Heavenly Gifts
This series of sermons looked at the gifts that come directly from heaven to be enjoyed in this life. These notes were used in the midweek home/cell groups to apply to everyday life. They can be freely used/adapted for your own ministry.
The Gift of the Kingdom of Heaven
“Fear not little flock for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom”
(Luke 12v32)
Cell Discussion How is the Kingdom of heaven a gift to us? The following points might help…
The gift of belonging: Everyone needs to feel they belong to something or someone. We belong to the Kingdom of heaven as soon as we are born again (John 3v3). We are the Kingdom when our lives are under God’s rule.
The gift of a King: Most people feel the need of leadership in life. Prime ministers, Presidents and Monarchs come and go but we have a glorious King who is the ”ruler over the kings of the earth” (Revelation 1v5). Our King is “Altogether Lovely” (Song of Songs 5v16) – wonderful in every way. The King of heaven rules supreme – and remember we are part of His Kingdom!
The gift of a full life: Everyone wants to live life to the full. Our King gives us abundant life (John 10v10b). Living His way is a better way of living than any other and gives us a fulfilled life. By doing so we will be enjoying a taste of heaven here and now.
The gift of purpose: Everyone needs to have a sense of purpose in life, some seek it in having money and possessions, others seek it in pursuing the pleasures of this world. Jesus said “Seek the Kingdom of God” (Luke 12 v31) “and all these things (the necessities of life) will be added to you.” In the process of having heavenly priorities we find purpose in life.
The gift of hope: Those who do not have heavenly priorities may end up frustrated, depressed, lost or at best stuck in a rut in this life (remember Solomon when he got it wrong: Ecclesiastes 1v2 & 11) and at worst as a lost soul for all eternity: “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?” Mark 8v36. Those who belong to the Kingdom of heaven have an inheritance beyond this life (Revelation 21v7) and this gives us hope in what is sometimes a hopeless world (Ephesians 2v12).
The gift of eternity: The Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom (Daniel 4v3) “Therefore brethren be even more diligent to make your calling and election sure… so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1v11).
Cell Discussion Discuss together how the gift of belonging the Kingdom of heaven affects our lives here on earth. How does it change our lives – what challenges does it present us with?
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The Gift of Heavenly Wisdom
The Bible shows us that there are two kinds of wisdom: human wisdom and heavenly wisdom. Let’s look briefly at human wisdom - where does it come from?
• Education – diligent study and listening to instruction
• Observation – of life, of people
• Experience – tried and tested practical application
Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, refers to these ingredients in his testimonial in Ecclesiastes chapter 1:
• Education – 1v12 (NIV) “I devoted myself to study”
• Observation – 1v14 (NIV) “I have seen all the things that are done under the sun”
• Experience – 1v16 (NIV) “I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge”
Solomon had asked God for wisdom to dispense righteous judgement to His people and God was overjoyed to answer his prayer (1 Kings 3v9-10). There was a God-given dimension to his wisdom but it was something that Solomon worked on and in the process he said “I have grown and increased in wisdom” (Ecc 1v16). How many people these days set out to be wise and to develop wisdom in their lives? – Only wise people!
Wisdom is knowing what the RIGHT thing to do is.
Wisdom is making RIGHT decisions
Wisdom is doing the RIGHT thing.
Cell Discussion Look through Proverbs chapters 1-5 and pick out all the statements that show that real wisdom is doing the RIGHT thing (righteousness). See also Proverbs 8v8
Solomon was very unwise when he allowed himself to be led astray from God by some of the many pagan wives that he married (1 Kings 11v1-9). He failed to do the RIGHT thing (wisdom) and became frustrated and disillusioned (See Ecclesiastes) but his wisdom comes through at the end of the book (Eccl 11v13-14). Solomon was human but as Jesus said – “A greater than Solomon is here” (Matthew 12v42) – Jesus was full of heavenly wisdom and He wants to give it to us…
Heavenly wisdom comes from God and begins with God (Proverbs 1v7). Those who fear God are the wise ones. Fearing God involves loving Him and living to please Him – doing what He says, living right. We fear those we love in a healthy way – we don’t like it when we have done something that has upset them and we want to get it put right as quickly as possible, if we love them - and if they love us, they will gladly forgive and restore, which God is always ready to do.
