Traditionally Christmas is a time for giving and receiving.
To those ends, I thought we would spend some time thinking about our
attitude towards giving….
We’re going to start by watching a clip from the film Ghost
If you haven’t seen this film its about this guy called Sam who is
murdered over some money…
Sam, comes back as a ghost and meets this woman called Oda Mae who for
some reason can hear him, but can’t see him…
In the clip we’re going to watch, Sam gets Oda Mae to go the bank to get
the money he was murdered for…
[Ghost]
1 hour 28 from the start of the tape – there are walking into the
building
1 hour 27 - four million dollars!
1 hour 31 – I’ve got an idea
1 hour 34 – She wanders off after giving the nun’s the money
Middle bit
Some people choose to give their money / time away…
Others like Oda Mae seem to find it very hard…
Why do you think some people choose to give money / time?
What do they get out of it?
Feel good
Have an interest…they might get cancer or have it
They share the values
Family thing
Nobody else does
It sort of ties up with your beliefs
What do you think the Bible says about giving?
2 Corinthians 9:6-8 ”Remember this: the person who plants a little will have a small harvest,
but the person who plants a lot will have a big harvest. Each one should give
as he has decided in his heart to give. You should not be sad when you give,
and you should not give because you feel forced to give. God loves the person
who gives happily. And God can give you more blessings than you need. Then you
will always have plenty of everything – enough to give to every good work”
I’ve always been impressed by some peoples generosity…
A few years ago I remember reading a story about a man who sold his house
and gave all the money away…
He ended up living in a tent
What do you think about that?
[What storied have you heard?]
The Bible says we should give generously and happily…
How do you feel when you are asked to give?
Do you think we should always give when people ask?
Matthew 7:6 ”Don’t give holy things to dogs, and don’t throw your pearls before pigs.
Pigs will only trample on them, and dogs will turn to attack you”
At Christmas time we concentrate on giving gifts…
Have you ever felt pressurized to give? Why?
Often I’ve thought it might be better to give the money I would have spend
at Christmas to charity…
What do you think?
I suspect that some people would think you were being a bit tight!
End bit
Christmas is a time to remembering and celebrating the gift that God gave
us…
God could have given us anything…a TV, DVD player…whatever…
Instead he gave us Jesus…so that we could get to know God intimately, and
personally on a daily basis
The thing is, like with all gifts we either accept them or reject or
forget them
By accepting this gift God promises…in the Bible…
John 8:12 ”…the person who follows me will never live in darkness but will have the
light that gives life.”
John 5:24 ”…whoever hears what I say and believes in the One who sent me has eternal
life. That person will not be judged guilty but has already left death and
entered life”
Matthew 7:7-8 ”Ask, and God will give to you. Search and you will find. Knock, and the
door will open for you. Yes, everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who
searches will find. And everyone who knocks will have the door opened”
So what will your Christmas be about? What do you want it to be about?
[Hand out these sheets and ask them to put list in order]
[Pray]
Other readings
Romans 8:39 ”nothing about us, northing below us, nor anything else in the whole world
will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus
our Lord”
Joel 2:32 anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved