, BUT YOU CAN NEVER LOVE WITHOUT GIVING.
I was in the third grade in northern Indiana. There was a senior in high school that always saved me a seat on the bus. She would treat me so nice and she would put her arm around me. She often told me she loved me. I fell in love with her. Someone gave me a dollar. I got 20 nickels and prayed over the bubble gum machine, I started my journey by putting in a nickel and turning the wheel, nothing but bubble gum. I put the gum ball in my mouth and payed again, another gum ball? Another and another? On about the 15th nickel the Lord heard my prayer and a ring came down. I could not wait until Monday to climb on the bus and slide the ring on my girlfriend’s finger. Wow, she was so impressed! She even gave me a kiss. My love for her made me want to GIVE HER A TOKEN OF MY LOVE.
In 1969, I walked into Kay Jewelers in Springfield, Illinois with my girlfriend, Linda. I loved her. We were seniors in Springfield Southeast. I saw this huge diamond ring and she put it on. We saw the price and said no to that one. Finally the man pulled out a ring that had glue and diamond dust and we saw the price. Yes! That is it. I loved Linda and desired to GIVE HER something as a token of my love. We went in debt that day and I have been paying bills ever since.
I guess we have COME TO THIS UNDERSTANDING LOVE COST!
Many here call me “PREACHER.” A little girl that loved me called me CREATURE. She would tell me: “CREATURE, I LOVE YOU!” One day she had found a little rock in the church parking lot. She ran into the church and looked for me until she found me back in my office. She came running in my office smiling ear to ear. She was so proud of herself, she had a GIFT to GIVE to the CREATURE. She ran and jumped up in my lap and GAVE ME THE ROCK and her little eyes twinkled as she GAVE me the rock and said: CREATURE, I LOVE YOU!
Her dad was looking for her and he came in the office where several were gathered and her dad said: I TOLD YOU NOT TO BOTHER THE CREATURE. He swatted her and dragged her out of my office. She looked back and was yelling: creature, I love you. That rock COST THE LITTLE GIRL A SPANKING. 25 years later that LOVE GIFT IS STILL ON MY DESK.
Today that little girl has children of her own and lives in a distant state. BUT THE GIFT OF THAT ROCK STILL TESTIFIES OF A LOVE AND RESPECT FOR THE”CREATURE.”
GOD IS LOVE! NOTHING TO GIVE, BUT LOVE DESIRES TO GIVE THE BEST IT CAN.REAL LOVE GIVES THE BEST THAT IT CAN.
1 John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
1 John 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
GOD SO LOVED THAT HE GAVE…
John 3:16 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.
I was a little boy and Father’s Day was soon approaching. I asked my dad for some money. He would not give me any. Later I asked again, dad please give me some money. Again he refused. We were on the way going shopping and I asked again: DAD, PLEASE GIVE ME SOME MONEY. My mom said: WADE, YOU GIVE THAT BOY SOME MONEY RIGHT NOW. Mom understood, I loved my dad and wanted to buy him a gift for Father’s Dad and I was so little I had nothing to give, UNLESS DAD GAVE ME SOMETHING TO BUY HIS OWN GIFT … I was so happy when Dad pulled out a few dollars and gave
it to me. Mom walked with me around WESTERN AUTO until we found a little gift to GIVE TO DAD. Mom helped me wrap Dad’s gift and I could not wait until Sunday to GIVE my Dad his gift…
GOD SEARCHED THOUGH HEAVEN AND FOUND THE BEST GIFT EVER GIVEN, FOR GOD GAVE HIS ONLY SON… AND HIS SON GAVE US EVERLASTING LIFE.
MANY ARE SELFISH, THEY DO NOT LOVE… THEY JUST DEMAND AND GET MAD AT THEY DO NOT APPRECIATE THE GIFT OF LOVE… IT IS NOT THE GIIFT, IT IS NOT THE COST, IT IS THE HANDS OF THE GIVER.
Mark 12:42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. 43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: 44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.
GOD HELP US VALUE THE GIVER MUCH MORE THAN THE GIFT.
FATHER, I AM SORRY WHEN I DID NOT APPRECIATE THE HANDS OF GIVERS.
CHARACTER IS WHAT YOU REALLY ARE WHEN NO ONE IS LOOKING.