So real wisdom is to be right with God and those who are right with Him are on their way to being truly wise. We don’t have to be highly intelligent or wait until we are old (Proverbs 1v4) - this heavenly wisdom is a gift for all, young and old. James 1v5 says that it is there for the asking!
Cell Discussion Discuss together the hallmarks of heavenly wisdom in James 3v17-18
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Earthly Gifts from Heaven
“Every good and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father” James 1v17
“God - who gives us richly all things to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6v17)
Every part of creation has the stamp of heaven on it and for those with eyes to see God’s handiwork, there can be an even greater appreciation and enjoyment of those gifts and of God Himself…
The Beauty of Nature: Most people looking at a glorious landscape, beautiful flowers, amazing animals can appreciate the beauty of nature, but those with they eyes of faith recognize the glory of the CREATOR in all these things (Romans 1v20). When we see the phenomenal variety there is on earth: 287,655 species of plants, 1.25 million species of animals including 950,000 types of insects, 29,300 fish, 10,234 birds etc, not to mention between 5 & 10 million species of bacteria, 1.5 million fungi, these wonders show us something of God’s vast imagination, generosity, and attention to detail. Then when we look beyond the earth to the stars and the planets, every one of them is different - they speak to us of the glory of God (Psalm 19v1-6) The nearest star to us – the Sun – is 92 million miles away and the furthest Galaxy discovered so far is 13,200,000,000 light years away – a light year = 5,850,000,000,000 miles – that is thirteen thousand million times by six million, million or 13 billion x 6 trillion miles! The smallest galaxy has 10 million stars and giant ones have a billion stars!! There are more than 100 billion galaxies in the universe! We see in the vastness of endless Space the greatness of our God who fills and contains it all in His omnipresence (1 Kings 8v27 and Ephesians 4v10).
Cell Discussion As believers hopefully we can see the finger print of God on all that is around us – do we appreciate these gifts from God and are we grateful for them?
The Gift of Daily Bread: The Preacher of Ecclesiastes said “I know that nothing is better for them (mankind) than to rejoice and to do good in their lives and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labour – it is the gift of God” (3v12-13). Judging by all the TV programmes there are about food and cooking these days it seems that one of our major preoccupations is food. It is true that there is no end to creating and discovering new recipes and that is very enjoyable, but like all the gifts that God has given us, mankind has a way of spoiling them – so while millions are starving, millions more are overeating and battling with obesity. Jesus said we should look to God for our daily bread – He is the One who supplies “seed to the sower and bread for food” (2 Corinthians 9v10). If we have more than the basic necessities, as believers we can enjoy them fully but at the same time - share with those who do not have as much as we have.
Cell Discussion As believers we do not need to feel guilty about what God has given us to enjoy but how can we handle these gifts differently from the way the world does?
The Gift of Music: Heaven is saturated with music (Revelation 5v9, 15v3) and it is a wonderful gift from heaven to earth. As with all God’s gifts to us (including the gift of sex), the devil and mankind are capable of spoiling something beautiful. It seems that Lucifer was the worship leader in heaven (Ezekiel 28v13) before he fell, but ever since he has been striking a discordant note and using music as a vehicle for unwholesome lyrics and an inspiration for bad behaviour. He also attacks worship since he knows how powerful and God-honouring it is. We know when music is inspired by the devil, but all good music uplifts the soul, whether it is secular or spiritual, and when it is directed back to God in worship it uplifts our spirits too and draws us closer to God.
