Give gifts to the family

To 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 as we start our little mini Christmas series.

1 Thessalonians 5 · chapter mention

And boy, it's going to be a good one.

You don't want to miss any of them.

I'm telling you, it's unreal the truths that God gives us in His Word.

And by the way, next Sunday is going to be a very special Sunday.

Baptism, correct, Rick?

Baptism next Sunday here.

And then we have our missions presentation from Miss Deedra.

The 16th baptism, the third Sunday.

Okay.

Let me get that right.

But our missions presentation is next week.

And about their trip to.

All right.

But so that's going to be exciting.

And also Deedra's friends will be here sharing their ministry too, that they are involved in.

So it's going to be a great time next Sunday, and I'll be bringing a message on the mystery of Christmas.

For a lot of people, Christmas is a mystery.

But we'll be looking at Luke chapter 2 at as we unreas that mystery.

Luke 2 · chapter mention

God just kind of gave that to me as I was reading through during the Christmas season.

I read through all the Christmas passages.

And so I thought, yes, here.

Why is it that so many people don't understand Christmas?

Why is it that so many people misunderstand Christmas?

Why is it they don't accept Christmas?

Well, we're going to answer those questions next Sunday.

But today I'm bringing you to a passage that I bet you've probably never heard as a Christmas message.

In 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, verses 12 through 20 or verses 22, let me give you the context.

1 Thessalonians 5:12–20

The context is God giving to us gifts that we are to give to the family of God.

And it's tremendous when you look at the gifts that we're to give to each other as members of God's family.

And I had never seen that before.

In fact, I had forgotten about it, but in 1986, I preached this message at Open Door Baptist Church.

And I just happened to find my folders as I was this month ago, a couple of weeks ago, going back through some of my folders just to see what I had preached at Open Door on Christmas.

And I said, whoa, I've I preached that.

And I said, wow, I've never even had thought about it since then.

Because the context, I use this passage of scripture with some others that you're going to see, when I do ordination services for young men going into the ministry.

And it's powerful because it deals with what a pastor is to be to the congregation, and then what the congregation, because see, when you do ordination service, you give the charge to the pastor and to the church.

It's twofold.

Can I get an amen?

It's not just the pastor, it's for the church too.

And this is one of the major passages that I use when I do that on ordination service.

But with that said, have you ever wondered what to give someone for Christmas?

We're thinking about that right now.

And I thought, what can I give Susan?

And you know what I thought?

Nothing.

Oh.

I thought I'd get a bigger O than that.

Scrooge?

In fact, somebody the other day last Sunday, I hope I didn't make them mad, they were saying, I said, man, I love Christmas.

I don't like Christmas.

I said, don't be a Scrooge, and it came out of my mouth where I said.

I said, I just told one of my church members not to be a Scrooge.

But uh, I did mean it, but in love.

I hate Scrooges around Christmas.

Do you ever go watch the movie Scrooge?

Amen.

Have you ever walked out of the movie and said, that's me?

No hands.

But isn't it a reality sometimes we can be a Scrooge?

You say, what is a Scrooge?

A Scrooge is a person that has a bad attitude about Christmas.

Hello.

So with that said, the Lord knew that we needed to understand what real true gifts are to God's family.

Now, every gift that you and I give ought to have some principles behind it, whether it's to our church family or to a, and by the way, I as a Christian, I only have really two families.

I have my immediate family, my heritage family, my family that I was born into, and then I have my church family.

And I'm going to tell you something.

My love for you, my church family, is just as strong as it is for my physical family.

I love you that much.

You are my family.

And I mean that sincerely.

So with that said, God gives us some direct gifts, spirit-filled gifts, gifts that we are actually commanded to give.

Not an option.

So with that said, and by the way, does everyone have a worship guide?

Anyone that does not have one, we'll make sure you have one.

All right, good, because you want to keep, just like I told you a few weeks ago when we brought that message on how to make wise decisions, you wanted to keep that one very close.

You want to keep this one because this will teach you really what it means to give a gift to your family that means something.

So let's begin.

And in 1 Thessalonians 5, 12 through 15, he says, and we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake, and be at peace among yourselves.

Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

See that none render evil for evil unto any man, but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves and to all men.

Rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

In other words, everything that He's just said, to us is God's will for us as family members in the body of Christ to do.

You got that?

Say amen, Pastor.

And then he goes on and he says, quench not the spirit and despise not preaching, prophesying.

So, prove all things, hold fast that which is good.

So, in other words, he says, everything that I've just told you, you can prove it, you can test it, it's for real, and these are the things that you, especially if I was doing ordination service, as a pastor is to do, and as a church is to do together.

So, with that said, today I want us to look at, number one, and I really believe this, as we examine these atomized gifts, let's bear in mind that God's desire is that we give each of these gifts to one another.

And by doing so, we will really experience what life is all about in the body of Christ.

And let me say these same principles apply in your home, in your, hey, immediate family.

If these gifts are lived out in your immediate family, you will see a major difference in your home.

I guarantee it.

I guarantee it.

I've seen it by my own experience.

So, with that said, if you want life and want it more abundantly, here's the gifts that we need to give to each other.

First of all, number one, three things we're going to look at this morning.

Worthwhile qualities in whatever we give.

When presenting gifts to fellow Christians and to our immediate family, we ought to strive to offer gifts that are genuinely, hey, worth giving.

