Sermon 11-13-05 Ecclesiastes 11:1-5 Bread Upon the Waters
Consumer reports…best gifts for December 2005
I object
Eccl is an interesting book
This doesn’t matter, that doesn’t matter
Pleasure, work, advancement, riches, don’t matter
There is something that does matter
live your life in a way that honors God
There is this interesting section in Chpt 11
When you give of yourself, it will come back to you in due time
Help as many people as you can because there are many in need.
When trouble comes to you or someone else, bloom where you are planted. Help those around you.
Don’t just watch the storms of life, you will never understand them.
Remember that God is the maker of all things.
Christmas
This is a sermon about what you will give to others for Christmas. I am doing it now because we are entering shopping season. The week before it will be too late.
Christmas is a time when we focus on getting and giving.
Sometimes We focus on what does not matter.
If you only teach them materialism, the outcome will be predictable.
You can spend the next 6 weeks planning for gifts to open
Result: exhausted, broke, frustrated
You can spend the next 6 weeks giving yourself to others
Result: you have done the things that matter
Your soul has risen to the top
Gifts alone can seem hollow
Watching a huge man weigh in at the doctors office, and not knowing that the scale was out of order, a little boy watched with his mother as the indicator stopped at 75 pounds. “Whaddya Know,” the boy marveled. He’s Hollow.
Gifts alone can seem hollow
There should be a requirement that every gift given comes with a caring word…some message from the soul
Sometimes gifts are given to cover over what should have been there but was not……
What would a nuclear Christmas be like?
O Henry story….Gift of the Magi
The gifts in the story are not the watch chain or the hair combs, but the gift of extraordinary love
Don’t give gifts, give yourself.
Let me give you some examples:
Gifts of love and caring….
delivering kindness to those who are not kind to you.
Praying for those whom God has laid upon your heart.
You can’t be bitter about someone and pray for them.
Gift of forgiveness….
brother or sisiter who has offended you.
Member….can I sit by you, or do you want to smack me…gave
them a hug….life is short
Feed the poor-take 4 of your 6 winter coats and give them to the poor
Give your time….
no point in giving a new baseball glove if you will not play catch with
the boy.
Ring the bell for the salvation army.
Give a gift of welcome…..
to an estranged relative
To someone at church….welcome team
Cookies to a neighbor
Do not neglect to do the things that are upon your mind
It may be the Holy Spirit
Life is filled with distractions and mystery
Do the things that matter.
Let us pray
Consumer reports…best gifts for December 2005
I object
Eccl is an interesting book
This doesn’t matter, that doesn’t matter
Pleasure, work, advancement, riches, don’t matter
There is something that does matter
live your life in a way that honors God
There is this interesting section in Chpt 11
When you give of yourself, it will come back to you in due time
Help as many people as you can because there are many in need.
When trouble comes to you or someone else, bloom where you are planted. Help those around you.
Don’t just watch the storms of life, you will never understand them.
Remember that God is the maker of all things.
Christmas
This is a sermon about what you will give to others for Christmas. I am doing it now because we are entering shopping season. The week before it will be too late.
Christmas is a time when we focus on getting and giving.
Sometimes We focus on what does not matter.
If you only teach them materialism, the outcome will be predictable.
You can spend the next 6 weeks planning for gifts to open
Result: exhausted, broke, frustrated
You can spend the next 6 weeks giving yourself to others
Result: you have done the things that matter
Your soul has risen to the top
Gifts alone can seem hollow
Watching a huge man weigh in at the doctors office, and not knowing that the scale was out of order, a little boy watched with his mother as the indicator stopped at 75 pounds. “Whaddya Know,” the boy marveled. He’s Hollow.
Gifts alone can seem hollow
There should be a requirement that every gift given comes with a caring word…some message from the soul
Sometimes gifts are given to cover over what should have been there but was not……
What would a nuclear Christmas be like?
O Henry story….Gift of the Magi
The gifts in the story are not the watch chain or the hair combs, but the gift of extraordinary love
Don’t give gifts, give yourself.
Let me give you some examples:
Gifts of love and caring….
delivering kindness to those who are not kind to you.
Praying for those whom God has laid upon your heart.
You can’t be bitter about someone and pray for them.
Gift of forgiveness….
brother or sisiter who has offended you.
Member….can I sit by you, or do you want to smack me…gave
them a hug….life is short
Feed the poor-take 4 of your 6 winter coats and give them to the poor
Give your time….
no point in giving a new baseball glove if you will not play catch with
the boy.
Ring the bell for the salvation army.
Give a gift of welcome…..
to an estranged relative
To someone at church….welcome team
Cookies to a neighbor
Do not neglect to do the things that are upon your mind
It may be the Holy Spirit
Life is filled with distractions and mystery
Do the things that matter.
Let us pray
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