LUKE 3:7-16: CHRISTMAS – GETTING VERSUS GIVING
“What did you get for Christmas?” That may be the most-asked question during the days immediately following Christmas –“what did you get?” Little children especially like to talk about what they got – “I got this, and I got that.” I remember when I was in grade school – at recess time – we would crowd around some of our classmates as they showed us what they got for Christmas. We would even bring our Christmas gifts to school for show-and-tell – that way, everyone could see what we got.
This isn’t just a “kid-thing.” Adults like to talk about what they “got” for Christmas too. We cannot help but be excited when we get things. We love to get things. We might try to act calm and cool and collected on the outside as we open our gifts, but deep down, many of us are doing somersaults in our heads, because we just love getting things for Christmas.
A question that is rarely asked after Christmas is over is this – “what did you give for Christmas? I don’t want to know what you got – I want to know - what did you give?” Have you ever asked someone that question? What did you give for Christmas? I bet if you did that, you would catch someone completely off guard. Try it this year and see what happens. By nature, we’d rather talk about what we got – that’s more about me, what I have – as human beings we are more focused on getting things than we are on giving things.
In the desert around the Jordan River, there lived a man who wanted people to change their attitudes toward their life and their possessions. John the Baptist was that man, teaching the people to repent. Remember, to repent means to turn around, to change direction in your life. John was preparing the people for the coming of the Messiah. The Bible describes how crowds of people would come out to see him – he was such an unusual sight – a man living out in the desert, dressed in a robe made out of camel’s hair, eating grasshoppers and wild honey. And his message was so different from what the people were used to hearing – he was telling the people to change, to repent.
As the crowds came out to see John, God revealed something to John about these people. Many of them really weren’t all that sincere. They were materialistic people – their god was money, possessions. Many of them weren’t interested in changing their lives and preparing for the Messiah. John was a tourist attraction to them, and that’s about it. That’s why, in verse 7, John calls them a “brood of vipers.” In verse 8, John told them to “produce fruit in keeping with repentance.” Don’t just stand there, John told them. If you really are sincere, if you really are repenting in your life, then change, do something that people can see. Time was running out, John told themeople. In verse 9 he said, “The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
Jesus called John the greatest of all the prophets. And his words speak to us today. In many ways, we are like those people who came out to see John. We struggle with materialism too – don’t we? The Christmas season can really bring it out of us, more so than the other seasons of the year. Christmas is that time of the year when we focus on “getting things” – “What did you get? Look at what I got!” Yes, we know that the Bible says that we should change – be more spiritual – but as Americans, we like to focus on material things. Today, John the Baptist calls out to you, and asks you hard questions. For example, if you know what is right – why do you keep on doing what is wrong? If you know that it is wrong to be materialistic, why do you continue in your materialism? Why do you nod your head on Sunday morning as we talk about these things and then go back to your old ways during the week?
That’s what John the Baptist was addressing many years ago. He pointed out the people’s sins. But then he pointed the people to the Savior when he told the people in verse 16: “One more powerful than I will come…” – he was talking, of course, about Christ. Do you know what made Jesus “more powerful” than John the Baptist? I supposed you can point to the fact that Jesus performed powerful miracles, and John didn’t. But something else made Jesus more powerful – Jesus was able to do two things that John couldn’t do.
First – Jesus was able to take away your sins. Do you feel guilty about the sins you have committed in your life? All the times you have been materialistic? All the times you have been so focused on getting, that you forgot about giving? Do you feel guilty about all those times you’ve heard the Word of God, but then went home and slipped back into your old ways? Jesus is able to do something that John couldn’t do – Jesus is able to take your guilt away. He takes your guilt away by giving you something – he gives you his life, as a sacrifice on the cross for you. He gives you his righteousness, and takes away your sin. He gives you forgiveness, and the promise of eternal life. Every year, presidents and governors pardon people – sometimes it happens during the Christmas season – a governor will pardon a prisoner – his crimes are wiped off the books, his punishment is taken away, and he’s free to go back into the regular world. What a gift that prisoner receives on Christmas!
Isn’t that the gift that Christ gives to you? Every Christmas, Jesus gives you a pardon. He wipes your sins off the books. He takes your punishment away, as our Old Testament lesson talked about earlier today. You are free to enter eternal life. Of all the gifts you receive this Christmas, nothing is greater than that! That’s what makes Jesus greater than John – he is able to give you a pardon.
And there’s something else Jesus gives you, and that is strength to change. When the people in the crowd listened to John the Baptist, they wanted to change. They wanted to stop being people who were focused on getting. “What should we do then?” the people asked in verse 10. And then, John gave them practical ways that they could change – look at verse 11 – John answered, “The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same.” Share, John told the people. Change your focus from getting, to giving.
Tax collectors were struck by John’s message. They repented. They were forgiven. “Teacher,” they asked John, “what should we do?” John told them to be honest – “Don’t collect any more than you are required to.” Tax collectors were famous for taking more than they needed to. They were very focused on getting. John told them to become more honest in their dealings with others.
Soldiers in the crowd were wondering what they should do. John told them, “Don’t extort money, and don’t accuse people falsely – be content with your pay.” Soldiers back then were well-known for taking people’s money – “either you give me a hundred dollars, or I’ll have you arrested for treason.” They were very focused on getting – to the point where they would extort people. John told them to stop that practice, and to be content with their pay.
These people remind me of the character Scrooge in the famous Christmas play entitled “A Christmas Carol.” At the beginning of the play, Scrooge was very focused on getting, and hoarding all of his money for himself, and he did that to the point of hurting other people. By the end of the play, he was the opposite – instead of getting, he was more focused not on giving, and helping other people.
What changed those people in the desert? As they listened to John, they felt guilt because of materialism. But they also felt joy, because of the Savior who was coming, who would take all of their sins away. These people – even tax collectors and soldiers – changed their focus from getting to giving. And they changed in real, practical ways that others could see in their lives.
I am sure someone this year will ask you, “What did you get for Christmas?” and then, it is your job to relate to them all the material things you received from other people. But this Christmas, as you think of what you got, think of the gifts God has given to you. It’s hard to wrap God’s gifts – they really don’t fit underneath the tree. But think about them – a Savior, who has taken away all your sins. Think about that pardon – that forgiveness that is yours in Christ. Think about the sure hope of eternal life. None of these gifts seem very impressive to those who live in the world around us. They don’t work very well for show-and-tell in school. But these spiritual gifts that God has given to you are the greatest gifts of them all.
It is my prayer that these gifts will change you. Instead of someone who is focused on getting, by the grace of God, you’ll change into someone who is focused on giving. What’s on your Christmas list this year? I have a new idea for a list – make a list, not of the things you want to get for yourself, but instead, make a list of things you want to give. A Christmas giving list – here are all the ways, all the things, I want to give this year. As John the Baptist said, let the one who has extra – give to the one who has nothing. How can you be someone who gives this year? Look for ways, look for opportunities.
Remember, you have a God, who gives and gives and gives to you. Let us worship him, our Christ, this Christmas by changing our focus from getting to giving. Amen.
