True Giving: More Than Just Something Nice

During the holiday season, our attention often turns to giving. We exchange presents, show appreciation for loved ones, and remember God’s greatest gift to humanity: Jesus Christ. Yet, in his sermon titled “What Is A Gift?”, Dr. GreGory challenges us to look beyond the surface of gift-giving and truly examine our hearts. Are we merely doing something nice for others, or are we genuinely giving them a gift—an offering of sacrifice, value, and love?

“With God, All Things Are Possible”

Pastor began with Matthew 19:23–26, where Jesus tells His disciples it’s easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven. Naturally, the disciples wonder who can be saved under such seemingly impossible conditions. Jesus reassures them that “With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.”

This foundational truth set the tone for Dr. GreGory’s sermon: true transformation and Godly living hinge on God’s power. Our ability to give sacrificially and with pure motives is possible because of His divine help.

When God Asks Us to Forsake “All”

After emphasizing that God can do the impossible, Pastor cited the moment Peter asks Jesus, “We have forsaken everything to follow you—what do we get?” (Matthew 19:27). Jesus promises a “hundredfold” blessing in return for those who have left their earthly treasures for Him. This hundredfold promise ties directly into the sermon’s main point about gifts and sacrifice. Even when we pour ourselves out, God ensures we are never left empty-handed.

The Heart of the Question: “What Is a Gift?”

Dr. GreGory draws a sharp distinction between doing something nice and offering a real gift. He reminds us that a genuine gift costs us something. It carries value or significance—it’s not just an afterthought or an act of routine. As John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,” and the word “only” underscores the depth of that sacrifice. God held nothing back.

• Sacrificial giving: The widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17) gave her last bit of flour and oil to Elijah before feeding herself. Though poor, she wasn’t excluded from real, sacrificial giving.

• Joyful giving: 2 Corinthians 9:7 says God loves a cheerful giver. Giving should stem from gratitude and trust, not guilt or mere obligation.

  
  

According to Scripture, the tithe (10%) belongs to the Lord as an act of obedience. An offering—that portion beyond the tithe—can move into the realm of genuine, sacrificial giving. He challenged us with the question: “If there were no rule about tithing, what would your heart give to God?”

It’s a question that probes our motivations. Do we give simply because we have to, or because we want to honor God? Even the wise men who visited young Jesus didn’t just bring random tokens; they opened their treasures—gold, frankincense, and myrrh. These gifts were valuable, reflecting deep reverence and love.

A Call to Examine Our Hearts

The sermon closes with a simple yet profound question: “Have you ever really given God a gift?” We’re invited to reflect on whether we’ve ever offered God something that truly mattered to us—our time, resources, dreams, or even our most prized possessions.

Dr. GreGory’s message invites us to look upward and inward. Do our presents to God contain genuine sacrifice and heartfelt devotion, or are they routine gestures done out of habit?