REPUTATION IS WHAT PEOPLE THINK OF YOU… MARY GAVE HER REPUTATION.
Even Joseph had his doubts about MARY’S STORY AND HER REPUTATION…
Matthew 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.
FOR MANY YEARS MARY CARRIED A REPROACH AMONG RELIIGIOUS PEOPLE… SURE, SHE SAYS SHE IS A VIRGIN. I am sure there were whispers at MARY’S FUNERAL, that lady was pregnant before she was married.
TODAY MANY STILL DOUBT MARY WAS A VIRGIN … While many doubt, and Mary’s reputation is doubted,
Those that knew the Old Testament knew the plan of the MESSIAH…
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
THANK YOU MARY FOR THE BLESSED GIIFT OF YOUR BODY AND GIVING YOUR REPUTATION TO ENDURE THE WHISPERS AND ACCUSATIONS THAT ARE STILL DOUBTED TO THIS DAY. WE BELIEVE IN THE VIRGIN BIRTH AND THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST JESUS THE SON OF GOD…
WHAT A HUGE GIFT MARY GAVE THAT IS STILL MISUNDERSTOOD TO THIS DAY!
DOES THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL EXEMPT GIVING? SEEMS THE GOD OF HEAVEN IS IMPRESSED BY LITTLE GIFTS FROM LITTLE HANDS…
THE IS A WOMAN THAT HER HUSBAND IS DEAD AND THE SOCIAL SERCURITY SYSTEM IS NEITHER SOCIAL OR VERY SERCURE.
The Preacher is in need, but God sent the Preacher with a PLAN THAT MADE NO SENSE…
WE CAN SEE THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL…
1 Kings 17:10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. 11 And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand. 12 And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. 13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.
14 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. 15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. 16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.
WHILE WE SEE THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL, WE SEE BY EYES OF FAITH THAT LOVE GIVES…
Make me the first cake? Why not for the son first?
The widow had to love the Preacher and his office for God more TO GIVE FROM THE BOTTOM…
THE GIFT IS SO SMALL --- WELL, HERE IS THE ANSWER, UNTIL WE SEE HOW SMALL OUR ANSWER IS... Andrew can you explain away a miracle?
I think there was a YOUNG BOY that saw his gift bigger than the SACK LUNCH that his mom had fixed for him. HERE JESUS, I HAVE FIVE BARLEY BISCUITS and two fish.
Barley was the grain of poor people.
John 6:9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
5,000 hungry men?
THE LITTLE OF THE LITTLE BECOMES MORE THAN ENOUGH WITH THE BLESSINGS…
John 6:11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.
THE PEOPLE WERE FILLED AND BASKETS WERE FILLED BECAUSE SOMEONE GAVE…
THE BUSH IS BURNING, AND NOT CONSUMED? THE GIFT THAT IS IN YOUR HAND? WILL YOU GIVE IT? GOD CAN TAKE JUST THE GOOD OLD REGULAR STUFF THAT IS GIVEN TO HIS CARE AND BRING ABOUT A DIVINE CHANGE.
40 YEARS IN THE PALACE TAUGHT MOSES HE WAS A SOMEBODY AND A SOMETHING!
Exodus 4:2 And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.
40 YEARS IN THE DESERT WITH THE ROD TAUGHT MOSES: HE WAS A NOBODY…
Exodus 4:20 And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.
40 YEARS WITH GOD TURN A ROD INTO THE ROD OF GOD…
THE LAST 40 YEARS TAUGHT MOSES THAT GIVING GOD WAS EVERYTHING…
THE WOMEN HAS SEEN MANY DARK NIGHTS OF HOPELESSNESS, BUT THEIR GIVING WAS NOTICED BY THE HANDS OF AN ALMIGHTY GOD.. THE WOMEN GATHER AROUND AND GAVE WORSHIP, MUSIC, PRAISE AND A DANCE…
Miriam was probably over 100 years old… when THANKSGIVING AND PRAISE burned in her heart until she GAVE A DANCE BEFORE THE LORD…
Exodus 15:20 And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. 21 And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
HE HAD NOTHING IN HIS HANDS? GOD LOVES THE LITTLE GIFTS OF LITTLE PEOPLE IN LITTLE PLACES… SAMSON LEARNED ABOUT SMALL THINGS… A LION TRIES TO DESTROY THIS STRONG MAN, GOD USES A LITTLE GIIFT OF BARE HANDS…
This lion becomes a test, THE GIFT IS TO STAND YOUR GROUND AND FIGHT… WE CAN NEVER RUN… Samson had to GIVE FAITH THAT GOD HAD THIS UNDER CONTROL. My friend God can handle your LIONS that would love to destroy you. THE GIFT TO GOD IS SOMETIMES AS SIMPLE AS STAND YOUR GROUND BY FAITH.
