Today’s Scripture

Psalm25          2 Corinthians 8:1-9, 13-14                 Matthew 2:1-11

 

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.  NIV

 

            Giving to others is a big part of the Christmas season.  From Thanksgiving through Christmas one of our attention points is gifts to those in need.  A great number of charitable organizations solicit from the public.  The other day there were three successive radio ads to donate your used vehicle to charity.  Each ad was from a different charity, all asking for your old car.

 

            That is an important part of Immanuel’s mission too.  In the last month a significant amount of food items have been donated and delivered to the Des Plaines Self-Help Closet and Pantry, and to the Uptown Ministry in Chicago.  Weekly the corner cabinet and red barrels have food and other items for these organizations.  Over $1,100.00 donated purchased grocery certificates for distribution to those in need in this community.  A certain number of this congregation give regularly to Lutheran Church Charities and to Lutheran World Relief to bring assistance to those in need throughout our nation and world.

 

            Today is a day that recognizes a giver.  Nicholas of Myra.  Nicholas was born into a wealthy family in what is now Turkey.  He became a Christian and devoted his life to the church as a pastor.  He eventually became the bishop in Myra, a city that was not very Christian and where people openly practiced sinful lives.  Nicholas became well-known and respected for transforming a great number in this community by his hard work and preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ.

 

            Nicholas was especially known for his love for those in need such as poor widows and orphaned children.  He led the church to care for the needy in that community.  He is known for giving generously of his own personal wealth to assist others in need.  A well-known story is how he assisted a family in this way.  There was a widowed man with three daughters.  He did not have a dowry for even one daughter to give her in marriage.  Nicholas supposedly through a bag of gold coins into that home each night for three nights, providing enough for each daughter to be given in marriage.

 

            There are many other “stories” about Nicholas.  Each one involves three gifts as this one.  A couple of things come to us today because of this three gift tradition.  One is the sign at Pawn Shops.  It is three balls indicating the three gifts that redeemed these three daughters from the fate that was before them.

 

            In knowing God who is the Triune God, Nicholas was one who defended the Trinitarian faith, Father Son and Holy Spirit.  At the time of Nicholas there was a concentrated effort to change this teaching away from this truth that God is truly three persons in one God.  The Council of Nicaea was called in the fourth century and restated this one true faith in what we today know as the Nicene Creed.  As Nicholas proclaimed in Myra, as we have learned from the beginning, it is not with bags of gold or other earthly things that buys us back from a certain fate in hell, but it is the love of God in his son, our brother, Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

 

            As we are involved in giving gifts to each other, and gifts to those in need, let us remember and pray that these gifts are given and received as reminders of the greatest gift we receive, Jesus.  God gives us his own son who gave up his body and shed his blood to pay the price for our sins.  Without that sacrifice, without that gift, without that price paid, we are like the three daughters in Mrya, without hope for the future.  With that sacrifice, with that gift, with that price paid, we are joined together in the body of Christ Jesus, presented at his bride to live with him in eternity in heaven.

 

            Jesus also commands us to give to others in his love as he teaches in the Parable of the Good Samaritan, as he tells us to share our cloaks with those who do not have any, to give food and drink to the hungry and thirsty and to give shelter to those who do not have any.  As we pray, “Give us this day our daily bread,” we know that God provides for all, and has given us each other to share his gifts to each other in Jesus’ name.  As we give, let us do this so that others see God’s greatest giving through these acts that he has given us to do.

 

            Nicholas was a great giver.  Nicholas was a great proclaimer of the greatest gift, Jesus.  We thank God today for all of the “Nicholas” people of all times who give as Christ gave, and who give the word of Christ truthfully and faithfully so that others come to faith and are saved, receiving not just the earthly gifts and goodies, but the eternal gift of heaven in Jesus’ name.  Amen.