Can I get an amen?

I'm not talking about waiting till the last minute and running to Walmart and finding something and buying it and giving it on Christmas.

Or I'm not talking about when you get a gift that you weren't expecting to get a gift from and you didn't give them a gift.

You have to run to Walmart quickly and get them a gift and get them a card and say, Oh, God bless you.

Hello?

Now don't tell me you've not done that.

I've done that several times.

Oh my goodness, I didn't even think about them.

They sent me a gift.

I've got to go get them a gift.

No, you don't have to.

You don't have to get them a physical gift, but what you can give back to them is what I'm going to teach us today that's even greater than any physical gift you could give them.

So, with that said, let's discover gifts that are worthwhile.

Here we are.

Number one, a worthy gift lasts.

A worthy gift lasts.

We should give gifts that have a permanency about them.

Lasting gifts are quality gifts.

Amen.

Lasting gifts are quality gifts.

Give something that's going to last.

For years, Susan and I, what I like to do is give them study gifts.

I'm talking about, I give Bibles, I give uh devotionals, I give something that will last basically for eternity.

Can I give it a get an amen?

Isn't that what God gave us?

He gave us an eternal gift.

And I give unto them eternal life.

They shall never perish.

Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hands.

Gifts, worthy gifts last.

Secondly, worthy gifts lift up.

Gifts that are really meaningful to family members of those that edify and build up both the giver and the receiver.

Oh, I was thinking about that.

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 8:1, it says, knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.

1 Corinthians 8:1

Love builds up.

There's nothing more satisfying and more enjoyable at Christmas is to give a gift that you know is going to help that person in some way.

Can I get an amen?

Nothing better than that.

In fact, Paul put it this way: Paul said in Romans 15, verse 2, let every one of us please his neighbor by edifying him, by building him up.

Romans 15:2

A gift that was given to me by Ivan before I even knew him.

When we bought our house in Chelsea Park.

I came by and the grass was high, and I said, Man, I gotta, I don't even have a lawnmower.

So about two days later, Susan and I both came back by and it was cut.

The grass was cut.

I said, Did you cut, did you pay somebody to cut the grass?

She said, No, did you pay somebody to cut the grass?

I said, no.

I said, we got a ghost.

The grass fairy.

But come to find out, Ivo had been cutting the grass for two reasons.

One, he had a beautiful lawn, and mine looked ugly.

But two, to be helpful, and that's how we got to know each other, and they became part of the group that kind of helped start this church and get it going.

But it was a gift.

It was a gift that really helped me out at the time.

I had no lawnmower.

I didn't have any way to cut the grass.

I was in a uh a pickle and he he saw the need and he met it.

Actually, he cut my grass whilst I gone on vacation this summer.

Now, that, and wouldn't let me pay him.

Well, that's not true.

He said, I want cookies.

So we paid him in cookies.

But it was it's it's building up.

It's being a blessing and a help to somebody.

Amen.

Let me tell you, the greatest thing you could do, especially for young couples, I'm fixing to get in trouble here, but all these young couples that we have is offer maybe the babysit their kids for them while they go on a date.

Do I get an amen?

Susan will volunteer.

If they're over five, I volunteer.

As long as I can play football with them and get out in the dirt and stuff like that, let's get it on, wrestle with them.

Let's go.

I love that.

But uh the other part I'm not real patient.

Thirdly, not only are worthy gifts, they last, they lift up, but thirdly, worthy gifts cost.

Uh-oh.

Now, I'm not talking about money.

I I know a lot of people try to buy their love with their money.

I mean, they'll go buy a new car, uh, they'll do this, they'll do a lot of stuff for people.

They think the more expensive is, the more appreciation they're showing.

And I do think that's to a certain degree, but that's not that's not the issue here.

The issue here is what David said in 2 Samuel 24, 24.

He said, I will not offer up anything to the Lord that does not cost me something.

And I'm not talking about your money.

That's the easiest.

It's easy for me to give money.

Amen.

It's easy for me to give money for people to go on the mission field.

And I love doing that, and you should.

But it's harder for me to take my time and go to the mission field.

So I justify it by giving money.

Which we need your money, so don't quit giving your money.

But what I'm saying is, I'm talking about gifts that really last.

It's not about how much you pay, it's how much you, hey, time you spend.

That's the key.

It's gotta cost you something.

You gotta, you gotta sacrifice something.

That's a real gift.

That's a real gift.

And then number four, worthy gifts glorify God.

Just as a gift requires personal sacrifice to acquire, that makes it the present valuable and even priceless.

And I thought about that.

Isn't that exactly what Jesus did on the cross?

Now, watch this.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

His gift, first of all, was plenteous.

It was for everybody.

Secondly, it was priceless because he gave his very best, he gave his son.

Thirdly, it was protective.

It was protected.

He was protecting us from going to hell.

Can I get an amen?

And fourthly, it was permanent.

It lasts forever.

That's a gift, a real gift.

And so we see worthy gifts last, worthy gifts lift up, worthy gifts cost, and worthy gifts glorify God.

Now that's powerful.

So when you're out shopping, think about these principles as you're giving gifts.

I thought about a gift from um oh, what was her name that crocheted?

Is it crocheted Gail Harden and what do you call that?

Cross stitch.

She did a cross stitch for me.