Cell Discussion God has given us all things richly to enjoy, if we use these gifts rightly our lives are enriched and this rebounds in gratitude to God. If we are grateful to the Giver the gift is put in it’s rightful place – do you agree?
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The Gift of Talents and Abilities
Every human being is uniquely gifted and talented - even if to differing degrees. We all have (unless severely mentally disabled) the gifts of intelligence, comprehension, memory and speech, and added to that, people have their own special talents and abilities – ranging from music to art to science and more.
When we consider the fact that every human being begins as one cell – a fertilized egg, it is nothing short of a miracle that within a few months of being born some of these gifts are already evident, and within a few short years, a person’s talents are already forming. So all those gifts and abilities are actually contained in that one cell – how can this be? It is a gift from heaven to humanity!
We see humanity’s achievements all through history. It is the height of arrogance for modern man to think that we are superior to our furthest ancestors. In many ways their achievements are just as great if not greater than ours, since they pioneered all that we have continued to develop to this day. We only have to look at the pyramids of Egypt and ancient Mexico and the Great Wall of China, (built without modern machinery) and the fact that thousands of years ago man was skilled in mathematics and astronomy, medicine and sea travel to realise that mankind has always had gifts and talents from the beginning.
Psalm 8v 4 says “What is man that You are mindful of him and the son of man that you care for him?”
Secular science says man is a little higher than the apes but the Psalmist says “You made him a little lower than the angels and crowned him with glory and honour.”
We believe the Bible is true! This is the true perception of humanity – it acknowledges man’s dignity and God’s purpose for mankind. This statement places mankind far higher than the evolutionists do. For the believer there is the knowledge that one day the saved will be higher than the angels – we shall judge them (1 Corinthians 6v3) and they will serve us in eternity as well as helping us when needed now (Hebrews 1v14)
In Conclusion we are wise if we see our gifts and talents as a gift from heaven. Not only does it make us grateful it puts them in perspective. These gifts are given but also loaned to us by God. What are we doing with them? The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25v14-30) challenges us to use them to the full, to work on them and develop them for the glory of God.
Notice that the third servant in the parable was “afraid” - afraid of what? – responsibility, afraid to step out, afraid he might fail, afraid of sacrifice and hard work? We cannot all do the same things, some may be more talented than others (that is a responsibility), but we can all use the talents that God has given us. To do so is fulfilling, exciting and can be helpful to those around us as well as pleasing and useful to God who has given us our talents as a gift from heaven!
Cell Discussion Look at the gifts and talents there are within your group. Don’t be modest or shy about the gifts God has given you. Others may point out ones that you overlook but discuss how you are using those gifts and see if there are new ways in which you could offer them back to God and use them to help others and for His glory.
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The Gift of God’s Love in Human Relationships
The Hebrew word for love, used in the Old Testament is: “Ahava” which also means “I give.” This word with a dual meaning gives us a revelation of how love works - love is giving. “God so loved that He gave…” and the measure of His love was that He gave us His most precious possession – His Son!!! This kind of love is the love that God has given as a gift from heaven to us, and then for us - to exercise in our relationships with all those around us! Let’s explore this some more…
Love is giving: The act of giving creates a connection between the giver and the receiver. The more giving, on both sides, the greater the connection and the more the relationship builds – when the giving stops the relationship either dies, or breaks down or comes to an end. When we give – it can be our time, showing respect and interest in someone, helping someone - by using our specialist talent, advice or expertise, a word of encouragement or emotional support, or even a gift of money etc, we are showing love to that person by taking something we have got and giving it to them – it could have been kept to oneself but we chose to use it to benefit someone else – that is the way love works! Love is giving! This is the secret of how loves works at all levels.
Cell Discussion
Share examples of how giving, either from someone else to you or the other way round, has helped to make a connection and build a loving relationship with others.
Levels of love: The Greek words for love are philia, storge, eros and agape.
