"WHEN GOD GIVES!"
Written and preached by David P. Nolte

JOHN 3:14-18

1. WHEN GOD GIVES, HE GIVES HIS BEST:
1. He gave His Son, Jesus. He didn't just give an angel, not even the Archangel, Michael. He gave the best He had to offer without stinting or hesitating.
2. Aren't you glad that god did not:
1. Cut corners, hold back, hesitate?
2. Consider our need too insignificant?
3. Consider the cost of his only Son too great?
4. Do what many of us would do and write off sinners as hopeless and not worth saving?
3. Now, when it comes to giving, some are willing to give the cheapest, the least demanding, the inconsequential. In the comic strip, "Wizard of Id," Sir Rodney (the one with a nose like a squash) enters a sword shop and says, "I want to buy a cheap sword!" The proprietor says, "Why a man in your noble position ought to buy the best!" To which Rodney replies, "It's a gift!" signifying that something cheap would suffice. But cost was no consideration to God! 1 Peter 1:18, 19: "For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom He paid was not mere gold or silver. He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God."
4. A native in Africa wanted to give the missionary the best gift he could imagine. He had heard the missionary wish for a large sea shell. The native knew that the shell could only be obtained at the coast which was several miles away from his village. He set out on foot to obtain the shell and after a couple of days of walking returned and presented the beautiful shell to the missionary. The man said, "Oh, thank you so much! But you didn't have to walk all that way to get this for me! It was too long a walk!" The native said, "Long walk part of gift!" He wanted to, and did, give his best. So did God.

2. WHEN GOD GIVES, HE GIVES AN APPROPRIATE GIFT:
1. Unless we just want to buy and get it over with, we usually try to consider what would be a fitting and appropriate gift for each recipient.
1. We consider the age of the recipient: We wouldn't give a shotgun or Craftsman drill to a 3 year old, now would we?
2. We consider the gender: I know, I know - political correctness and all that nonsense - but that not withstanding, you wouldn't give a pink frilly dress to a 7 year old boy would you? Not unless you want him to learn how to fight.
3. We consider the durability: We don't want something that breaks as you take it out of its wrappings.
4. We consider the practicality: We ought to consider: will this take expensive refills? Will it take a space scientist to figure it out? Is it something you can only use outside on dry and windless days?
2. We consider what is appropriate and so does God! He knew that what we needed, what would fit the bill, was a Savior! Not an example, not a religious teacher, not a guru, not merely a mentor - a Savior! That's appropriate to our need because:
1. "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," Romans 3:23 (NIV).
2. "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23 (NIV)
3. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53:6 (NIV).
4. None are so good they don't need this gift and none are so bad they can't have it!
3. Thus the angels proclaimed: "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:11 (NIV). What an appropriate gift!
4. A man in Texas wanted to give. He discovered that his congregation was in debt and was about to lose their building due to a lien on the property. After praying about it, he took out a mortgage on his cotton crop and gave the money to pay off the church's debt. That was appropriate giving. So was God's!

3. WHEN GOD GIVES, HE GIVES TO EVERYONE:
1. God so loved the world: not the globe, not the anti-Christ system of values, but the populace! And He gave to that world!
1. "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to Me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to Me; hear me, that your soul may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, My faithful love promised to David." Isaiah 55:1-3 (NIV).
2. "The angel reassured them. 'Don't be afraid!' he said. 'I bring you good news of great joy for everyone!'" Luke 2:10 (NLT).
3. "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9 (NASB).
4. "This is good, and pleases God our Savior, Who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." 1 Timothy 2:3-4 (NIV).
5. "The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come.' Let each one who hears them say, 'Come.' Let the thirsty ones come - anyone who wants to. Let them come and drink the water of life without charge." Revelation 22:17 (NLT).
2. When God gives, He gives to all - but not all receive the gift!
1. Some think they are good enough without a Savior; they are "as good as this or that person, and better than most," they say!
2. Some think they are too bad for a Savior; they have "sinned so much and been so rotten that even God can't help them," they say.
3. Some don't know that there is only One Savior and One Way to God so they follow some other religious leader.
4. Some think they will receive the gift later - when it is more convenient.
5. Some think they are saved because they believe in God.
6. Some think they are okay because their father or grandfather was a preacher.
7. Some just put other things and other pursuits as more important that God or His Christ.
3. Yet God still desires that all come to Jesus and to eternal life. He still urges the lax and careless: "Seek the LORD while you can find Him. Call on Him now while He is near. Let the people turn from their wicked deeds. Let them banish from their minds the very thought of doing wrong! Let them turn to the LORD that He may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for He will abundantly pardon." Isaiah 55:6-7 (NLT).
4. God wishes to give to all, just as did one little girl. She had picked a bouquet of flowers from her yard and stood on the corner offering a flower to those who passed by. The flowers, however were dandelions and quickly wilted, and so few seemed willing to take a wilted flower. "No, thank you, little girl!" "What would I do with a wilted dandelion?" "You should just throw those things away, they're no good." But one old man stooped down to her and said, "What a beautiful bouquet of flowers! May I have them?" His willingness to receive what she wanted to give made her - and him happy, too. How happy God is when someone receives His gift.

God is still the giver of every good and perfect gift. There is no change in Him. As He once offered life in Christ, He still offers. As once He saved all who come to Jesus, so still He saves. When God gives, He keeps on giving! Will you receive His gift? Will you take what He offers? Here's how: believe that Jesus Christ is His Only Son, confess that belief, turn from sin, be baptized (if you have not been immersed), and commit your way to Him from now on. God offers, who will accept it? God calls, who will come? God still gives, who will receive?  When God gives and you receive, there is joy in heaven, joy to the world and joy to you, too!

Stories from Walter Knight and other sources

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