It took her almost over a year.

And when she gave it to me, she gave it to me at Christmas.

And she put on there because Gail had gone through a hard situation.

We had led her to Christ.

We had worked with her for years.

I meant, and and she's one of my examples here as we go through some of these gifts we're to give to the body.

I meant Susan and I, we just stuck there with her, helped her with her kids.

In fact, her daughter ended up coming up to Liberty and living with us for a year.

She was going to Liberty.

I mean, we just did a lot, you know, we we reached out and in love and we wanted to.

We wanted to to give those gifts, that gift uh of coming alongside and building up.

And and so after many years, this was probably actually I think it was, was that right after we resigned from the church and was leaving, I think, to go to Liberty.

I don't remember exactly, but it was close.

But she gave me this beautiful framed gift of the name of Jesus.

That she had personally worked on.

And the note just said, thank you for being like Jesus to my family.

Now that's a gift that I still have up in my study right now, and that's a gift that I've taken everywhere I've gone.

From liberty to temple now to here.

Because that meant something.

She sacrificed, it cost her.

So that's what I'm talking about.

Secondly, worthwhile gifts to give away.

Here they are.

We just read.

Paul mentions two kinds of gifts in 1 Thessalonians 5, 12 through 22, and really they're classified in two ways.

One, A, gifts that were kindly requested, and then the second group we'll look at were gifts that were urgently needed.

Ones were kindly requested, and those are in verses 12 and 13, and then those that are urgently needed was found in verses 13 through 15.

So let's look at them.

First of all, gifts kindly requested.

Number one, respect those in leadership.

Respect those in leadership.

That's very important.

Very important.

Now, as a pastor, this may sound self-serving, but it's not meant to be, and then it is not.

I've been doing this long enough to know, but for younger pastors, it would be a lot harder for them to preach this because it would sound self-serving.

But it's not.

It's scriptural and listen to what it says.

And boy, this is so, so powerful.

Respect those in leadership, those who diligently labor among you and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instructions, and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work.

And that's the key in these two verses.

In other words, Christians are to esteem and value and respect those leaders that are over them in the faith.

And it's vitally important.

They may be old, I'm not old yet.

They may be young.

They be, hey, they may be paid staff, they may be what?

Uh lay staff, but you and I are to esteem them.

And a lot of that has to do with even if you applied in your home.

Listen to me, uh teenagers, listen to me.

All of us, we are to honor and respect our elders, not just the elders of the church, but our parents and those that are, God has ordained authority.

What's wrong with America today?

We have really, absolutely, totally abandoned respect for authority.

I mean, it's in the work area.

People, people just, they they they don't respect the people over them.

They don't respect and honor, they're not thankful for the job, they don't show up for work.

I've never seen such.

People tell me all the time, I keep seeing, and I say, man, y'all need some help.

And they I mean, I don't know how many times I've heard this in the last few weeks.

That people don't come to work.

It's amazing.

I didn't have a choice.

I like money.

My parents, grandparents couldn't give me anything.

I ain't had no money.

I wanted a bicycle.

I worked.

I bought my first bicycle.

Paid five dollars.

I had to paint it.

I got a spray can and painted it.

Boy, did I love that bicycle.

I oil that chain every morning and I put the papers on the back of it, and I had me a paper out and I made$15 a week.

Woo-hoo! That's a lot of money back then, baby.

I was 10 years old making$15 a week.

And if I worked on Saturday with my grandmother at the Pixie shoe store, I'd make another$5.

I was making$20 a week at 10 and 11 years old.

Now I'm gonna tell you, that was a lot of money.

I had my friends wanting to borrow money all the time.

And I charge them 20% interest.

I did not.

Thought about it.

But I knew they wouldn't pay me back, so I knew it was gonna be a gift anyway.

Hello?

Amen.

But we see right here, this is hey, have respect for those leaders and and especially the ordained elders over you and those that that sacrificially give.

And notice something here that's really exciting.

Why should church leaders receive such an appreciative treatment?

Now let me show you.

Was it because of their education?

No.

Was it because of their ability?

No.

Their position?

No.

Their standing in the community?

No.

Their age?

No.

Experience?

No.

Wisdom?

No.

Why?

Because of their work.

Notice what it says, because of the work that God's called them to do.

That's the key right there.

Paul tells us that it's because of their work, the nature of their responsibilities and the good services they render, hey, out of a deep expression for the love of God and to the love of the people.

Now I want to show you some scriptures.

And I'm gonna go, because when we get into 1 Peter, when we start 1 Peter, this is so good because in January, I'm gonna do four, in Sunday school, and all we're gonna do, four messages on how to basically uh I am on how to have a healthy church.

And I'm gonna we're going, and then we're going to 1 Peter, 2 Peter and Jude for the whole next semester.

And in 1 Peter, it deals with this in detail.

1 Peter chapter 5, verses 1 through 4.

1 Peter 5:1–4

But listen to me.

I want you to see this.

I think uh I hope I do.

Do I have Jeremiah 3.15 up there?

Jason?

I need Jeremiah 3.15.

I want you to follow with me in these verses.

I know they're in your uh outline.

Yeah, Jeremiah 3.15 is right there under gifts.

Gifts, the hey, gifts right there.

Respect those in leadership.

Jeremiah 3.15.

Now watch what it says.