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Philia is used for the love between friends (John 11v6), husband and wife (Titus 2v4) within family (Matt 10v37) and among Christian brothers and sisters (Romans 12v10)
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Storge is used for natural affection (2 Timothy 3v3)
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Eros is not found in the New Testament but it is the Greek word for sexual/sensual love
These forms of love can fail (when the giving stops) but there is another level of love that never fails (1 Corinthians 13v8) – the Agape love of God. The word Agape is used over 250 times in the New Testament.
Agape Love of God is a gift from heaven to us.
God’s love is universal, all embracing and undeserved. When a person responds to His agape, “the love (agape) of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit” (Romans 5v5) and we then begin to love in the way that God loves: “everyone who loves (with God’s agape love) is born of God” (1 John 4v7).
With God’s love (agape) within us, we are enabled to love our neighbours – that is, everyone around us (James 2v8), people of all types who we would not naturally get along with and even our enemies (Matthew 5v43).
This is expressed towards others in the following ways as described in 1 Corinthians 13:
Agape is patient – kind – not envious of others – humble – respectful – selfless – even tempered – does not remember wrongs – delights in goodness and truthfulness – protective – trusting – positive – faithful.
The agape love of God is needed in all our relationships: for friends, family and within the church (John 13v34). Husbands are exhorted to love their wives with the agape love of God (Ephesians 5v25). So agape is a gift from heaven to enhance all our human relationships.
Cell Discussion
How is the Agape love of God expressed in our relationships with others? Give examples from your own experience
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The Gift of Eternal Life
The Bible shows us that the souls of men are eternal (Ecclesiastes 3v11) but after this life on earth, either eternal death or eternal life awaits us all. The good news of the gospel is that eternal life is God’s gift from heaven available to all mankind. “The wages of sin is death but the GIFT of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6v23). The return (wages) for our sin is eternal death because it separated us from God, it stole our relationship with Him and it contaminates everything.
“The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men” (Romans 1v18) God rightly hates sin and all the consequences of it, both to the whole of creation and to the individual, but the good news is that “God demonstrates His own love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him” (Romans 5v8-9).
To be saved from the wrath to come and from eternal death, is just the beginning. We are not just saved FROM eternal death – which is wonderful, at the same time we are given the gift of eternal life - “Whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3v15). By believing in the Saviour, the relationship between God and man is restored: “Having been justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5v1).
Jesus said “This is eternal life that they may know You the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17v3). We will spend all eternity discovering the wonders of God and enjoying His glory and goodness: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard… the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2v9).
Eternal life began the moment we believed. Jesus said, “Most assuredly I say to you he who hears my word and believes in Him who sent me HAS EVERLASTING LIFE, and shall not come into judgement but has passed from death into life” (John 5v24). In one hundred, one thousand one million years time we shall be alive – more alive than we are now with no aches or pains, no problems, no sorrows, no fears, no conflicts nothing but love peace and joy which last forever!
The heavenly gift of eternal life (the gift of heaven itself) is not just a gift to be enjoyed in the “sweet by and by” but in the “nasty now and now.” The gift of salvation means God is with us NOW, we have abundant life NOW (John 10v10), we have hope NOW, which sustains us through life however difficult it may be. “Thanks be to God for His unspeakable Gift” (2 Corinthians9v15).
Cell Discussion
Does this fresh look at the scriptures help you to appreciate the gift of eternal life that bit more and if so how?
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The Gift of the Holy Spirit
“Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins and you will receive the GIFT of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2v38
On a number of occasions in the Acts we see how the coming of the Holy Spirit upon believers was referred to as a GIFT. In what sense then is the Holy Spirit a gift a) to mankind and b) to believers in particular?
