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Dec. 24, 2018 | Christmas Eve

Gifts That Keep On Giving
• Isaiah 9:2, 6–7 • Luke 2:1–19

I KNOW IT’S KIND OF LATE to be thinking about what you’re going to give to someone for Christmas. The outlet mall closed a few minutes ago, sorry. Walmart locks their door at 8:00 so there’s still time, if you hurry. I’m not sure what’s available at one of the convenience stores in the area. You might check there.

Or I can give you gift ideas that you don’t have to run out and buy. A list of goodies you probably already have on hand; they may be unused and dusty, but you have them. In fact, they are the best kind of gifts — gifts that keep on giving.

That tag line “the gift that keeps on giving” has been used in a variety of commercials over the years. It implies that any present that gives enjoyment over and over. The first commercial use of the phrase “the gift that keeps on giving” was in the 1920s. Victor Radio’s ad campaign read: “When you go to your Victor dealers … you will find … beautiful, compact, and soundly built [Victor radios]. You will recognize them as the gift that keeps on giving … a royal gift...at a very low price!”

We, too, can give a royal gift at a very low price — the gift of kindness.

For those who receive it, this gift of kindness can be powerful. A helpful or hopeful word for someone who needs to be lifted up. A gentle reply to someone who is rude. An honest effort to listen when someone has a complaint. An unexpected gesture of goodwill to a stranger.

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IN 1963, RCA Victor ran a magazine advertising campaign featuring the slogan “The Gift That Keeps On Giving.” The advertisement promoted color televisions.

Add color to someone’s life with appreciation. Stop and think about all the people who have been there for you in ways large and small. Have you let them know what they have meant? This Christmas, pass along the gift of appreciation.

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KODAK CAMERA ran ads in 1970s as part of their Christmas advertising. “The gift that keeps on giving picture after picture.”

Picture offering the gift of encouragement, over and over again.

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ON A SILENT AND HOLY NIGHT a long time ago, encouragement came to the world as never before, through a little child.

When you think about that, you want to pass on the gift of encouragement.

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IN 2016, chocolatier Godiva came up with a catchy spin on this slogan with its commercial campaign: “The Box That Keeps On Giving.” This campaign promoted Godiva’s holiday box containing four boxes of luxury chocolates. The gift box was filled with chocolate gifts nestled inside one another. The slogan encourages the recipient to enjoy a box and share a box with someone who deserves a delicious holiday treat.

Enjoy a box of love and share a box with someone else.

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MARY AND JOSEPH ARRIVED in Bethlehem, tired from a long journey. Cold. afraid. She so young. Turned away. Denied. Barred from entry. Desperate.

If only I had been there. If only you had been there. How quick you would have been to open your doors, to make space. To give them your bed, your room. But we would have served during the birth of Jesus in such ways because we know how great Jesus is. But if we had been there at the time, without knowing Jesus, we probably would have been no better than the people of Bethlehem.

We don’t do it now. We have Christ in our neighbor. What we do to our neighbor, we do to the Lord Jesus Christ himself. When we love others, we do nothing less than love Jesus himself. As the hymn-writer put it, “Love Came Down as Christmas.” What could be more fitting than to receive that love and then to pass it on?

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KINDNESS, APPRECIATION, ENCOURAGEMENT, AND LOVE. Four gifts you can give away this Christmas. Four gifts that keep on giving. And in giving these gifts to others, we give them to Jesus himself.

— Keith Cardwell

“I can give you gift ideas that you don’t have to run out and buy. A list of goodies you probably already have on hand; they may be unused and dusty, but you have them. In fact, they are the best kind of gifts — gifts that keep on giving.”

Isaiah 9:2,6–7
Holy Bible, New International Version

²The people walking in darkness
    have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
    a light has dawned.
⁶For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
⁷Of the greatness of his government and peace
    there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice and righteousness
    from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty
    will accomplish this.

— This is the Word of the LORD.

The Birth of Jesus
2 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ²(This was the first census that took place while^[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³And everyone went to their own town to register.

⁴So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ⁶While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

⁸And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹²This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

¹³Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

¹⁴“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

¹⁵When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

¹⁶So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.