And I give you shepherds according to my heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.

Guess what?

My calling's not of man, it's of God.

And it's very important.

And listen to how the calling takes place.

I will give you shepherds according to my heart.

In other words, young men and women that have a heart for God, and God knows it, and has a calling from God because God puts that calling on them.

He calls them.

Not mama called, not daddy called, not church called, but God called.

And that's why when you're God called, you don't do anything but what God tells you to do.

And these preachers today are leaving churches every two and a half years.

God calls you to.

You can't even learn the people's name in two and a half years.

You gotta stay.

You gotta buckle down.

And if God's called you, stay there.

You say, yeah, but but it's time to move.

No, no, you're just having a few sister fluffy heads and deacon potato heads, and you're having some problems, and you feel like it's greener on the other side.

No, they're in every field.

Amen.

They're there.

And if they're not, Satan will make sure he plants a few.

That's just the way it is.

So, so, but look, now let me go go to Acts 20.

I think Acts 20 is next.

Well, 1 Peter 5.4.

Go to 1 Peter 5.4.

We'll just follow those.

All right?

And when the chief shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

What is he saying there?

He's saying that if a pastor or a person in authority stays faithful, and that principle applies to moms and dads as well.

I know it's in the context of the church.

I understand that.

And the chief shepherd, or the not the chief shepherd, the chief shepherd's Jesus, with an undershepherd to the chief shepherd.

But but what he's saying is when you're faithful, you're going to receive a crown.

There's five crowns that's going to be given out at the beam of judgment seat, and one specifically for the pastor.

Now that's pretty powerful, folks.

But here's why.

Go to Acts 20, 28, and you'll see it.

Therefore, take heed to yourself, talking to the pastor and to all the flock among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseer.

Now, watch this.

God calls you, because you got a heart for him and a heart for his ministry.

And then the Holy Spirit, hey, he equips you and he sets you aside for the gifts of the ministry.

And that's powerful.

And then go to the next verse.

I want you to see this.

Hebrews 13.

Powerful chapter.

Powerful.

Remember those who have oversight, rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith followed considering the outcome of their conduct.

In other words, not only were they called, but their life lived an example of that calling.

It was evident that they were called.

And then look at verse 17, same chapter.

Obey those who rule over you and be submissive, for they watch.

Uh-oh.

I cringe.

Watch out for your souls.

Now watch.

Look at that last.

I don't like this last phrase.

Deacon Potato Head, Sister Fluffy Head, you're not going to give an account.

Oh, you're going to give account, all right, but it's not going to be this way.

God says, do not bring any divisiveness to the church.

God says, mummer not among yourselves.

If you're a mumber, you better look out.

God's got something for you.

But listen, listen, listen.

Those who must give an account, do you realize me, Rick, and now David.

Where's David?

There you are.

You're hiding there behind Danny.

Do you realize, council members, raise your hands, all your councilmen right here, back there, some in the Dale's in the church, children's church.

We will give an account for how we have shepherd, and Paul's sitting right there, shepherd the body of Christ.

But for us that are behind this pulpit or behind the teaching, for you teachers, James, remember what James says it's better not to want to teach unless God's called you to teach because you're going to be held doubly accountable.

Ladies and gentlemen, we're going to stand before an awesome God and give an account for this.

That's why I will never step foot in this pulpit without spending the time and the effort getting along with God, praying constantly and consistently so that I know that God has given me the word and the direction.

In fact, we will be held accountable for three things, and I wrote it down here in my outline.

We will be held accountable for the ways of this church.

Benji, you're here for the worship of this church and for the work of this church.

We will be held accountable.

Are you listening?

God help people that God help pastors that I'm gonna just say it.

That get churches in building programs and in big debt and then they leave.

No.

They're gonna stand before the Lord for that.

Thank God we are debt free.

Can I get some clapping?

Amen.

Every church I've left, I left it a lot better than it was when I went there.

Is that not true?

And I've only been at two.

Well, third, this is the third one.

Left Open Door Baptist Church, they were in debt$350,000 when I got there.

When we left, we had a million dollars in the bank and everything paid for.

Can I get an Amen?

When I left Tennessee Temple, we had everything at least paid for.

And we were two million in debt when we got there, and I had to borrow two million.

So it took us six and a half years to get four million paid off, but we did it.

We worked hard.

Why?

Right there.

I'm the one that's accountable.

God's placed me there.

God put me there through the power and the person of the Holy Spirit.

Folks, listen, I love you.

And yes, well, sometimes I may, you may think I'm a little hard to you.

I'm not hard to you.

I love you.

I want the truth.

I want you to know the truth, and the truth should set you free because we're a family.

And you're gonna see in a minute, that's part of our job.

Is when our brothers and sisters go wayward, we go after them and bear one another and bring them back into the foe.

And most churches could care less about that.

When I tell churches how many people we visit every week, and when people miss, we we hold them accountable and we go see them.

And uh you know what?

If I could, if I could, you know what I'd do?

If I could, now y'all gonna think I'm really radical, I'd have a van and I would, I we got a van, but I mean it would have on bringing back the sheep.

We'd just pull up and say, toot the horn, knock on your door, and say, it's time for you to be back in church.

Get in.

Hello?

Now y'all think that's funny, you won't think it's funny when I finish.

Because that's one of the commands.