A Gift to Mankind
The Holy Spirit has been at work on planet earth since the beginning of time Genesis 1v2 creating order out of chaos. If the Holy Spirit was withdrawn from the earth we would be back in chaos again (2 Thessalonians 2v7). Sin brought a different level of chaos into the created world but the Holy Spirit is still at work convicting and convincing individuals in the world, of sin righteousness and judgement (John 16v8) He is also at work in the world to point people to the Saviour (John 16v14) So in order for people to become believers, the Holy Spirit is working invisibly around and within them to bring them to that point of conviction of sin and surrender to Jesus.
Cell Discussion How does this understanding of the way in which the Holy Spirit is at work in the world help us to pray for, and be prepared to witness to our unbelieving friends and relatives?
A Gift for Believers
As Jesus promised in Acts 1v4, and the disciples experienced (Acts 2v4), and Peter confirmed in Acts 2v38-39, the gift of the Holy Spirit is for all believers of all nationalities and people of all ages until the end of time. As believers in Jesus we have the privilege of an ongoing experience, which the world cannot have (John 14v17), of the Holy Spirit at work within us:
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The Holy Spirit is our Liberator (2 Corinthians 3v17) The Spirit liberates the human personality, giving the shy - boldness, the weak – strength, the defeated power to overcome (see Acts 4v13)
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The Holy Spirit is our Helper (John 14v16) Help is literally at hand since the Spirit is the Paraclete called alongside to help.
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The Holy Spirit is our Instructor (John 16v13)
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The Holy Spirit is our Enabler – The Spirit Himself bestows gifts that enable us to have insight and knowledge we do not naturally have, have faith for healings and miracles, to discern when and how the devil is at work, to speak in heavenly languages, and words of prophecy and interpretation (I Corinthians 12v8-10).
The Holy Spirit is our Enlivener, our Emboldener, our Enlightener, and our Enabler – without Him our faith would be dead words, but with Him the Christian life is an adventure where the sky is the limit. He is truly a gift to us - from heaven to earth!
Cell Discussion From your own experience how has the gift of the Holy Spirit enriched your life so far?
Since the sky is the limit, what would you like to see Him doing in your life from now on?
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We have looked at what some of those gifts from heaven to earth are, and they have included:
The heavenly gifts of Wisdom, the Word of God, the Kingdom of God,
the beauty of Nature, daily Bread, Music, Gifts and talents,
God’s Agape love in human relations, Eternal life, the Holy Spirit and now finally the best gift of all...
The Gift of God’s Son
“God so loved the world that He GAVE His only begotten Son” John 3v16
What the Gift meant to God
God the Father is so proud of His Son. On two occasions, at the baptism and the transfiguration He spoke from heaven saying: “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3v17 and17v5).
God the Father loves His Son with the most intense love. Jesus spoke about it on several occasions: “The Father loves the Son” (John 5v20), “As the Father loved Me I have loved you” (15v9), “The love with which You have loved Me may be in them”(17v26).
When the Father gave His Son it cost Him everything. Jesus is His ONLY begotten Son (John 3v16). He gave us His most precious, prized “possession” when He gave His Son!!
What the Gift meant for the Son Himself
He gave up the glory of heaven to come down into this sin-sick world “The world did not know Him” (John 1v10). “Men loved darkness rather than light”(John 3v19)
He experienced poverty and homelessness.
He lived a life of servanthood (Philippians 2v7) in complete obedience to the Father’s will (John 6v38).
He suffered misunderstanding and rejection, “He came to His own and His own did not receive Him” (John 1v11),
He suffered ultimately the most horrific death (Philippians 2v8).
What the Gift means for Us
We are not on a God-forsaken planet. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father”God has come to us in the person of His Son.
We can know and relate to God “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14v8-9)
We are loved that much that God would give us His most precious possession. We are loved with the love God has for His Son “The Father Himself loves you because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from God” (John 16v27).
We have everlasting life “He who believes in Me has everlasting life” (John 6v47)
He is with us now, and all through our lives “Lo I am with you always even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28v17)
Cell Discussion From your own experience talk about how the Son is the best gift from heaven to YOU.