Christmas, Part 2:Christmas, Part 2:The Big Give…The Big Give…

Please…Please…Take the gift!Take the gift!

Only open handsOnly open hands

Are able to receiveAre able to receive

What if it's true…?What if it's true…?

God wants more for youGod wants more for youThan you want for you…?Than you want for you…?

Only open handsOnly open hands

Are able to receiveAre able to receive

Christmas GivingChristmas Giving

"By what authority…???""By what authority…???"

……Jesus began to tell the people Jesus began to tell the people this parable: this parable:

"A man planted a vineyard and let it "A man planted a vineyard and let it out to tenants and went into another out to tenants and went into another

country for a long while.country for a long while.

Act of Faith:Act of Faith:• Untried SoilUntried Soil

• Winepress and WatchtowerWinepress and Watchtower

• Four Years of CultivationFour Years of Cultivation

• Support the FarmersSupport the Farmers

• Buy Manure and SuppliesBuy Manure and Supplies

• Fifth Year: MIGHT see return on Fifth Year: MIGHT see return on investmentinvestment

When the time cameWhen the time came, he sent a , he sent a servant to the tenants, so that they servant to the tenants, so that they

would give him some of the fruit of the would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard.vineyard.

Whose Vineyard?Whose Vineyard?

But the tenants beat him and sent him But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed.away empty-handed.

"Step-off!""Step-off!"

But the tenants beat him and sent him But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed.away empty-handed.

ColortymeColortyme

But the tenants beat him and sent him But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed.away empty-handed.

It's not yours…It's not yours…

What would you do?What would you do?

And he sent another servant. And he sent another servant.

But they also beat and treated him But they also beat and treated him shamefully, and sent him away shamefully, and sent him away

empty-handed.empty-handed.

And he sent yet a third. And he sent yet a third.

This one also they wounded This one also they wounded and cast out.and cast out.

What about now?What about now?

Then the owner of the vineyard said, Then the owner of the vineyard said,

'What shall I do? I will send my 'What shall I do? I will send my beloved sonbeloved son; perhaps they will ; perhaps they will

respect him.'respect him.'

Then the owner of the vineyard said, Then the owner of the vineyard said,

'What shall I do? I will send my 'What shall I do? I will send my beloved sonbeloved son; perhaps they will ; perhaps they will

respect him.'respect him.'

Represents me- in my authority and Represents me- in my authority and powerpower

But when the tenants saw him, they But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, said to themselves,

'This is the heir. Let us kill him, so that 'This is the heir. Let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.' the inheritance may be ours.'

But when the tenants saw him, they But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, said to themselves,

'This is the heir. Let us kill him, so that 'This is the heir. Let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.' the inheritance may be ours.'

And they threw him out of the And they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. vineyard and killed him.

What then will the owner of the What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? vineyard do to them?

What then will the owner of the What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? vineyard do to them?

He will come and destroy those He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard tenants and give the vineyard

to others."to others."

"It's not yours…""It's not yours…"

Only open handsOnly open hands

Are able to receiveAre able to receive

When they heard this, they said, When they heard this, they said, "Surely not!""Surely not!"

…The scribes and the chief priests …The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him at that sought to lay hands on him at that

very hour, for they perceived that he very hour, for they perceived that he had told this parable against them…had told this parable against them…

"By what authority?""By what authority?"

I own this thingI own this thingAll of itAll of it

Tenants- in a relationshipTenants- in a relationship

Give owner his portion= continue to Give owner his portion= continue to be blessedbe blessed

Closed hands(Closed hands("Mine!""Mine!") ) = no more gifts= no more gifts

Only open handsOnly open hands

Are able to receiveAre able to receive

The Story Behind The Story Behind The Story of ChristmasThe Story of Christmas

God's overwhelming desire:God's overwhelming desire:

Relationship with this CreationRelationship with this Creation

God's overwhelming desire:God's overwhelming desire:

Relationship with this CreationRelationship with this Creation

We were Made for Relationship:We were Made for Relationship:Formed for Fellowship with our Formed for Fellowship with our CreatorCreator

In God's Image: In God's Image:

Moral Free WillMoral Free Will

"If you eat, you will surely die…""If you eat, you will surely die…"

In God's Image: In God's Image:

Moral Free WillMoral Free Will

"Mine! I can have it if I want…""Mine! I can have it if I want…"

Relationship Cut:Relationship Cut:

Innocence ends…Adam and Eve hideInnocence ends…Adam and Eve hide

Rest of the Old Testament:Rest of the Old Testament:

God reaches outGod reaches outHis creation rejectsHis creation rejects

God reaches out againGod reaches out again

God sends Prophets, Teachers, God sends Prophets, Teachers, Leaders- Leaders- Just like the ServantsJust like the Servants

Prophets tend to get killedProphets tend to get killed

His people continue to reject himHis people continue to reject him

Or…lie and hedge their betsOr…lie and hedge their bets

God reaches out- we rejectGod reaches out- we reject

"Mine!""Mine!"