I stayed too much on that.

Let me go.

All right, all right.

So, do you understand why you ought to thank God for men of God?

And I'm not just talking about our church, other churches.

Thank God for great men of God that love God and love their people and see it as their accountability, responsibility to bring these people in the way, hey, in the worship and in the work.

And they lead that way setting the example.

Can I get an amen?

Can we give, not me, but can we give all those faithful pastors that many of you have known all these years?

I think of Dr.

Falwell.

I think of uh of Dr.

Rollins, I think of my mentors that have gone to be with the Lord, how I love them and praise God for them and thank God for them.

That's a gift.

Secondly.

Now, what's this?

Second thing.

Live in peace with one another.

Look at verse 13.

To esteem them very highly in love for the work's sake.

But then, second phrase, and be at peace among yourselves.

Now notice this gift is stated in the form of a command.

Wow.

The other one was urged, I mean, I meant was kindly suggested.

But this one is urged.

It carries with it.

Notice the peace cannot be maintained unless members of God's family actively seek peaceful relations between each other.

Do you know what I've learned?

I can have peace with my wife.

If I could have peace with Susan, and I do have peace with Susan, but I mean, when we disagree, if I really honestly love her and want to seek a solution that'll be peaceful, I can do that through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Now, it must be done through the power of the Holy Spirit because in the flesh we want to kill each other.

Amen.

Come on, owe me, owe me.

Y'all not getting off the hook, guys.

And ladies, I know you want to think about killing us sometimes.

My wife said we've never used the word divorce at all.

Murder a couple of times, but not the divorce.

That's true.

But notice, notice right here.

And I wrote a few things that I think to me, to me.

He says, endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.

Jesus said unto them, murmur not among yourselves.

John 6.43.

Philippians 2.14, do all things without murmuring and disputing.

Ooh.

And if you turn over to Romans chapter 12 and read verses 10 through 13 and verses 16 and 18, let's just real quickly you'll see what that means.

Romans 12 · chapter mention

And boy, is that not so true.

And Romans 12, look at what it says.

Powerful.

Here we go.

Be kindly affectionate one to another with brotherly love.

In honor.

Preferring one another.

You know what that phrase, Greek phrase means?

Eager to show one another honor.

That's what it means.

Isn't that powerful?

Outdo one another in showing honor.

Wouldn't it be amazing if husbands and wives tried to outdo each other in pleasing one another?

Boy, it got quiet.

Hello?

You okay out there?

Huh?

I'm guilty.

Woo! That hit me pretty hard.

But that's so true.

Is that not so true?

And then listen what he says.

And this is so good.

Verse 11.

Not slaughterful in business.

Now, that whole phrase right there literally means never slack in eagerness.

Now it's used in the Greek culture as people that didn't want to work.

They called them lazy.

Actually, they called them vagabonds.

Because it wouldn't work.

In this context, we ought to be, hey, not lazy, to go out of our way to please others.

In other words, we ought to look for the opportunities to please others.

And can I say, oh me?

We ought to look for ways to be a blessing to other people instead of ourselves.

I'm terrible.

I like to be blessed.

I like my way.

Somebody say something.

I must be the only one, honey.

I'm sorry.

That's not true because I know some of them.

But think about that.

Eager, not lazy, to be a blessing.

Can't wait to be a blessing.

Wow.

And then fervid in spirit.

You know what that means?

On fire with the spirit.

On fire and excited about helping other people.

Listen, I'm gonna, I'm not gonna call names because I'll know I'd get in trouble.

But we we were we're out visiting and we're giving gifts to our covenant members, and we came across the covenant member that needed a help, and I'm talking about a ramp and everything else.

And and and I I asked her, is somebody trying to do it?

She said, well, and long story short, me and and and Rick and and and David, we're together and giving these gifts and introducing David to our folks.

And I said, We're gonna take care of that.

I said, the Bible says we take care of widow ladies, amen.

And I know there's three or four men that I I said it to one person in this church, and he said, Give me the address.

I mean, I I didn't even have to say, would you do it?

He said, Give me the address.

And in a day and a half, they have the prettiest porch ramp you've ever seen.

Can I get an amen?

That's what our church does.

That's the church family.

That's giving gifts that cost something, that's worthy of something.

And that's what your tithes help.

We paid for it.

That's what we do.

We help family members.

Wow, that's good.

Thank you, men.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Rejoice and hold patient in tribulation.

Anyway, so you get the gist of it.

This is exciting to me.

It's convicting to me.

Then let's look at the second gifts.

Gifts that were kindly requested.

Respect those in authority.

Live in peace with those around you.

Can I say something?

If we lived and tried to do that with each other, we'd see revival break out.

We wouldn't have shooting in malls.

You've got to realize these young, and a lot of them are young kids, some of them older, but these people that do that, can I tell you something?

They don't understand what love is.

They've never seen love of God exhibited in their lives.

Somebody said the other day, I said, I said, the sad thing is they're just doing what they know to do.

Lost people do what they know to do, and it's not good.

It's sin, it's destructive.

Satan's come to what?

Kill, steal.

That's why the body of Christ has to be so different.

When they see the love of Christ.

I have people all the time when I visit their homes, here's what they say.

We've never been welcomed and greeted so warmly in any church they've been in.

We may have a few stuck-up Christians around here, but I hope I don't find them.