Judges 14:5 Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him. 6 And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.
SAMSON IS NOOW WEAK AND TIRED, HIS MOM AND DAD ARE HUNGRY… BECAUSE SAMSON GAVE HIS LOVE GIFT THE LOVE GIFT RETURNS AS SUSTENNACE TO GET HIM THROUGH ANOTHER TRIAL.
THE GIFT OF THIS VICTORY SHALL GET YOU THROUGH THE NEXT TRIAL.
Judges 14:8 And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion.
9 And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.
There was another BATTLE, Samson had no weapon, GOD GIVES HIS MAN IN BATTLE A WEAPON, BY LOVE AND FAITH SAMSON PICKS UP THE CLOSEST GIFT HE CAN FIND.
Judges 15:15 And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.
Samson, does not complain and grip, HE USES HIS EFFORT AND THE JAW BONE…
GIVE…
DO YOU SEE A SHEPHERD BOY, WHEN GOD SEES A KING….
WHILE DAVID WAS OUT IN THE FIELD FAITHFULLY ATTENDING TO HIS DAD’S SHEEP… EVERYONE SAW A SHEPHERD BOY, BUT BECAUSE DAVID GAVE HIS HEART TO THE LITTLE THINGS,
DAVID HAS THIS WONDERFUL GIFT OF DIVINE PREPARATION….
1 Samuel 17:34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:
FEAR, SELF DOUBT, WORRY AND TEARS WERE STRESSING OUT GOD’S MEN… A YOUNG SHEPHERD BOY PICKS UP THE STRANGEST GIFT … 5 SMOTTH STONES…
1 Samuel 17:40 And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.
THESE 5 SMOOTH STONES WAS A TESTIMONY THAT THE GIFT OF A TEENAGE BOY WOULD ARISE TO KILL GOLIATH AND HIS 4 BROTHERS…
GOD USED DAVID’S GIFT.
DAVID GIFT TAKES GOLIATH’S SWORD AND CUTS GOLIATH’S OWN HEAD OFF WITH HIS OWN SWORD.
DAVID GAVE THE PRIEST GOLIATH’S SWORD… LATER DAVID RAN FOR HIS LIFE AND THE GIFT THAT DAVID GAVE BECOMES A TOOL IN DAVID’S HANDS.
MAYBE YOU WILL REALIZE THE GIIFTS THAT WE GIVE WILL RETURN…
1 Samuel 21:9 And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that, take it: for there is no other save that here. And David said, There is none like that; give it me.
CONCLUSION: LOVE GIVES, SELFISH HOARDS. MAKE UO YOUR OWN MIND… JESUS LOVES PLANNED GIVING. IF GOD GAVE HIS BEST … WHAT THINK YE OF US GIVING OUR LEFT OVERS? OR GIVING NOTHING.
Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
Luke 6:38 (MSG) Give away your life; you'll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity."
2 Corinthians 9:6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
2 Corinthians 9:6-7 (MSG) Remember: A stingy planter gets a stingy crop; a lavish planter gets a lavish crop.
7 I want each of you to take plenty of time to think it over, and make up your own mind what you will give. That will protect you against sob stories and arm-twisting. God loves it when the giver delights in the giving.
REMEMBER THE WONDERFUL TESTIMONY OF THE OTHER MARY:
Mark 14:8 (KJV) She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying
Mark 14:8 (MSG) She did what she could when she could—she pre-anointed my body for burial.
THERE IS A GOOD LESSON IN:
1 GIVE WHAT YOU CAN … DO WHAT YOU CAN
2 GIVE WHAT YOU CAN … DO WHERE YOU CAN
3 GIVE WHEN YOU CAN … DO WHEN YOU CAN
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