God reaches out againGod reaches out again

Only open handsOnly open hands

Are able to receiveAre able to receive

Email from another city: Email from another city:

"Why is God being so mean to me?""Why is God being so mean to me?"

Email from another city: Email from another city:

"Why is God being so mean to me?""Why is God being so mean to me?"

Only open handsOnly open hands

Are able to receiveAre able to receive

God reaches out- we rejectGod reaches out- we reject

"Mine!""Mine!"

God reaches out againGod reaches out again

What would you do?What would you do?

He doesn't meet force with forceHe doesn't meet force with force

But with overwhelming patienceBut with overwhelming patience

God sends his Son- God sends his Son- Christmas!Christmas!

God sends his Son- God sends his Son- Christmas!Christmas!

In his authority, with his power, In his authority, with his power, representing his interestsrepresenting his interests

We reject his SonWe reject his Sonand torture and kill himand torture and kill him

What would you do?What would you do?

God uses Christ's deathGod uses Christ's deathTo provide a path to real relationshipTo provide a path to real relationship

God is looking for fruitGod is looking for fruit

"I've appointed you to go and bear "I've appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last…"- Jesusfruit, fruit that will last…"- Jesus

God is looking for fruitGod is looking for fruit

Fruit is a changed life as we open our Fruit is a changed life as we open our hands, give Jesus our lives and let him hands, give Jesus our lives and let him lead uslead us

If we hold our hands closed saying, If we hold our hands closed saying, "Mine!" we lose it all"Mine!" we lose it all

There's no one left to sendThere's no one left to send

Open hands receive:Open hands receive:

life, joy, peace, restoration, eternitylife, joy, peace, restoration, eternity

Believers-Believers- If I keep my hands open, giving God If I keep my hands open, giving God the first-fruits of my life:the first-fruits of my life:

Praise, Time, Money, Affections, Trust, Praise, Time, Money, Affections, Trust, HeartHeart

I gain the gift he wants to give: I gain the gift he wants to give: “I have come that you might have “I have come that you might have life…life to the full”- Jesuslife…life to the full”- Jesus

"It's not yours…""It's not yours…"

Believers-Believers-

God wants more for usGod wants more for usThan we want for usThan we want for us

"This is how God showed his love "This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only among us: He sent his one and only

Son into the world that we might live Son into the world that we might live through him. through him.

This is love: not that we loved God, but This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an that he loved us and sent his Son as an

atoning sacrifice for our sins."atoning sacrifice for our sins."

"Showed his love""Showed his love"- to reveal - to reveal something that was previously hidden something that was previously hidden

That's what Christmas is about- It's That's what Christmas is about- It's the unveiling of God's heartthe unveiling of God's heart

Only open handsOnly open hands

Are able to receiveAre able to receive

What is it God wants?What is it God wants?

A recognition of ownershipA recognition of ownershipDemonstrated by first-fruitsDemonstrated by first-fruits

Giving is an act of RecognitionGiving is an act of Recognition

That leads to ReceivingThat leads to Receiving

We cannot receiveWe cannot receiveif our hands are fullif our hands are full

How we Give How we Give

Demonstrates what we Recognize Demonstrates what we Recognize

andand Determines what we Receive Determines what we Receive

"Mine!""Mine!"

- Presents for people I - Presents for people I love- $ store for needylove- $ store for needy

- How I spend my time- How I spend my time

- How I live in front of a - How I live in front of a watching worldwatching world

- What I want for - What I want for ChristmasChristmas

- Family Gatherings- Family Gatherings

Christmas is about…Christmas is about…me!me!

His!His!

- How I spend and give- How I spend and give- My use of timeMy use of time

- My witness- My witness- What he wants for What he wants for meme

- Purpose behind how I - Purpose behind how I treat familytreat family

Life is about…Life is about…Jesus!Jesus!

Only open handsOnly open hands

Are able to receiveAre able to receive

My Girlfriend…My Girlfriend…