Hello.

We may have a few Grinches, but we're going to give them a sweet pill.

Amen.

Amen.

Come on, church.

It's easy to have a bad attitude.

It takes work to have a good attitude.

It's easy to complain.

It takes work to be positive.

Hello, come on.

Thank you, sister.

That's the only hope help I'm getting.

I know.

Because you came in this morning and you went.

That's okay.

God loves you.

He'll forgive you.

You know what I love about the Grinch?

Because at the end he's happy.

If the Grinch can be happy, we can be happy.

Amen?

I worked that in, didn't I?

Gifts urgently needed.

Here we go.

Now don't miss this.

Now, and the focus in these verses is one of strong exhortation.

Whereas in the two that we just looked at, they were words of focus in terms of the request.

We request of you, he said in verse 20.

But now notice what he says in verse 14.

Now we exhort you.

Now that word exhort is pretty powerful.

It means we urge you, we admonish you.

In other words, uh we entreat you.

In other words, hey, this is this you gotta do it.

That's what it means.

You you really gotta do this.

Number one, five gifts that are presented to us right here as directives, not options, commands for our urgent application.

Number one, amonish the unruly.

Wow.

Amonish the unruly.

What does that mean?

In fact, now I that's a pretty powerful word there.

The Greek word is toktos, toktos.

And it literally means out of ranks.

It's a military term.

It's used for insubordination.

You that have been in the army, you know what that means when we say insubordinate.

Well, that's what this word means.

In other words, it means that you and I have been insubordinate to what God has called us to do in our ministry.

Wow.

New perspective, isn't it?

In other words, God, when he saves you, in fact, listen to what Jesus said.

This is good.

In Luke 17, 3, Jesus said this: take heed to yourselves, if thy brother trespassed against thee, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.

And rebuke's a strong word.

But there's a way to do that rebuke, and it's not mean, and it's not, in fact, we're going to look in a minute.

In Galatians, we're to do it, and the word even says we're to do it lovingly and gently.

But we're to do it.

Can I get an amen?

That's what's wrong with a lot of us parrots.

I had to learn how to discipline my children lovingly.

Amen?

And not out of anger and not out of madness.

That's so important.

That's what he means when he says, bring your children up in the nurture and admonition of God.

That means correction, but it means correction in the proper way and in the proper things.

Amen?

So we see right here what a powerful statement he says.

That we are to, and it really is a powerful word.

We are, he says, we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly.

What does that really mean?

In other words, as members of Christ's family, we are expected to behave ourselves by being where we ought to be and doing what we ought to do.

Amen?

And when we become idle in our Christian responsibilities or irresponsible or insubordinate, God calls on other members of his family to confront us with this fact and to exhort us to resume fulfilling our Christ-like duties.

That's the definition right out of my Christian dictionary.

That's powerful.

That's powerful.

Admonish.

And here's what the listen to this word.

When I saw this in my Christian dictionary, I said, ooh, I got to write that down.

Listen what it says.

What does that mean?

This is so good.

Reprove gently carries the idea of putting sense, in other words, common sense, into someone's head and altering him, excuse me, and alerting him of serious consequences.

In other words, getting the nonsense out of them, putting in good common sense, they need to do what's right.

Because there is a consequence.

Is that not true?

Man, that's good.

That's so good.

And that exactly what, in fact, look at what Galatians 6.1 says.

Galatians 6.1, look at it.

Galatians 6.1.

Here it is.

Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness.

There's the gentleness.

Considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

You know what he's saying?

You may be in that same position one day.

Amen.

Hey, you may end up, you know, sometimes we all have a fall or we stumble.

He's saying you may be there too.

Wouldn't you like?

It gets back to what Jesus said.

Do unto others as you'd have them do unto you.

This is exactly what he's saying.

For you that are spiritual, he's not talking about the super spiritual snobs.

That's not what he's talking about.

And he's not talking about those that go around just pointing out, saying, Oh, oh, oh, no, sin, sin, sin.

No.

He's talking about you have such love for your brother and sister in Christ that when you know they start swaying, you go and say, Can I take you to lunch?

Can I have a cup of coffee with you?

Can we talk?

What's up?

What can I pray for you about?

Help, let me help you.

How can I help you so that Satan can't get you?

You don't want to say it that way.

But that's what we're trying to do.

Amen?

That's what it means, folks.

Number two, encourage the faint-hearted.

Encourage the faint-hearted.

Those brethren who are overly worried, deeply discouraged, or physically and emotionally debilitated.

They need our help.

Christians are to lift them up and encourage them onward.

This may involve giving the words a comfort.

It may involve giving a listening ear.

We have people that it's just hard for them.

You have people sometimes that, and a lot of it has to do with the way they were raised too.

I really believe that.

That no one ever encouraged them, no one ever built them up, no one ever said they were worth anything.

So they feel like they're no good.

They're worthless.

That's why people attempt or commit suicide.

But that's not true.

If you are born again and have Jesus Christ living in you, you're a child of the king, and you are fearfully, whoo, I'm about to have a spell, and you're fearfully and wonderfully made.

Listen to what God says.

Marvelous are his words.

You are marvelous in God's eyes.

Get up in the morning, look in the mirror, and say, Woo! God did a good thing.

Amen.

I'm somebody because I'm Jesus Christ.

I'm a child of the king.

