"Four Presents

1

• "Four Presents
• on the 25th.December 2007"
• Pastor Vince Fenech December 2007

2
Luke 215-20

• 215 So it was, when the angels had gone away
  from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to
  one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see
  this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord
  has made known to us."
• 216 And they came with haste and found Mary and
  Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.
• 217 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely
  known the saying which was told them concerning
  this Child.
• 218 And all those who heard it marvelled at
  those things which were told them by the
  shepherds.
• 219 But Mary kept all these things and pondered
  them in her heart.
• 220 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and
  praising God for all the things that they had
  heard and seen, as it was told them.

3
Matthew 210-12

• 210 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with
  exceedingly great joy.
• 211 And when they had come into the house, they
  saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and
  fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had
  opened their treasures, they presented gifts to
  Him gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
• 212 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that
  they should not return to Herod, they departed
  for their own country another way.

4
Present number ONE A renewed Life

•     A. In Christ, we are a new Creature II
  Corinthians 517  "Therefore if any man be in
  Christ,  he is a new creature old things are
  passed away behold all things are become new."
•    
• B. In Matthew 212, they departed "another
  way"             1. When we come to Christ, we
  should "go" another way from the way that we were
  going.
•             2.  We should exhibit a changed
  life .
• a. blind Bartimaeus was not the same after he
  received Jesus Christ. Mark 1046. He followed
  Jesus on the road
• b. the Maniac of Gadara was not the same after he
  received Jesus Christ.

5
Present number TWOA Gift Of Service

•     A. The shepherds "came with haste"  Luke 216
  
•             1. they found Jesus Christ
  2. they wasted no time in doing so
•     B. Zacchaeus also came with haste Luke196
  So he made haste and came down, and received Him
  joyfully.
•     C. We need to come to Jesus Christ with
  "haste"
•             1. Isaiah said in  Isaiah 68
  "...here am I, send me."
•             2. Saul said in Acts 96  "...Lord,
  what wilt thou have me to do?..."

6
Present number THREE The Gift Of Worship

•         A. In Matthew 211 the wise men "...fell
  down and worshipped Him..."
•         B. Our need to humble ourselves before
  God and to worship Him
•         C. This indicates a heart of submission
  unto the Lord Jesus Christ

7
Present number Four Appropriate Gifts

•         The wise men brought four types of gifts
  in Matthew 211
• Jesus Christ is God, fell down and worshiped
  Him
  He did not and cannot
  sin. 1.Peter 222 "Who committed no sin, Nor was
  deceit found in His mouth"
• Gold a tribute to a King and shows forth His
  Deity
• Frankincense would be symbolic of purity of life
  a sweet smelling savor
• Myrrh is bitter and would show forth the bitter
  death of Christ to come

8
    What would our presents to Jesus Christ be?

• Romans 121 I beseech you therefore,
  brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present
  your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable
  to God, which is your reasonable service.
• 2 And do not be conformed to this world,
  but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,
  that you may prove what is that good and
  acceptable and perfect will of God.

9

• 1. I Corinthians 1531 Paul tell us that
  "...I die daily." 
• The need to give of ourselves in serving the
  Lord 
• What will I loose in receiving Jesus Christ as
  Savior? 
• What will I loose in serving God?

10
Some gifts you can give this Season are beyond
monetary value

• Mend a quarrel, dismiss suspicion, tell
  someone,
• "I love you."
• Give something away--anonymously.
• Forgive someone who has treated you wrong.
  Turn away wrath with a soft answer.
• Visit someone in a nursing home.
• Apologize if you were wrong.
• Be especially kind to someone with whom you
  work.
• Give as God gave to you in Christ, without
  obligation, or announcement, or reservation, or
  hypocrisy. 
• 
  Charles Swindoll,