Sermon Tone Analysis

Another Christmas is here.

Have you ever noticed that most conversations turn to what we want to receive as gifts?

I guess that is human nature, we love gifts.

I know I do, I love gifts so much I thought I might tell you about the greatest gift giver I have ever known.

His name is God.

Did you ever think about God that way?  It’s true, God is a gift giver!

He is the giver of good and perfect gifts.

Look at the Scripture….

James 1:17

17 Every *good gift* and every *perfect gift* is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

NKJV

 

I guess you could say that we could learn a lot about giving from God.  So, why don’t we stop and look at the *GIFT* God has given us.

We will use the acrostic *G I F T* to help us remember what He has given.

*G*race

 

Let’s start off with the letter “G”.

“G” stands for grace – God has given us grace.

John 1:17

17 For the law was given through Moses, but *grace* and truth came through Jesus Christ.

NKJV

 

2 Corinthians 9:8

8 And God is able to make all *grace* abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

NKJV

 

What is grace?

Someone explained it this way: *G*od’s *R*iches *A*t *C*hrist’s *E*xpense.

And that is really true, but the real definition is actually:

 

Favor or kindness shown without regard to the worth or merit of the one who receives it and in spite of what that same person deserves.

Grace is one of the key attributes of God.

We know that because the Word tells us that the Lord God is "merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abounding in goodness and truth" (Ex 34:6).

Therefore, grace is almost always associated with mercy, love, compassion, and patience as the source of help and with deliverance from distress.

Isn’t that great?

God gives us what we don’t deserve.

I am so very happy about that because I know what the Bible says you and I deserve….death

or eternal separation from God.

 

Romans 6:23

23 For the wages of sin is death…NKJV

 

But instead of giving us what we deserve, He treats us like one of His family.

He has made us a joint heir with His very own Son, Jesus.

And you know what a joint heir receives – an inheritance.

God actually gives us an inheritance.

Let’s look at the Scripture that tells us these things.

*I*nheritance

 

First of all let’s examine the Bible to see why I say we are joint heirs with Jesus:

 

Romans 8:16-17

16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then *heirs* — *heirs* of God and *joint heirs* with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

NKJV

 

A joint heir is inline for a part of the *inheritance*, and we are no different.

Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus the following:

 

Ephesians 1:13-14

13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our *inheritance* until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

NKJV

 

Peter goes on to say:

 

1 Peter 1:3-4

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an *inheritance* incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, NKJV

 

So, our *inheritance* is in heaven.

What is it?

It’s heaven itself – Peter was telling them that their *inheritance* was not the land of Canaan, it was heaven.

The apostle Paul's glorious concept of a spiritual *inheritance *for Christians is primarily of Jewish origin.

But the doctrine was strongly influenced by Greek and Roman *inheritance* practices.

Three of these influences were:

 

(1) inheritance was regarded as immediate as well as ultimate,

 

(2) all legitimate heirs usually shared the inheritance equally and jointly rather than a division favoring a firstborn son, and thirdly and most importantly

 

(3) legally adopted children enjoyed full inheritance rights along with natural offspring.

The Bible tells us that we are adopted into God’s own family, therefore, we can enjoy the full inheritance rights with Jesus.

One word of caution - this spiritual birthright *cannot* be inherited by sinners.

 

1 Corinthians 6:9-11

9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived.

Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

11 And such were some of you.

But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

NKJV

 

Again, those who are redeemed, including you and me, become God's adopted sons with full inheritance rights.

Galatians 4:1-7

1 Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, 2 but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father.

3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world.

4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the *adoption as sons.*

6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

NKJV

 

According to Paul, the Christian's spiritual inheritance is based strictly on our relationship to Christ.

"For *you are all sons of God* through faith in Jesus Christ....

And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Gal 3:26,29).

This brings us to our third letter…

 

*F*aith

 

God has given us *GRACE* and an *INHERITANCE *but that isn’t all.

He also gives us *FAITH*.

How do we get this faith?

Through the Word of God.

* *

Romans 10:17

17  So then *faith* comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

NKJV

 

What is this faith?

Hebrews 11:1

1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the *evidence* of things not seen.

NKJV

 

"The substance of things hoped for (i.e., it substantiates God's promises, the fulfillment of which we hope, it makes them present realities), the *evidence* of things not seen."

The word *evidence* (engchos) means 'convincing proof' or 'demonstration'.

In other words, faith accepts the truths revealed on the testimony of God (not merely on their intrinsic reasonableness), and that testimony is given to us in the Holy Scripture.

Jesus spoke to Thomas after He revealed Himself to Him…

 

John 20:29

29 Jesus said to him,  "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed.

Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."