But no, there are no butts.

But no.

No butts.

Psalms hundred and thirty-nine, fourteen, you're fearfully and wonderfully made.

Say that with me, church.

I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Marvelous.

He didn't just say I made you.

He says you're marvelous.

Say that with me.

We're marvelous.

Come on.

We're marvelous.

Whew, see?

So get up in the morning.

Whoo! I'm marvelous.

Satan starts to say you're nobody.

Hey, hey, hey, shut up! Maybe don't use the word shut up.

But hey, hush! I'm marvelous.

Every time I use that word, I hear my grandmother, don't you say that word, Danny boy.

I still see it.

It's ingrained in me.

Amen?

Encourage one another.

Can I tell you something?

You know the hardest people for you and I to want to encourage.

You don't know where I'm going with this one.

I don't either, I'm thinking.

I'm waiting for the Holy Spirit.

That was funny.

Yeah, I am.

That one.

That one right there.

You got it.

The ones that we need to encourage the most are the ones that need it the most.

But usually those are the ones that bother us the most.

Those are the ones that when we see them coming, we try to avoid them.

Those are the ones when I get a text, I say, mmm.

Or I get a phone call and I say, ooh, I'll be on the phone two hours if I call him back.

Am I getting too personal?

Some of you looking at me, have you read my mail?

Huh?

I'm preaching to, forget y'all.

I'm preaching to me.

Nobody else.

And you, Lanny.

Is that not true?

And that those are the ones that need us the most.

They really are.

And Lord, I hated to say that.

Because it's true.

And I've been so guilty of that over the years.

And I justify it.

Well, I've look how much I've helped them, Lord.

Now I don't think the scripture says I ain't gonna, after helping them three times, I can avoid them.

It says continuously.

Amen.

Now that's Christmas.

That's the kind of gifts we're to give.

Notice the third one.

It doesn't get any better.

Help the weak.

At one time or another, we've all been there.

All Christians experience weakness, exhaustion.

Some of us burnout.

Been close.

Myself.

These are the people that they've done everything.

And I think what causes this, they get to the point where they're doing so much without being refreshed in the word.

See, let me tell you something.

You can work yourself into burnout if you're not taken in.

You got to be taking in the word of God, taking in God.

And now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the Word of Grace which is able to build you up.

You've got to be being built up so you can give out.

When you get to the point where you're dreading to work or to help to be a blessing, you've got the problem, not them.

And the problem is you need to be still and know that He's God and get apart so you don't fall apart and get refreshed.

Can I get an Amen?

Then you're ready to go back in and battle some more.

Amen.

We all have to have that.

Number four, be patient with everyone.

Notice that this gift encompasses both Christians and non-Christians.

Now I learned something about this word.

I decided I want to know what patience is.

I ought to know because I don't have any.

Amen.

Anyone else with me out there?

I'm confessing.

If I had a priest here, I'd be in the booth.

But now, what's this?

It's a family gift that is also to be offered to those who are outside the family, but I want you to see what the word patience means.

It means long suffering, but that means long-tempered.

Now, what does long-tempered mean?

I don't have this.

Pray that your pastor will work better at this.

Now let me tell you, I went back to my Christian dictionary.

It conveys the idea.

Now listen, this is good, of being tough and durable.

Okay, now that that's me, man.

I'm tough.

I'm durable.

And then I get kicked right in the face.

What's this?

Tough and durable in the face of intense pressure.

Watch.

Of manifesting quiet and steady strength that can handle disappointment, hardship, and pain.

Oh my goodness.

How many of us can do that?

Only through the power of the Holy Spirit of God.

Amen.

In other words, yes, I'm not giving up.

But I'm gonna be quiet and tempered.

I'm just gonna be trusting God.

Leaning on God.

You say, well, how'd I do that, Pastor?

And we'll show you in a few minutes.

I promise.

How do we do this?

We'll see.

Put negatively, here it is.

Listen to what the dictionary said.

Put negatively.

God does not want his people to operate with short fuses.

Hello?

Hello?

Can we all say oh me on the count of three?

One, two, three.

Oh me.

You know what Dr.

Falwell taught me all my ministry?

The greatness of a man is determined by what it takes to discourage him.

And what this definition means here, you're not going to be discouraged.

Oh, you'll be disappointed.

It'll be painful.

But you're not going to be, hey, discouraged because you're encouraged through the power of the person of the Holy Spirit of God and the Word of God.

So when you start getting discouraged, you've got to do two things real quick.

One, you've got to get in a book.

You got to go to Psalms 34 through 62.

You got to go to Philippians, the book of Philippians.

And then you got to get around some encouraging Christians that have the gift of Barnabas and be around them and say, I need you.

Come here, help.

Let me help me, help me, help me.

Amen.

And that's what those people that we need to respond, even when we feel like we've done enough.

You need to continue to respond.

Amen.

And if you need help, grab somebody else to help you.

Number five.

Refuse to retaliate.

Do good.

This verse really states it clearly, does it not?

See that none render evil for evil unto any man.

That's hard.

See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another.

And notice what he says for all men.

Rather than return evil comments, hey, with more evil comments, frowns with more frowns, fists with more fists, and backstabbing with more backstabbing, excuse me, Christians are exhorted by the Lord.

Listen, to always seek that which is good and best interest of both believers and unbelievers.

In other words, we are to return right.

Oh, I love this.

Evil with good, unruly remarks with kind words, frowns with smiles, fists with attempts to reconciliation, backstabbing with genuine forgiveness.

Now, if we were to do that, revival would break out all over America.

Wow.

If we would honestly obey these commands, historians would be unable to sufficiently record the revival that would break out.

So let's wrap it up.

Worthwhile resources and reminders for gift giving.

How do we do this, preacher?

In this chapter, watch the end of it.

Number one, you gotta be happy.

Got to be happy.

Look at verse 16.

Rejoice evermore.

You gotta be happy.

So how are you happy?

Rejoice in the Lord always.

Again I say rejoice.

Okay, how does that happen?

Nehemiah chapter 8, verse 10, for the joy of the Lord is my strength.

Nehemiah 8:10

In his presence, he says, and boy, what a beautiful verse in Psalm 16, 11, Thou wilt show me the path of life, he says, In thy presence is the fullness of joy, and his right hands are pleasures forevermore.

You gotta stay in the book.

You gotta stay around good Christians that love you and exhort you and refine you and build you up.

I want to be around a Christian that'll build me up.

Amen.

That's my gift.

I'm an exhorter.

I love to exhort people.

That's what I do.

But every once in a while I need exhorting.

I like to be around people that exhort me too.

I'm not gonna be around a complainer long.

I share my heart.

In fact, even when I'm whether I'm playing pickleball, whatever I'm doing, if I hear a negative response, I always try to quote a positive verse.

I don't preach at them, I just quote the verse.

Well, the Lord says, you know, hey, be still, know that he's God.

The Lord says, rejoice always, even in a bad situation.

And remember, we just looked at that.

That's what that patience really means.

And then secondly, be heard by the Lord.

Listen to verse 17.

Pray without ceasing.

Never give up praying.

Pray constantly.

Never cease to pray.

Be unceasing in prayer.

You've got to stay in an attitude of prayer.

What did Jesus say?

Men ought to always pray and not to faint, not to give up.

And then number three, be thankful.

Look at verse 18.

And everything give thanks.

You know what I've learned when I start to get negative?

It's because I've not been thankful.

I'm learning in my life, Christian life, it's hard for me to be negative when I'm thankful.

Hello?

Amen.

You start to get negative or start getting to the point, why don't you start, get you a list and start being thankful?

I'm thankful for my family.

I'm thankful for my job.

I'm thankful for my kids.

I'm thankful for my house.

I'm thankful for my car.

I'm thankful.

I'm thankful.

I'm thankful.

I'm thankful for my dog.

Amen.

Just start being thankful.

All of a sudden that negative, that negativism's gone.

And then, number four, be filled with the spirit.

Verse 19, quench not the spirit.

Do not extinguish the spirit's fire.

You know how you quench the spirit?

Let me tell you how you quench it.

By being disobedient.

When you're not obedient to what God asks you to do, you've quenched the spirit.

So there's a lot of quenching going on, isn't it?

When you and I have a negative, a negative attitude, we've quenched the spirit.

How do you know that?

Listen to what Scripture says.

Rejoice evermore.

Wait?

Not just rejoice in the good times, but to rejoice evermore.

That's in all times.

All times.

Be thankful.

Rejoice evermore.

Pray without ceasing in everything give.

Everything give thanks.

So as we approach this Christmas season, let's give gifts.

I'm talking about gifts that will last.

Let's give gifts that lift up.

Let's give gifts that cost and worthy gifts that glorify God.

And let me tell you one of the greatest gifts you can do is to make sure that you spend time with those you love the most.

And I'm trying to get better.

You heard me.

It's time.

Because I can always have something that I need to do other than spending the time to go all the way to California.

Or to go all the way up to Tennessee.

And God's convicted me of that.

And that's why we just got back.

We just got back from going up and seeing our kids.

And I told him, I said, we're going to come see you once a month in Tennessee.

At least.

Because God's convicted me of my preaching.

And by the way, God convicts me before I preach to you.

I don't just go through a 101 preaching outlines and I preach what God tells me we need as a family.

Amen.

And I love you as our family.

You are our family.

And this Christmas, let's give these gifts.

Some of you right now, you know you need to sit down and you need to have a good, comforting, kind talk with people you love that you know it's not doing right.

I just had that.

He said, You're right.

I just said, Well, why don't you change?

Why don't you change?

I'm scared of what's gonna happen if you don't.

If you know the Lord, he will chasten the ones that he loves.

Let me tell you why we kindly bear one another's burdens and deal with the unruly.

An unruly doesn't mean it just means they're not they're they're they're really just not obedient.

They're not obedient, they're they're going against what God's called them to do.

That's what it means.

They're not involved in doing anything for the Lord.

But yet they're saying they're Christians.

We gotta put our arms around and just say, we love you.

How can we help you?

Come back to the family of God and get involved.

How can we do that?

I'll do anything I can to help you do.

I'll get my bus.

Go get you.

Amen.

So this is real Christmas.

I know that's a Christmas message you probably hadn't heard.

I've never heard the priest himself found the outline.

Somewhere saying I wish they hadn't found the outline.

I needed that.

I needed that.

I needed that.

I love you, church.

With all my heart.

And I love the truth.

With all my heart.

And I thank God for calling me to the ministry.